With both teams’ Football League status already secured prior to kick-off, there really was precious little point in the clubs going hell for leather. And, as expected, neither Notts County or Shrewsbury did.
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Perhaps, considering the injury-riddled minefield that the outgoing Ian Richardson has had to negotiate, it is not ‘proper’ that we moan.
But as a paid-up (well, nearly anyway) supporter of the club, you can’t help but feel the brunt that the close season is approaching. Nothing more so highlighted this overwhelming sinking feeling than the inclusion of two YTS students in the squad.
With numbers low, Will Thacker (17) and Tommy Hannigan (18) were both included in the match squad of 16. If such inclusions do not convince those amongst you who fail still to see this sudden sense of futility about the club since our League status was confirmed, then I need not further argue the case.
However, with messrs Bolland, Whitlow, Edwards, Gordon, Ullathorne, Zadkovich, McFaul, Williams and, of course, Richardson himself all missing from the squad, the task of taking the game to their opponents looked a somewhat unlikely task to stay the least.
The Magpies inexperience was all too telling on the flow of the early stages of the first half. When Shrews’ full-back Andy Wilkinson bounded forward from his defensive berth on six minutes to unleash an early effort on the Magpies’ goal, it became painfully obvious that the travelling Notts contingent could not trust that their team was going to weather the proverbial storm here.
Fortunately, Wilkinson’s early effort winged wide of goal, but others were to follow.
The returning Chrissy Palmer – who has slowly begun to re-work his way into the starting XI of late – opened the Magpies shooting account on six minutes. Palmer’s shot – like Wilkinson’s – proved more comical than dangerous for the defending ‘keeper.
Regardless of these two half-chances, however, the game was not a pretty one, and, on a tiny pitch, it soon turned into a scrappy affair without signs of any sort of relent. Yawn.
On fourteen minutes came the first real chance of the match.
When the Notts rear-guard was breached on the flanks, Kelvin Langmead rose like a salmon to meet a Sam Aiston cross from the right. Despite, from standing all of two yard behind the goal, the diving header of Langmead looking for all the world to be heading for the back of the net, the Magpies should count themselves extremely lucky that the ball fell a good two inches wide of the up-right.
With the blaring chime of alarm bells still ringing in County ears, the Magpies went up the other end ten minutes after Langmead headed agonisingly wide to surprisingly net the opener.
When a Matty Gill – yes, that’s Matty Gill – corner was misjudged by Mike Sheron, youngster Shaun Harrad was given the easy task of heading a far post effort goalwards. The ball, however, failed to hit the net but – amidst overwhelming claims from the County players – the goal stood.
Harrad’s long-awaited first goal for the Magpies, and the Magpies now one-nil ahead.
Notts almost doubled their lead when Steve Scoffham – included in the Notts starting eleven for only the fifth time since joining the Magpies 14 months ago – struck the upright with a powerful effort. The rebound didn’t fall quite as he would have wished, however, as he fluffed it wide of the mark.
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When Saul Deeney came tearing off his line to clear his lines, the young Magpies ‘keeper – set to be out of contract in the summer – was nearly left with egg on his face when the experienced Mike Sheron hit a well-struck, dipping effort from the half-way line onto the Magpies post with Deeney still recovering.
Having had multiple frights, the Magpies still relied on Lady Luck, as well as rookie Emmet Friars in defence, by far the pick of the Magpies back line.
Half Time: Shrewsbury Town 0-1 NOTTS COUNTY
After being treated to some criminal finishing from sub-keeper Rob Elliot during the interval, the Magpies – despite having been threatened many a time throughout the first half – came out somewhat more subdued for the second half, as their hosts pushed for an equaliser.
With neither side looking deserving of a lead, it was perhaps only right that the hosts found their much-sought after equaliser.
From the hosts’ viewpoint, a well crafted team goal for a team only just safe from the drop, but from the Magpies, a very poor piece of team defending.
It took a well flowing passing movement from the Shrews to breach the Magpies defences fifteen minutes after the break, which was neatly rounded off by midfielder David Edwards with a neat finish.
The home side came close, on occasion, to following up their equaliser, but Deeney was rarely troubled.
The Magpies, however, showed that they were not about to go down without a fight when Friars – one of many of the Magpies’ young brood included today – scampered forward from the back. A neat one-two in midfield, and the Northern Irish defender unleashed an Oakes-esque effort goal bound that came oh so close to putting the Magpies back out in front.
The youngster’s best efforts, however, only managed to swing just wide of the left hand post of ‘Dodgy keeper’ Joe Hart. The dodgy will be explained later…
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A motion echoed soon after by the excellent David Pipe – re-installed at right back – as he cleaved Aiston to the floor. An action for which he was rightfully booked for.
With six minutes on the clock, there was utter pandemonium created by the young Shrews ‘keeper Hart when he thrice failed to clear his lines before, on his third attempt passing the ball to the feet of the off-colour Scoffham.
Despite looking odds-on the slot past the young Town ‘keeper, Scoffham – clearly low on confidence – succeeded only in curling the ball round Hart onto the post. Not a good example to set out for any potential managers in the crowd, that’s for sure.
Shrewsbury gave Notts a late scare when the lively figure of Langmead fired a left-footed strike well over the crossbar of Saul Deeney with just three minutes of normal time remaining.
Full Time: Shrewsbury 1-1 NOTTS COUNTY
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