Magpies put buffers on Orient express

Last updated : 03 April 2006 By Rob Bristol

A predictably drab ‘end of the season' affair ended up all square at Meadow Lane, as Notts came from behind to claim a point against a disappointing promotion-chasing Orient side .

Edwards in familiar pose
In a dire first half, the only moments of note were two weak shots on goal by Steve Scoffham, a surprise inclusion to the starting line up after coming victim to a horror ‘tackle' at Northampton last weekend,.

With the first-half whistling by without so much of a whimper, it was down to the second to provide some sort of entertainment.
 
Anyone expecting anything of the sort, however, were to be seriously disappointed, with little improvement on the first half having been made at all.

Eventually, it was to be Orient who'd take the lead thanks to an uncharacteristic moment of reluctance from our captain Julien Baudet to charge down a 50-50 ball. The ball eventually landed at the feet of everyone's favourite ex-Stag, Wayne Corden who was given enough time to write his autobiography before turning the ball home past the dive of former team mate, Kevin Pilkington.

The game then settled back into its non-descript norm, with the only moments of relative inspiration was some ‘handbags' between Scoffham and Orient's Matt Lockwood. With Scoffham, typically, embarking on one of his legendary quick-fire sending off missions, the former Gedling man pushed Lockwood in the face, but in keeping with his complete disregard for the rules, referee Sutton did not even produce a yellow card.

With Scoffham, somehow, remaining to stay on the pitch, Notts were to draw level when Chrissy Palmer hit a long corner to the far post and the feisty forward headed back across goal for Mike Edwards to become Notts' joint leading goal scorer with a whopping six goals to his credit.

As if it were possible, the game would again take a turn for the worse when Scoffham and John Mackie were booked for another bout of handbags handbags before, minutes later Mackie scythed down the Notts marksman for a clear second yellow card. However, such was the poor standard of referee Sutton, nothing was awarded except a free kick to Notts.

The home support started to depart long before the end of the game which, in all honesty, never got out of second gear.


NCM would like to thank Rob Bristol for his report on Saturday's action.