Oakes' Christmas cracker earns deserved replay

Last updated : 06 December 2004 By Nigel Nattrass
At last, we return from Swindon having NOT been hammered out of sight by
Sam Parkin and his mates !!!

The painful memory of our 4-0 and 5-0 tonkings at the County Ground came
flooding back when the draw was made, and I have to own up to some
feelings of trepidation as we made the trip down there Saturday morning. But I needn't have worried.

Oakes: Pure Class
Notts didn't simply avoid a pasting, they had a real go at Swindon, matching them for workrate and commitment, and - after coming through a rather shaky first 30 minutes - gradually settled into the game, and finally got their just rewards in stoppage time, to bring the Robins back to Meadow Lane.

The only change to last weeks' team was a forced one, with Matt Gill
replacing the suspended Paul Bolland. Experienced former Portsmouth & Walsall keeper Andy Petterson was drafted in onto the bench to cover for loanee Wayne Henderson, whom Aston Villa don't want cup-tied. Gill, meanwhile, went some way to further silence his critics, with a hard-working display in the centre of midfield.

The home side started strongly and quickly had Notts on the back foot,
restricted to the occasional and hopeful long clearance for Williams and
Gordon to chase. At the back the trio of Baudet, Whitlow, and Wilson
looked fairly solid, and with Deeney looking confident behind them, the visitors were seldom troubled by a succession of high balls pumped into the box.

However, on 9 minutes the Magpies failed to clear a cross for the first time in the game, and they paid the price. The corner kick from the left was floated across the 6-yard line, and full-back Sean O'Hanlon ghosted in unmarked at the far post to plant a firm header into the bottom corner.

I feared the worst, but Notts under Richo are made of sterner stuff than
the team that collapsed here last season. This time, there was to be no avalanche of goals from the Robins.

Notts picked themselves up, dusted themselves off, and set about battling
their way back into the game. Stefan Oakes had a free-kick deflected for
a corner, Chris Palmer fired over the bar from 25 yards, and a dazzling run
from Kelvin Wilson saw him cut into the box and draw the keeper from his
line, before rolling his shot narrowly wide of the far post from a tight
angle.

It was now a very even game, with Notts giving as good as they
got, and Swindon certainly not looking like a side 32 league places above
us in the table.

Then, on around 35mins, came a turning point. Sammy Igoe (who ran the
show for Swindon in their 3-1 pre-season victory over Notts down in Devon) was taken off. There was no obvious reason for the substitution. Maybe he'd
sustained a minor injury. Maybe he'd been feeling unwell prior to the game
and had attempted to play through it. Either way, Swindon's lynchpin left the field.

In that instant, with their midfield cohesion and creativity suddenly cut back, Swindon lost their way somewhat, and Notts gradually took control.

Stefan Oakes was the main influence - as ever - and was ably assisted by
Gill and Shane McFaul, who seems to get better every game. On the flanks Chris Palmer and David Pipe were always a threat with their pace and
trickery, with Palmer in particular giving ex-Magpie captain Steve Jenkins a torrid time.

As half-time arrived, the general concensus in the stand was that Notts were
more than capable of getting something from the game, but that the next goal would be crucial.

Half Time: Swindon Town 1-0 Notts County

Whatever Richo and Johnny Gaunt said to the players at half time, it
worked. The Magpies came back out and took the game to the home side, with Palmer still giving Jenkins nightmares on the left flank, Gordon winning 95% of his aerial challenges, Williams working hard to bring the likes of Pipe and Gill into the play, and Oakes probing and prompting with a range of accurate passes.

Richo: Next!
Swindon were now very much second best, and managed only one serious goal attempt throughout the second half.....a stinging 25 yarder which was well held by Deeney.

Palmer was the most dangerous player on the field, and was unlucky not to
score on three occasions, firing narrowly wide each time, as well as providing several teasing crosses into the box.

What was missing was a bit of guile in front of goal, and Richo saw that. With around 15 minutes remaining, he withdrew Baudet, and sent on-loan Chris O'Grady on. It was a surprise to see Gordon step back into the centre-half position, but that proved to be only temporary, and eventually it was McFaul who dropped back. Not into defence, but more of a deep defensive midfield role, just in front of Whitlow and Wilson.

Shortly afterwards, Richo added more pace to the equation, replacing Williams with Tony Scully. The former Man Utd frontman left the field to warm applause from the Notts fans, who were appreciative of his hard work.

In a cup match, you might as well lose 3-0 as 1-0, so why not throw
people forward ? Swindon had no threat up front - since their midfield supply
line had been all but blotted out - so Notts laid siege to the home defence,
with McFaul and Gordon adding to the list of missed chances.

The board went up to tell us that there would be a minimum of 3 mins of stoppage time, and Notts went all out for the equaliser their performance had richly deserved.

They got it on 92mins. A corner from Palmer was met at the near post by
McFaul, but his twisting header - which sailed high and wide - was adjudged to have been deflected for another corner kick.

When the second kick came in - this time from delivered from the right by Scully - it evaded everyone, but fell to the left side of the penalty area, where Stefan Oakes was unmarked. As the ball dropped onto his favoured left foot, he smashed a 15-yard volley back across the keeper and into the top corner of the net for his long-awaited first goal in a Notts County shirt.

Delirium. The players mobbed the bench, and the referee had to run over and order them all back onto the field. Richo was bouncing around, fists in the air. The Wheelbarrow Song echoed around the away sections. But wait. There's another minute left. We can win it, yet. Or lose it. Play restarted. but before either side could mount another attack, the ref blew his whistle.

We try again, at the Lane, the week after next in a game that is to be broadcast live on Sky Sports. I promise you, Swindon aren't looking forward to it.