Magpies hit bottom on a day to forget

NOTTS COUNTY slipped back to bottom of the Football League as they were held to a dour draw by Morecambe.

Neal Ardley’s side cut the gap to safety to three points and Enzo Boldewijn was the closest on either side to breaking the deadlock.

But the Magpies couldn’t snatch the points and are staring down the barrel of a first-ever relegation to non-league in their 131-year history.

County boss Neal Ardley confessed he saw the result coming from a mile away.

“The game was exactly how I thought it would be,” he said.

“Their team scored seven goals in the last two games and are really good at counter attacking.

“Our defending was excellent, but I knew we would not be free-flowing and create bundles of chances.

“We did create a couple and had the best one of the game through Enzio (Boldewijn). You need that moment and a bit of composure which then gives you something to cling on to.

“At the end of what has been a tough week in terms of the travelling and so on, I thought the players gave it everything.”

Jim Bentley, whose Morecambe side look set for a serene runin with the threat of relegation warded off, relished the nature of the contest.

“It’s a point and a fair result,” he said.

“It was competitive and both sets of players wanted to win. You can get nice games of football when it’s free flowing and chances are created at both ends.

“But the weather was poor. Both sets of players looked nervous, but competed for their shirts.

“We are going to have games when we look like scoring, like we did in our last two games.

“But then you come to a place like this and Michael Doyle lays down a marker with a crunching challenge on Alex Kenyon.” In a game of precious little quality, neither side threatened much in the first half with Matt Tootle and Boldewijn firing in excellent crosses from which the Magpies could not capitalise.

The entertainment levels didn’t rise in the second half, although County did create the best chance when David Vaughan released Boldewijn, who drew a fine save from Mark Halstead.

Aaron Collins did force Schofield into an excellent save, but in truth neither side deserved to win.