Notts. County 1 Doncaster Rovers 0

Last updated : 12 August 2008 By Footymad Previewer
Notts County deserved to pull off one of the upsets of the first round of the Carling Cup by beating Championship side Doncaster Rovers by a single goal.

On target: Weston grabbed his first goal for the club...
Rovers started the tie looking the brighter and more promising, but the longer the game went the more formidable Notts became and in the end they deserved their shock victory.

Both goalkeepers were in first-half action, turning piledrivers over their bars.

In the early stages, Kevin Pilkington had to be alert in the Notts goal to divert a well-struck 30-yard drive by Mark Wilson.

Then ten minutes before half-time, Neil Sullivan was called on to produce an even better save when Neil MacKenzie drove a powerful free-kick from just outside the area towards the top corner.

Little was seen of the former Notts striker Paul Heffernan until two minutes before the break when he spun away only to see his shot flash wide of Pilkington's left-hand post.

Apart from a low drive by midfielder John Spicer which Pilkington fielded on his six-yard line, little was seen of Doncaster after the break and Notts increasingly began to threaten.

On his first home appearance, Delroy Facey contributed a flying header from six yards which flew over Sullivan's bar.

Three minutes from the end of normal time, Notts had the best chance of the match to win it.

Central defender Mike Edwards, who was up with his forwards for a free-kick, found himself in the clear at six yards but his finishing effort sailed over the top.

Only six minutes into extra time came the breakthrough.

Myles Weston, having come off the bench in 67 minutes, broke into the penalty area and drilled a powerful low shot past the experienced Sullivan who had no hope of saving.