MAGPIES OFF TO A FLIER WITH BIG WIN AWAY TO BEES
NOTTS County blew Barnet away on the opening day of the National League season as a devastating second-half display secured a 5-0 win.
Ruben Rodrigues gave Notts the lead three minutes after the break with a terrific header from Dion Kelly-evans’ cross before adding a second with a cool finish.
Barnet’s afternoon went from bad to worse as Josh Doherty saw red for a professional foul on Callum Roberts, who then lashed home the resulting penalty.
Notts then showed no remorse as Kyle Wootton tapped in the fourth following unselfish work from substitute Jim O’brien.
And the Scotsman then got in on the act himself with the last kick of the game with a terrific finish via the inside of the post.
The win was their biggest away win since beating Darlington 5-0 in 2010. Here are the big talking points from the weekend.
■No remorse
When Josh Doherty was sent off for a professional foul on Callum Roberts, who tucked away the spot kick, you may have thought that Notts would sit back and be happy with a 3-0 lead.
But they showed little remorse to a Barnet side who fell apart as Notts attacked with a great degree of swagger.
You often hear how hard it is to play against 10 men, but Notts made it look an absolute doddle as they carved out chance after chance.
The tempo, the quality of the passing, the hunger to want to inflict more pain was great to see.
Goal difference could be hugely important come the end of the season, so you have to make the most of every opportunity, even if it was the opening day.
Notts did that with some aplomb. It was a brilliant demonstration of ruthlessness and made light work of a Barnet side who simply had no answer to the ingenuity of Notts’ attack.
It was some statement.
■Defensive solidity
When your team wins 5-0, the headlines are always going to be reserved for the goalscorers, but the solidity with which Notts defended deserved huge credit.
Barnet only really created one chance of note in the entire 90 minutes, when Mason Bloomfield forced a fine save from Sam Slocombe.
Aside from that brief scare, Notts defended magnificently, particularly when they had to tackle long throws into the box.
Set-pieces and crosses into the area have often been Notts’ Achilles heel but Kyle Cameron came out on top.
Connell Rawlinson and Richard Brindley defended with real class, while Ed Francis also gave them an extra layer of protection.
They gave Notts a solid base from which to work while they also shut down any counter-attack opportunities for Harry Kewell’s side.
While Notts were being praised for their ruthlessness in attack, they were just as mean defensively.
They gave Barnet very little change and their contribution matched the high calibre of work by the front players.
■Triple threat
A lot of money has been spent in the National League this summer and nobody can dispute some quality business has been completed by some of Notts’ rivals.
But can any team boast an attacking trio that carries the creativity, work-rate and quality of Callum Roberts, Ruben Rodrigues and Kyle Wootton?
Many Notts fans understand why it’s so important for them to stay fit for the season because when they are in this kind of form they are magnificent to watch.
Roberts looks like a Championship player in non-league, while Rodrigues cannot be far behind him as he carried on where he left off last season.
Wootton has scored 37 goals in the last two seasons and is one of the most feared marksmen in the division.
They all complement each other superbly and special mention must go to Ian Burchnall for a master
stroke in deploying Rodrigues as a second striker rather than a midfielder.
When they are all in sync, they are a delight to watch, as they were at the Hive.
Not many teams in this league will be able to live with them, which is why it’s so vital they stay injury-free.
■Wonderful support
For 18 months the coronavirus pandemic has denied Notts fans the privilege of watching them on the road.
But now restrictions have been lifted, with life returning to some normality, they certainly made the most of the freedom to travel once again.
More than 1,000 fans descended on the Hive where the sea of shirts were loud and proud and made up half of the match attendance.
They were an absolute credit to the club as they gave their team plenty of vocal backing. Everybody got serenaded and that wonderful backing was rewarded with a devastating second-half performance.
Only Southend United could boast a bigger away following, but when Notts fans are in this kind of mood, they are an unbeatable choir.
They absolutely relished being able to clock up the miles again which contributed to a truly memorable away day.
They were a different class.