Big Notts losses are to blame for goal struggles
GREG Abbott believes Notts County have missed key players as he opened up on their goalscoring problems this season.
The Magpies were second-top scorers in the National League last term when they scored 61 goals as they finished third in the table.
But, this time around, Notts have found the net only 32 times in 25 games, which makes them the lowest scorers out of the top 15 teams in the division.
Neal Ardley’s side have definitely felt the absence of losing Kristian Dennis in the summer, while Callum Roberts, another threat, has spent the majority of the season injured.
Assistant boss Abbott concedes that during the course of this season they have not been sharp enough in the final third.
“Sometimes our play has not been quick enough, decisive enough, inventive enough to score those goals,” he said.
“Set-pieces has been something I think that usually add to the number of goals. We haven’t scored enough. It was great the other night that we got two against Boreham Wood.
“Hopefully, the system we’ve got and the bodies we’ve got on the pitch should improve because you’ve got people there that are brave and will stick their head on things.
“And if the delivery is right, you’d expect us to cause a lot of teams a lot of problems.
“Listen, we’ve missed one or two big players in the goal-scoring areas.
“It’s common knowledge that Cal would chip in with a fair amount. We lost Kristian and we lost Wes who were both proven at this level. It’s not always easy to replace those type of goals at this level.
“It’s probably something a lot of other clubs are talking about and have the same problem. It’s the area where it’s most difficult to find and it’s most expensive to put in place.”
While the goals have not been flying in, they have at least been keeping them out with the Magpies boasting the best defensive record in the league, having conceded only 21.
It will be a record they hope to keep in place when they entertain Yeovil Town at Meadow Lane today, with Darren Sarll’s side having been on a good run of form prior to their defeat at home to Bromley on Tuesday.
Notts will face the Glovers again on Tuesday at Huish Park and Abbott believes a win in the first meeting could give them the edge ahead of the long trip south.
“It’s an advantage if we get a result on Saturday going down to their place,” he said.
“A good result and good performance, you might get them double thinking and how do they change things.
“We think that’s really important in terms of how we approach Saturday’s game to win because we’re playing again, so soon.
“It might give you that momentum and that impetus winning the game and you can carry that into Tuesday, whichever team gets that result.”