Match Ratings- V Morecambe

Last updated : 02 September 2007 By Richard Brown

Against opposition who, with respect, were there for the beating, it'll come to no surprise to many that the weekend's player ratings will make for uncomfortable reading for many a Notts fan.


Missing a host of chances a hardworking Morecambe side, NCM's take on proceedings will hardly fill supporters with promise ahead of Monday's Johnstone's Paint Trophy tie with Leyton Orient and Friday's trip to the MK Arena.


Nevertheless, positives can be taken from yesterday's stalemate, if only at the expense of a few Notts sacrifices.


Pilkington...NCM's star man
MATCH RATINGS (Average: 6/10):


Pilkington: star man.
Kept his side in the game with a number of smart, second-half saves despite being offered little protection by his defence. The Magpies' custodian was almost punished, first, for hesitancy in clearing the ball and, secondly, for flapping at a Morecambe corner. In all, a mixed day's play for the veteran 'keeper - 7.


Canoville:
Improved on his last Meadow Lane performance, and the better of a bad bunch at the back this afternoon - 6.


Hunt:
The young captain looked far from his usual, steady self after being well beaten by lone frontman Michael Twiss, who burst through to squander a great first-half chance. Rose well late on to head a Neil Mackenzie corner just over the visitors' crossbar - 6.


Tann:
Having clearly benefited his time at Leyton Orient, the defender looks has fitted seamlessly into the Magpies' back-four and looks a useful stop-gap, if nothing else, for long-term injury victim, Mike Edwards - 6.


McCann:
Rocked by the presence of Morecambe winger Garry Thompson, the Scot looked far from composed on his return to action and was replaced midway through the second half, just as he was beginning to impose himself on the game - 5.

Smith...Out of sorts


Smith:
Out of position and out of sorts on the right-hand side of midfield, Smith's anonymous performance looked a far cry from his heroics of last season - 5.


Butcher
: Quiet throughout, but arrived in the box bang on-time to claim a late point for the Magpies - 6.


Mackenzie:
On the ball, the former Mansfield man looked a class apart from his team-mates. His contributions were sporadic, however, and Notts were a marksman short of finishing Mackenzie's best efforts from the middle of the park - 6.5.


Mayo:
At times, the former Lincoln full-back looked Magpies' best player, crossing superbly to supply Butcher for the equaliser. A shaky start blotted his afternoon's copybook, however, after being moved onto the left-hand side of midfield - 6.5.


Parkinson:
Time and again the diminutive Parkinson has been called upon to deputise in attack, and repeatedly the Magpies' faithful have been left disappointed. Failed to threaten the burly Morecambe

Parkinson...Failed to threaten
centre-halves - 5.


Sam:
The lumbering forward missed two chances to put his side ahead, including a glaring tenth-minute miss. On this showing, Sam will seldom trouble the likes of Lee, Dudfield, Weston, Weir-Daley and, dare I say it, Parkinson for a starting place.


Subs
:


Spencer Weir Daley
(Sam '61): Added a certain spark to the Magpies' front-line with his pace and footwork. The one-time Forest trainee should have started in the absence of Lee and Dudfield, and will hope to do so against MK Dons on Friday - 6.


Stef Frost (Smith '70): A surprise inclusion in the squad, the teenager looked short of match practice, despite managing a one mazy run, only to be hacked down by Morecambe's Danny Adams - 6.


Matt Somner (McCann '80): No notable contribution - 6.


Star Man: By default, Kevin Pilkington.