IS A HISTORY FOR MAGPIES
ABUMPER crowd watched Notts County trounce Scunthorpe United in a dominant performance which saw the league’s top scorer Macaulay Langstaff equal the Magpies club record for goals in a season.
Langstaff bagged his 38th and 39th goals of the season to draw level with Tom Keetley, whose record had stood since 1931.
Langstaff struck twice in the space of three second-half minutes to double the advantage handed to the Magpies by Adam Chicksen’s eighth-minute opener and an own goal from Ben Richards-Everton three muinutes later.
And it was all in front of an incredible 16,086 at Meadow Lane – just short of the National League record of 16,843 set at the same venue back in November.
“It was a very classy performance from the guys today,” said Magpies boss Luke Williams, whose side dominated from the very first whistle. “When you get a performance like that, but the goals to match it, it’s very rewarding. A great feeling.”
Wing-back Chicksen opened the scoring following some exceptional link up play between opposite wide man Aaron Nemane and Ruben Rodrigues.
The pair linked up before Portuguese maestro Rodrigues drilled an inviting cross across the face of goal and Chicksen was on hand to tap home from two yards.
The Magpies doubled their lead just three minutes later when Langstaff fired a ferocious shot towards goal- the ball turned past keeper Tom Billson by his own defender, Richards-Everton.
The Iron defence struggled to cope with Notts County’s attacking threat in the first half, especially down the right. Nemane, Rodrigues and Langstaff were all unlucky to not extend the lead before half-time.
In a match where Notts enjoyed near total domination over their relegation-threatened opponents, Scunthorpe failed to register a single shot or corner all game.
The closest they came to an opening was when Richie Bennett seized on Jim O’Brien’s loose pass to break down the left, but his low ball across failed to find a teammate in the box.
Langstaff finally got his goal on 73 minutes when Sam Austin broke down the right and stood a wonderful cross up for the league’s top scorer to head home.
He then grabbed his record-equalling goal just three minutes later, as he swept home from inside the box after a sublime Magpies move – his 39th league goal in 40 games.
“He’s absolutely lethal, he’s ridiculous,” Williams raved. “It’s crazy, the numbers are crazy. I’m not surprised (he equalled the record). I think he’ll probably break that soon how he’s going.
The result leaves Notts still chasing leaders Wrexham, with the gap between the sides still three points.
Scunthorpe, however, are in trouble, five points adrift of 20th-placed Yeovil.
Macaulay Langstaff (Notts County) 16,086