Notts County 2-2 Nottingham Forest

Last updated : 09 August 2012 By Jacob Daniel

NOTTS COUNTY 2-2 NOTTINGHAM FOREST

JUDGE & ARQUIN                                                  MCGOLDRICK & MCGUGAN (PEN)

So, after the controversy, disappointment and frustration of the weekend's half-friendly against AEK Athens, Notts were in action again at Meadow Lane just fourty eight hours after the weather put an end to one Keith Curle's final two pre-season warm up matches. As, to all intents and purposes, the closest to League One standard opposition that we were likely to face all pre-season, the match against Nottingham Forest had both a little bit of local pride and genuine intrigue involved, although neither side were at full strength from the outset. Notts' back four looked particularly experimental, with Alan Sheehan flanked by two trialists and Hamza Bencherif, looking even more lost than he tends to in his favoured position of central midfield. Forest, meanwhile, had talented young centre back Jamaal Lascelles in their line up as well as a pacy but goal-shy frontline of Robbie Findley, David McGoldrick and Marcus Tudgay.

Notts started strongly, passing the ball around the pitch with confidence and basically denying their visitors a single touch of the ball during the first five minutes or so, before the folly of Curle's defensive selections became apparent. Tudgay and Findley combined to race clear of the square and slow Notts central defensive partnership of Bencherif and the hapless Tommy Williams, allowing the American to square for former Magpie McGoldrick to tap home the opening goal, which was added to within moments. A through ball of depressing simplicity caught Williams and Bencherif square again, with the Algerian hauling down Findley as he advanced on Bartosz Bialkowski. Midfielder Lewis McGugan stepped up to smash the penalty home, scoring past Notts just as he had done during the sides' epic 3-3 draw in the League Cup last season.

Having built their lead Forest were able to dominate much of the first half, although Notts came closest when Lee Hughes didn't quite get enough of a connection on a teasing Alan Judge cross. Forest saw much of the ball, with Notts' narrow formation meaning that they couldn't press the ball quickly enough and cut out the constant and comfortable get-out pass to the full backs. 

Keith Curle had to make a raft of changes at the bench, and he did, which immediately improved the balance, tempo, shape and just about everything else about the Notts side. Yoann Arquin came on in attack along with Frenchman Francois Zoko, who made his debut for the club. The best chance of the half's opening fell to Notts, however, as Lee Hughes broke the Forest offside trap and intelligently squared the ball into the path of the one player you didn't want it falling to - Neal Bishop. Unfortunately, the Notts captain characteristically sliced the ball high into the Kop from twelve yards. They didn't have to wait long to get a goal back, however, as Alan Judge curled a beautifully directed free kick into the top corner past Karl Darlow after Zoko who had been hauled down.

This gave Notts real impetus and they poured forward, Darlow clawing away a header from substitute Manny Smith before Arquin spectacularly half-volleyed an equaliser into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. Judge, who had been central to Notts' revival, was substituted and it seemed that much of Notts' momentum went with it, but Forest were struggling to find anywhere near the dominance they had at times in the first half. Zoko was causing chaos on the left flank, beating his man several times and seeing a powerful shot deflected wide, but he was also taken off by Curle after half an hour to be replaced by French trialist Enzo Fuentes. He came closest to winning it, volleying over the bar after Showunmi's hooked cross, whilst the big Nigerian was also crudely hacked down by a Forest defender when he burst clear on goal in injury time.