Notts County 2 - 0 Bristol City - Final Score
Last updated : 16 March 2002 By Paul Berry
There is a fantastic atmosphere at Meadow Lane today as Notts go for their fourth successive win.
Notts won their first corner after 4 minutes but the City defence cleared easily.
Bristol City went close on 6 minutes after Lee Peacock only just failed to meet a Mickey Bell cross after Notts failed to effectively defend a throw-in.
Paul Heffernan's over-enthusiasm led to him being caught offside several times during a scrappy first ten minutes.
Stoke 1 - 0 Peterborough
GOAL 18 minutes - MARCEL CAS - Cas makes a great run, cuts in from the right, turns 360 degrees and bangs a 25 yard shot in to the back of the Bristol City net.
Stuart Garden made a great save from Lee Peacock as the Magpies defence failed to deal with a cross.
Former Notts loanee Lee Matthews hit a shot across the face of goal after Michael Brough lost the ball in midfield.
On 22 minutes, Notts had a clear penalty turned down by the linesman after Allsopp was tripped in the box. Caskey and Dearden were incensed at the decision.
Heffernan was waved on when looking offside but he hit his shot over the bar when he should have scored. Allsopp hits the ball wide of the post a minute later.
Bury 0 - 1 Brighton
Notts are out of the bottom 4 in 19th at least temporarily.
Tinnion smacks the ball in to the back of the Notts goal but the goal is disallowed for handball.
Wrexham 1 - 0 Northampton
Notts continued to put pressure on the Bristol defence but City looked dangerous on the break.
In a set-piece, Leam Richardson's throw-in was headed on by Cas but Danny Allsopp's weak shot was easily saved by the City goalkeeper.
Booking 38 mins - Lee Matthews for a foul on Leam Richardson.
Chesterfield 0 - 1 Reading
Lee Matthews was allowed to turn in the Notts penalty area but his shot went wide.
This was followed by a spell of pressure by City that was really a result of poor Notts defending.
Booking 43 mins - Michael Brough for a foul.
Northampton 1 - 1 Wrexham
The Robins continued to apply the pressure as the game drifted towards half-time but they are unable to supply the final ball.
HalfTime - Notts County 1 - 0 Bristol City
So a great first-half for Notts with numerous shots on target. Bristol City do not look like a top 6 team.
Reading 2 - 0 Chesterfield
Bury 0 - 2 Brighton
Caskey's free-kick was acrobatically punched away by the keeper. From the resulting throw-in Heffernan's shot was deflected wide by the City left-back but the referee gives a goal-kick anyway.
Brough failed to make a challenge and the resulting shot was pushed away for a corner. A spell of Bristol City pressure followed as Notts were unable to clear the ball.
City won a corner in front of their own supporters but Stuart Garden made an excellent catch and followed up with an excellent catch from a free-kick. Garden really has been a positive influence over the last few weeks.
Notts have been unable to stamp any authority on the game in the first ten minutes of the second half. Liburd in particular has not been his usual ebulient self and Billy Dearden may be considering a change in midfield.
The wheelbarrow song rang out around the ground and followed by a chant of County as the Notts fans got behind the team.
Garden made a great save as City defender Hill played a 1-2 with Matthews and put in a fine shot as the Notts defence backed off.
Paul Heffernan was inspirational as he tried to provide relief for an overworked midfield
.
Substitution (BC) 54 minutes - Jones for Matthews
Richard Liburd put a powerful volley just wide after more good work by human dynamo Paul Heffernan.
Cambridge 0 - 1 Huddersfield
On 66 minutes Garden made another good save from substitute Jones.
Substitution (BC) 67 minutes - Hulbert comes on for the Doherty
Oldham 0 - 6 Cardiff
Bury 1 - 2 Brighton
GOAL 73 minutes - PAUL HEFFERNAN - A brilliant individual goal out of nothing by Paul Heffernan as he flicked the ball over a defender and volleyed the ball in with his weaker left foot.
Oldham 0 - 7 Cardiff
Garden expressed his frustration at his defence as a Hulbert shot went just over the bar.
Substitution (BC) 67 minutes - Brown comes on for Singh
A weak Lee Peacock shot is usered wide by Stuart Garden. A City header bounced up and hit the Notts bar. Steve Jones contrived to hit the rebound wide from a yard out. The luck really was with County.
Northampton 2 - 1 Wrexham
Northampton 3 - 1 Wrexham
(Notts will be below Northampton if the scores stay the same).
Substitution (NC) 85 minutes - Hackworth for Liburd
Liburd limped of with a niggling ankle injury and was replaced by Tony Hackworth as Gillingham go 3 - 1 against West Bridgeford.
As the game went in to injury time Caskey won a free-kick in the County half. Billy Dearden stood on the touchline urging Notts to play the ball in to the corners to waste time.
Northampton 4 - 1 Wrexham
Bury 1 - Brighton 2
Tranmere 0 - Bournemouth 0
Gillingham 3 -1 ******
Sheffied United's game is abandoned as 3 of their players are sent off and 2 others go off injured as the team is reduced to 6 players.
FullTime - Notts County 2 - 0 Bristol City
