COUNTY NEED TO TOUGH IT OUT!
NOTTS County comfortably overcame an early body blow to hammer nails in King’s Lynn’s relegation coffin – but how close they are to resurrection themselves remains debatable.
Smarting from a 5-1 thumping at Torquay six days earlier, Meadow Lane fans revelled in a Good Friday as loud applause greeted all three of their substituted players, yet they are in danger of settling for third best.
Out of realistic contention for the automatic promotion spot, the Magpies realistically need to smash their remaining six opponents out of the park to claim a place in the top three – and a home semi-final none of their play-off rivals would relish.
The more likely alternative, however, is a spot in the lower places in the brutal play-off shootout with victories over a string of basement sides being inadequate preparation for one, or possibly two, Torquay-style trips.
The fears remain that, despite producing passing football that is pleasing on the eye, Notts lack defensive strength when the ball is put in their 18yard box.
Gold Omotayo had little difficulty getting across home defenders to turn a cross home after neat play from skipper Michael Clunan and Cameron Hargreaves in the 11th minute.
And it would have been déjà vu three minutes later had Clunan got better contact on Tyler Denton’s cross.
Fortunately for Notts, the Linnets were there for the taking once Ruben Rodrigues laid the equaliser on a plate for now 20-goal top scorer Kyle Wootton midway through the first half.
A superb individual goal from Cal Roberts, who jinked inside a defender and hammered in from the edge of the box, had the home side ahead before the break.
Their only problems thereafter came from their own making after Aaron Nemane had curled Notts into a twogoal lead on the hour.
Omotayo, in particular, was given sights on goal that could have burst County’s comfort zone before sub Eli Sam slammed in a late fourth after Roberts saw a shot blocked.
Both managers, Ian Burchnall and Tommy Widdrington, predictably and understandably concentrated on the positives.
Notts head coach Burchnall suggested he was even more pleased to see his side come back from a goal down, describing it as a “professional and ruthless performance”.
Widdrington’ called it a “David versus Goliath” against a “bigger and better football club”. Indeed, should King’s Lynn recover their soon-to-belost National League status, Notts owe it to their fans to ensure this fixture isn’t on the list.
STAR MAN: Cal Roberts (Notts C) ATT: 6,722 ENTERTAINMENT: REFEREE: