Notts prevail in the battle of London Road.

Last updated : 30 September 2010 By Jacob Daniel

Football fans of opposing sides will always see games differently, but it's hard to understand just how the opinions of fans of Notts County and Peterborough United, not to mention the managers, saw events on Tuesday in what The Sun has dubbed 'the battle of London Road.' In truth, we travelled in more hope than expectation of a result at a side with a 100% home record so far this season, with Notts yet to pick up a win on the road in League One, whilst the loss of Lee Hughes to injury meant that Craig Westcarr started upfront with Kevin Smith playing just in behind him. I've tried to work out Peterborough's formation and have decided they had four upfront in George Boyd, Craig Mackail-Smith, Lee Tomlin and Aaron McLean. Which may go some way to explaining the ease with which Notts dominate possession from the first whistle.

Despite Notts' ability to hold onto the ball it was the hosts who looked most dangerous early on though, with Tomlin picking up the ball on the right flank and dancing inside a couple of challenges before dragging the ball narrowly wide of Rob Burch's far post. This was as good as it got early on before the first incident that began to turn the game into a bad tempered, tempestuous affair. Alan Judge, who had started the game quietly, picked up the loose ball on the Notts left and skipped past former Notts man and general pantomime villain Matt Gill, who scythed him down with a high, late challenge. Some referees would've brandished a red, but Andy Woolmer decided on a yellow which perhaps set the tone for the lack of discipline that would overshadow the whole night.

Notts burst into life after this though and took the lead with their first real chance as the talismanic Ben Davies once again showed just how vital he is to the Magpies. A raking, cross field ball from Neal Bishop found Judge, who fired a low cross into the area, where Chris Whelpdale horribly miscued his clearance straight to Davies, who smashed it through the body of Joe Lewis. This really did bring the game to life and Notts were nearly two nil up within seconds as Judge fired a low shot narrowly wide of the far post. The lead was doubled within a matter of minutes though as Davies once again struck, this time curling a brilliant shot into the far corner after Neal Bishop's driving run and pass. It was a goal of real quality that justifies Notts' decision not to let Derby speak to their main creative outlet last month.

The goals were now coming thick and fast and Posh, who had already come from 2-0 behind at home to win twice this season, pulled one back immediately. John Thompson appeared to get the ball when challenging Tomlin on the left flank, but Woolmer awarded a free kick which Grant McCann clipped to the far post for Gabriel Zakuani to powerfully head home. Kelvin Langmead headed wide as the hosts pushed for an equaliser but Notts once again went on the offensive and thought they'd restored their two goal cushion. Ben Davies' goalbound free kick was charged down but the ball fell to Judge who's cross to the far post was bundled over the line by Kevin Smith. Despite the Peterborough defence appearing to be defending from pretty much inside their own goal, the linesman adjudged Smith to be offside and Posh survived, for thirty seconds at least. Lewis' poor free kick was miscontrolled by McCann and Smith had time to clip a perfect through ball over Zakuani for Westcarr, who raced onto it and showed brilliant composure to fire the ball left footed into the far corner.

That was just about enough excitement for one half, but things didn't let up as the game kicked off again with the hosts going on the offensive. Gary Johnson hadn't been happy with his side's first half performance and he withdrew the reassuringly hopeless Gill, to the amusement of the Notts fans and Chris Whelpdale, to be replaced by Charlie Lee and Mark Little. He nearly got an immediate response as a bouncing ball was struck goalwards from 25 yards by Tommy Rowe, with Burch beaten all ends up it cannoned back off the crossbar. They did get themselves back into it moments later though with a goal in bizarre circumstances. Grant McCann stepped up to strike a free kick from thirty yards at goal, but lost his footing and the ball ballooned to the far post. The only player who seemed to react was Mackail-Smith, who prodded it into the far post to drag Posh back into the game.

It was McCann who quickly dragged them back out of it though as the entertainment refused to stop. Judge skipped away down the left and the Posh captain steamed in before jumping into a reckless, two-footed tackle that sparked the first brawl between players, with Neal Bishop particularly outraged by the challenge. The red card was pretty much inevitable for McCann, who walked after an odd game in which he'd been hopeless in midfield but managed to pick up two assists. Aaron McLean somehow escaped a red card himself for headbutting Ravenhill, with the two of them picking up bookings. Craig Short had made his way onto the pitch to calm down Bishop in the melee, which has seemed to infuriate everyone related to Posh since, who would clearly have rather Notts' midfield terrier was let loose on McCann. This booking really should've come back to haunt Ravenhill as he hauled down Mackail-Smith moments later with the Posh striker appearing to be in on goal, but after a long consultation the referee and linesman didn't appear to be able to work out who had committed the foul and no further action was taken, with the free kick being charged down.

After this it was a case of sitting on a lead they fully deserved for Notts, who's time wasting has been blown out of all proportion by Peterborough after the match. Notts slowed the game down, as you do when 3-2 up away from home, but it was no worse than any other team would do in that situation. Including Peterborough. With a numerical advantage Notts looked most likely to score and both Judge and Hawley came close, but it finished 3-2 as Notts survived eight minutes of six minutes injury time, mainly thanks to Ravenhill finally being sent off for kicking the ball away. The drama still hadn't finished there though as a disagreement on the touchling descended into a farcical, full scale brawl, with over twenty players, staff and management involved. The Sun called it 'the most violent football game ever', it wasn't quite that, but it certainly didn't lack entertainment.

Peterborough United 2 (Zakuani '36, Mackail-Smith '59)

Notts County 3 (Davies '31, '34, Westcarr '43)

Peterborough Utd - Lewis, Whelpdale (Little), Langmead, Zakuani, Rowe, McCann, Gill (Lee), Tomlin (Mendez-Laing), McLean, Mackail-Smith, Boyd

Notts Co - Burch, Thompson, Pearce, Edwards, Harley, Judge (Jervis), Bishop, Ravenhill, Smith (Hawley), Westcarr (Spicer)