MCRORY TO RESCUE AS THE NAILERS ARE DENIED
ONLY the head of defender Damien McCrory stood between Northern Premier League Belper and a sensational FA Cup replay.
Defender Riece Bertram was agonisingly close to equalising with a goalbound shot five minutes into added time bravely blocked by the left back.
Seconds later the Derbyshire visitors were clapped from the field by more than 1,700 of their own fans and relieved Magpies supporters.
“I don’t know whether we will ever witness scenes like that again,” admitted proud manager Grant Black.
“Our great FA Cup journey has ended but on a massive positive.
“Only tired legs and minds probably cost us the winning goal in the end. We may have snuffed that threat out earlier in the game. Everyone has been so excited from the moment the draw was made and the turnout from our fans was phenomenal.
“Notts County have also been brilliant helping us to enjoy our day.”
Black’s men were in dreamland for 18 minutes after midfielder Danny Gordon smashed them into an unlikely lead.
Alex Peterson knocked the ball into his path for Gordon to take a touch and unleash a perfect right footer that seared into the roof of the County net, the first goal they had conceded on home turf for over nine hours.
The goal came barely a minute after the chief Notts menace Kristian Dennis rattled a post.
Belper took the setback in their stride and enjoyed their best spell early in the second half when crosses from Nathan Curtis and Derry Robson caused Notts problems.
Musslewhite twice denied Dennis from the closest of ranges after a superb Sean Shields cross before Regan Booty slipped Wootton through to coolly give the Magpies a 75th-minute lead.
Dennis was close twice more, including a spectacular effort that Musslewhite did very well to clutch and substitute Wes Thomas nodded wide of a gaping goal.
But Belper had Notts fans biting their nails with a late flurry of crosses and long throws with Bertram’s strike so nearly extending their FA Cup dream.
Notts boss Neal Ardley said: “A fantastic effort from Belper – that’s what the FA Cup is about. They had a game plan and stuck to it. We thought they’d tire but they kept going like Duracell batteries.”