To be quite honest I would have been very happy with a point before kick-off (and I’m sure I’m not the only one) given the number
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In fact all the fit and available players at the club were at Griffin Park this afternoon. That’s all 16 of them!
2 Brentford fans assured me when we asked for directions to the ground that they weren’t playing very well at the moment and we could get something out of the game.
"Well you don’t know what we’re like, and you must be better than us", was my initial thought when we walked away. The trouble is most of the time you don’t know which Notts County is going to turn up – the world-beaters or the no-hopers, and occasionally the in-between one.
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The defence held out well under pressure from Brentford, but took to hoofing it maybe too often which of course means it generally comes straight back.
Mildenhall was a bit indecisive when coming for some balls but made to good saves in the first half to keep Brentford out.
He was close to seeing a red card on one occasion as a lack of communication between him and Fenton caused a moment of panic right on the edge of the box as a Bee’s player was closing in on them. Mildenhall was able to get hold of the ball but had it been a few inches further out it could have had severe consequences.
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Then, right on half time, Notts finally broke the deadlock.
Nick Fenton sent a looping header over home keeper, Paul Smith from a Simon Ramsden cross. That was after some good play by Notts.
It was totally against the run of play but, as Colin Slater said on BBC Radio Nottingham after the game, I don’t know how Fenton found himself up there, but he did and was in the right place at just the right time to nod the Magpies in front!
HALF TIME: 0-1
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Some said that a Brentford player fouled Mildenhall while he was going for the cross, which caused him to miss it, but I couldn’t really see from where I was so I’m going to have to sit on the fence for that one I’m afraid!
Anyhow, Rowan Vine put the ball in the net to make the score 1-1.
For the rest of the second half it was nearly all Notts on the attack. Which probably explains why the second 45 minutes seemed to go a lot quicker than the first lot!
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Ibrahima Sonko was booked for basically sitting on the back of Allsopp after they challenged for a header.
Sonko could well have been dismissed for that foul, which was just outside the edge of the area, but the ref only produced a yellow card.
If he was booked for that then the Bee’s number 31 should have been given another yellow for some other fouls he committed just moments after.
Shows you the inconstancy of referees. Liburd was sent off a few weeks ago for nothing much and then you don’t send the Brentford player off for two easily bookable fouls.
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It wasn’t to be and Notts left Griffin Park with a share of the points.
FULL TIME: 1-1
At least we don’t have to go another 2 weeks waiting for a game (hopefully). Instead we play Stockport at Meadow Lane this Tuesday.