Before the game, the pubs and streets of Macclesfield seemed to be swarming with black and white shirts, all smiling and saying hello as they passed another Magpie. It's been a long time since we arrived at the ground at quarter past two and had to queue to get in! By kick off the numbers on the away terrace were impressive, with another couple of hundred sat in the seats down the side. From the middle of the Silkman Terrace it seemed as though Notts had just as many fans there as the hosts, although no official figure has been announced yet.
Notts immediately looked to pass the ball around midfield, with an unchanged starting line-up from the one that comprehensively beat Bradford City last week. They only really started to take control after Russell Hoult had been called into action to smother the ball at the feet of Matthew Tipton. After this early scare the first half became one way traffic however, with Notts stroking the ball between themselves with the confidence and aplomb of a top level side. It took just 13 minutes for the Magpies to strike, with combative midfielder Ricky Ravenhill scoring his first goal for the club. The ball came to Lee Hughes in the box and his first time shot was well blocked by Hamza Bencherif, but it spun out to Ravenhill who hit the shot into the ground, before it clipped a defender and sailed into the net past Jonny Brain. Notts celebrated infront of the delirious and packed away terrace and from this point onwards, the result never really seemed in doubt.
Notts nearly made it two five minutes later, with Ben Davies swinging in a corner that was headed goalwards by Graeme Lee. The ball was somehow sliced off the line and onto the underside of the bar before the ball came back out to John Thompson who flashed a volley narrowly wide of the far post. The Silkmen had their first real piece of serious pressure around the half hour mark, with a neat backheel allowing Matthew Tipton to fire a low cross into the area, but the ball was cleared away for a corner by Mike Edwards, who had come on to replace Graeme Lee after he limped off with a suspected groin injury.
An aggressive and often over the top Macclesfield side then saw another Notts player on the floor in agony, as a ridiculously late challenge on Neal Bishop from Ross Draper saw the Notts midfielder and his assailant injured. Both were able to continue, but Bishop was withdrawn at half time and it has now emerged he has a suspected broken rib. Lee Hughes then should've added a second for the Magpies after a swift counter attack, the ball fell wide to Luke Rodgers who skinned his marker before curling a delightful ball onto Hughes' head, but he couldn't quite guide the ball under the crossbar.
The numbers were then once again added to the local A&E, with John Thompson struck by an elbow to the face. Once again missed by the referee, it was another example of the host's aggression and led to Thompson needing around ten minutes of treatment on the sidelines, for what has now emerged to be a broken nose. The Notts captain managed to complete the ninety minutes though after the flow of blood was stemmed. He just returned to the action in time to see the Magpies double their lead just before the interval, Ben Davies' corner held up in the strong breeze which allowed Stephen Hunt the easy task of powering a header past Jonny Brain and into the net. Hunt's first goal in nearly a year and the perfect end to another great half from the Magpies.
With Bishop withdrawn at half time, Jamie Clapham entered the fray for Notts and hoped to have the same impact he had on Tuesday night, hitting the post twice against Doncaster Rovers. It didn't take the Magpies long to get the third either, with a foul on Ben Davies winning the Magpies a free kick. Davies dusted himself down and floated in a deep cross which was helped past his own 'keeper by Ben Wright, with Lee Hughes lurking. This really did seal the win for the Magpies, with the away fans now ridiculously relaxed behind the goal as they burst into another chorus of "we are top of the league".
Davies then had a pop himself from a free-kick, whipping a delightful effort around the wall which seemed to be flying into the bottom corner before Brain managed to claw it around the post. Macc then had their best chance of the match, Izak Reid who was causing a few issues for Stephen Hunt down the Silkmen's right side, laid the ball into Emile Sinclair who flicked a pass through to Matthew Tipton, but his right footed shot whistled wide of Russell Hoult's post. Notts then made their final substitution, with livewire Luke Rodgers taken off to a healthy ovation from the travelling fans, allowing Karl Hawley 20 minutes to stake his claim for a starting berth.
John Thompson's broke nose didn't stop him coming unbelievably close from another Davies corner as he powered a header goalwards that was brilliant saved by Brain. Hawley's first action was also a 60-yard pass to Lee Hughes that was caught in the wind and almost drifted over Brain and into the net. Hughes was to have another golden chance to get his goal after a swift counter attack saw Jamie Clapham play in Craig Westcarr, who's deep cross was just too high for Hughes to get a clean contact on the ball.
The Magpies weren't to be denied though as just into injury time they scored the best goal of the day. A sweeping passing move saw the ball played into the feet of Karl Hawley, who spun away from his marker and played a perfectly weighted through ball for Craig Westcarr, who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner past the onrushing Brain. It was a goal of genuine class and came as a reminder of just what Notts are capable off after a second half that was played with the intention of keeping as much in the tank as possible for Wednesday's local derby with Chesterfield.
Notts Co - Hoult, Moloney, Lee (Edwards), Thompson, Hunt, Westcarr, Ravenhill, Bishop (Clapham), Davies, Hughes, Rodgers (Hawley)
Macclesfield Town 0
Notts County 4 (Ravenhill 13, Hunt 45, Wright OG 50, Westcarr 90)
Att - 2,785