Carroll to the rescue and Derry is chuffed
NOTTS County boss Shaun Derry hailed Roy Carroll as the best goalkeeper in League One after his super penalty save helped the Magpies beat Gillingham.
After Shaun Harrad had given the hosts the lead in the first half, the former Manchester United stopper preserved all three points when he denied Luke Norris from the spot.
Carroll has been in sensational form since arriving on a free transfer after leaving Greek side Olympiakos in the summer and has gone on to produce a string of impressive displays.
And after his performance here, Derry - who signed a new deal with the Magpies in midweek - is in no doubt about the quality he has at his disposal.
“Roy was immense as always,” he said.
“He was booked for something before the penalty before it was taken and I have absolutely no idea why.
“But it was a fantastic save.Whether there was a bit of gamesmanship in the build-up to it, who knows?
“If that was a bit of gamesmanship then that’s brilliant – it’s what we want.
“But, at the same time, he’s done his job and that’s why he is here with me.
“I’ve absolutely no doubt in mind at all that I have the best goalkeeper in League One.”
Notts’ win took their unbeaten run to seven games and maintained Gillingham’s horrendous away record in which they have failed to record a victory on their travels so far.
But they came close to levelling on several occasions with captain Doug Loft hitting the bar just before the break and striker Cody McDonald seeing a shot hacked off the line by Laing in the second half.
Notts, however, had their chances to double their lead with Harrad forcing a great save from Stephen Bywater after controlling a cross from Mustapha Dumbuya.
But when the Gills won a spot-kick after Bradley Dack was fouled by Laing with just 10 minutes remaining, Gills fans must have thought their luck was about to change only for Carroll to intervene. Taylor said he felt for Norris after his penalty agony although felt he could have taken more time to compose himself.
“That’s football,” he said.
“When things go against you, it’s what makes you as a footballer is how you bounce back.
“It’s a penalty miss, that’s all it is. It’s not the end of the world. A very experienced goalkeeper guessed right.
“The only thing I said to Luke was that on the back of Roy getting booked for being off the line, he should have walked away.
“He should have taken his time.”