Frustration for Magpies as Kyle fluffs late chance
WOOTTON LETS LEADERS OFF HOOK IN GOALLESS DRAW
NOTTS County were left to rue a missed opportunity as they drew 0-0 with National League leaders Torquay United at Meadow Lane.
Kyle Wootton fluffed the game’s best chance in the dying seconds, as he turned Michael Doyle’s cutback wide despite being unmarked, eight yards out from goal.
It was the golden chance that would have handed the Magpies an eye-catching victory against the runaway leaders, who started the weekend 15 points clear of the Magpies.
Neal Ardley’s men were in league action for the first time in 2021 after a three-week break, caused by match postponements amid ongoing uncertainty over funding for England’s fifth tier of football.
It means the Magpies went into Saturday’s clash seventh in the standings, seven points behind second-place Hartlepool United but having played three games fewer.
County were victorious last time out in the FA Trophy but despite a 2-1 win over Stockport County, Ardley opted for six changes to his starting eleven.
Back-up goalkeeper Luke Pilling was replaced by usual number one Sam Slocombe, while Sam Graham and Calvin Miller made way in defence for Richard Brinley and Connell Rawlison.
Matty Wolf, Jimmy Knowles and Elisha Sam also dropped to the bench, while captain Michael Doyle, top goal-scorer Wotton and debutant Inih Effiong all started.
Effiong was making his first appearance for County after signing on loan from Stevenage earlier in the January window and he was in the thick of the action in the opening exchanges.
With County kicking towards the empty kop end in the first 45, Effiong continued to be a nuisance for the Torquay back line.
First, the 29-year-old flashed a low cross across the six-yard box, with no onrushing County player able to turn home from close range.
It was clear the Gulls were struggling to get to grips with Effiong’s pace and movement around the area, with captain Kyle Cameron shown an early yellow card for hauling back the striker as he turned on the angle of the 18-yard box.
Torquay struggled to find their rhythm in the opening half-hour with County’s aggressive start putting them on the back foot.
There was clear respect shown by both sides, well aware the opposition was capable of landing a killer blow, but it was Ardley’s men making all the running.
The nerves continued to show in the Torquay back line as Wootton raced onto a short back pass but goalkeeper Shaun Macdonald was able to smother the ball and rescue his team.
It wouldn’t be for the last time either, although County struggled to make their early dominance count, with Ruben Rodrigues guilty of wasting a well-placed free-kick, which he fired straight into the wall.
The best chances of the first half came within minutes at either end, with both goalkeepers showing fine reflexes to keep the scores level.
First, Macdonald came to Torquay’s rescue as he finger-tipped away Doyle’s cross from the left, with Enzio Boldewijn certain to score at the back post but for the keeper’s late intervention.
At the opposite end, a deep cross into the box looped over the County back line and forced Sam Slocombe to divert the ball away from Billy Waters, who was gleefully waiting to stab the ball in.
Gary Johnson was clearly unimpressed with his side’s passive firsthalf performance as Torquay came flying out of the traps after the interval.
The league leaders asserted their dominance, pinning County back into their own half while probing for an opening. Their best chance, though, came as part of a sweeping counter-attack, as Ben Whitfield combined with substitute Josh Umerah before flashing a dangerous cross across the six-yard box which agonisingly failed to pick out a yellow shirt in the middle.
With both teams pushing for a late winner into the final 15 minutes, it was County who created the clearest opening. Rodrigues drew a fine save from Macdonald in the area before Jake Reeves could only hit his rebound straight at the recovering goalkeeper, much to the home side’s frustration.
It seemed like County had spurned the best chance of the match. Ardley’s game plan to restrict Torquay had worked and it left County praying for one golden opportunity to complete a near-perfect execution.
Substitute Elisha Sam stung the palms of Macdonald after replacing Effiong as the Magpies continued to strive for the breakthrough while trying to stem the flow of attacks at the other end.
With five minutes to play, Ardley was forced to use his final substitution to bring off Brindley after he received a boot in the face for his troubles after stooping to clear a loose ball inside the County area.
After the match, Ardley confirmed that Brindley’s nose could be broken, making him a doubt for tomorrow night’s trip to Solihull Moors.
Despite both teams’ efforts, the game seemed to be drawing to a close, with neither side able to create the clear-cut opportunity needed to edge the contest.
That was until a corner was swung into the back post and kept alive by Doyle, who pulled the ball back into the middle and time almost stood still.
The perfect man, in the perfect place, Wootton opened his body up but somehow placed the ball wide of the net from six yards, unable to score his seventh goal of the season.
Despite holding Torquay, who had lost only three times all season, to a 0-0 draw, it was County who would feel most hard done to at the final whistle.