Notts County finished their pre-season campaign tonight with a 2-2 draw at home tonight, although it would've been far better but for some harshly disallowed goals and yet more calamitous goalkeeping from the Magpies. A young Liverpool side travelled to Meadow Lane for the game, but players such as Daniel Pacheco and Krisztian Nemeth, who have been in and around the first team squad, were also in action for the Reds. For Notts, Brendan Moloney missed out on the squad as did Stephen Hunt, whilst Matt Hamshaw stepped up his return from injury by playing an hour.
Both sides impressed with their neat passing early on, but the visitors got the break through thanks to hesitance in the Notts defence. Highly rated Hungarian forward Nemeth broke away from Graeme Lee but slipped over when baring down on goal, but Notts panicked and failed to clear the ball before it bobbled to Dani Pacheco who couldn't miss from about a yard out. The Reds enjoyed their best spell of the match after Pacheco's goal with Pacheco, the best player on the pitch, again coming close with a long range effort. Luke Rodgers had the first effort for Notts, with a strike from the edge of the box flying over Martin Hansen's goal.
The game had something of a bad tempered edge throughout, which was first evident when Luke Rodgers tried to chase down a clearance from Hansen in the Liverpool goal, but caught the 'keeper with a late challenge. Chris Mavinga was far too eager to get involved in a confrontation with Rodgers and then Lee Hughes as things threatened to boil over. The match resumed after treatment to Hansen and the Magpies managed to level before half-time, with a Ben Davies corner cleared as far as Ricky Ravenhill, who knocked the ball back in and Mike Edwards hooked a shot goalwards which took a deflection to wrongfoot Hansen before nestling in the back of the net.
Lee Hughes nearly gave Notts the lead as he flicked a header goalwards, but Hanse comfortably saved, before a deflected Pacheco free kick was saved by the feet of Russell Hoult. The sides went in level at the break after a fairly evenly matched first half, in which the stand out player had been Liverpool's Spanish forward Dani Pacheco, who's neat touches and vision had given the Magpies serious trouble. Otherwise however, Liverpool didn't look hugely impressive and were dominated physically by the Magpies.
Notts Second Half - Hoult, Thompson, Edwards, Lee, Clapham, Hamshaw (Westcarr), Bishop (Trialist), Ravenhill, Davies, Hughes (Canham), Rodgers
Notts came out for the second half looking the hungrier side, and looked to be infront within three minutes of the restart. Superb skill by Matt Hamshaw down the right saw him nutmeg his marker, and he flashed a cross into the path of Luke Rodgers who turned it past Hansen. Rodgers was denied his 8th goal of pre-season however by a rogue linesman's flag, despite the striker appearing to be behind the ball when it was played. Notts didn't have to wait long for the lead though, and it came five minutes later. Ben Davies swung over a corner and Graeme Lee rose highest to plant a header past sub 'keeper Dean Bouzanis and into the bottom corner to give the Magpies the lead for the first time.
Notts now looked confident and in control of the match as they stroked the ball about superbly and they looked to have opened up a two goal cushion just after the hour mark. Craig Westcarr looped a cross in which was flapped at hopelessly by Bouzanis under pressure from Hughes, allowing Ben Davies to bundle it over the line. The linesman adjudged Hughes to have fouled Bouzanis, but in truth there appeared to be minimal contact on the young 'keeper, who simply failed to deal with a high ball into the box. It was to cost the Magpies as Liverpool levelled soon after, Hungarian striker András Simon picked up a loose ball 25 yards out and hit a harmless looking shot straight at Russell Hoult, who somehow managed to palm the ball into the net in the same fashion Kevin Pilkington did against Nottingham Forest last week. That makes it four goals in a week Notts have conceded due to errors from their goalkeepers, a situation Ian McParland must address.
Tensions threatened to boil over once again towards the end as a late challenge on Ricky Ravenhill before jumping to his feet and squaring up the tenacious midfielder. This angered many of the Notts players who jumped to Ravenhill's defence and players had to be restrained in the melee that ensued. Calm was restored however and there was time for Notts to have a chance to win the match, but captain John Thompson's close range shot was deflected agonisingly away from goal. It was still a worthwhile exercise for Ian McParland's side however who passed the ball with aplomb and once again looked threatening going forward. Just need to sort out those goalkeepers!
Notts County 2 (Edwards 42, Lee 53)
Liverpool XI 2 (Pacheco 10, Simon 76)
Att - 5,217