Stu lauds County as ‘the best’
‘ THE BEST team in this league by a country mile’ – Stuart Maynard paid Luke Williams and Notts County the ultimate compliment after an emotional Good Friday at Meadow Lane.
Notts reignited the National League title race with their style and goals paying fitting tribute to their late chief executive Jason Turner and the Wealdstone boss was unequivocal in his praise.
“They’re the best team and I really hope they go on and win it,” Maynard said.
“It’s so hard coming here because they set you so many challenges both on and off the ball and both teams were prepared to play. My frustration is that we helped them with the first two goals.”
With home fans celebrating news of Halifax’s goals against title rivals Wrexham almost as vociferously as their own, Williams sounded a note of caution.
“Nothing’s really changed – Wrexham have still got a game in hand,” he added.
“There were a lot of things I didn’t like in the first half and we can never afford to play in anything but top gear.
“But to score three goals and keep a clean sheet felt right on a day like this. You’d never know what living a football club meant until you met Jason.”
The shock loss of the very popular Turner is just the latest dagger to the heart during a rollercoaster four years outside the EFL in which Notts began with a fight for their very existence off the pitch and suffered three play-off heartbreaks on it.
The flip side is the inspirational way Williams has moulded his side to play genuinely excellent football worthy of a higher level.
As Macaulay Langstaff continued to write his name into the record books with his 41st National League goal – taken with typical finesse after going through one-onone – it was the goal provider who caught the eye.
Goalkeeper Archie Mair made just a couple of saves – parrying from Olofela Olomola and snuffing out a close range effort from Jack Cook – but his distribution and confidence was a revelation. His long ball for Langstaff was just part of his contribution as he acted more as an additional defender than a guardian.
That goal could, as Maynard said, have been avoided and the opener, slotted in by Sam Austin after Langstaff hunted down Cook, was equally poor from a Wealdstone point of view.
Maynard’s team did, however, play better football than most Meadow Lane visitors and had their half chances. They also had a hero in goalkeeper Sam Howes who made fine first half saves from Austin and Langstaff.
Whether the season ends according to Hollywood script or a triumph for pure football – or both – Notts should be proud of topping 100 points and entertaining their fans all season.
STAR MAN: Archie Mair (Notts County) ATT: 9,786 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Steven Copeland