National League
Saturday 10th August 2019
Only 10 minutes into this contest, most fans inside Meadow Lane were out of their seats, on their feet, roaring and applauding Enzio Boldewijn’s stunning early opener for Notts County.
When he let fly with a ferocious strike from the edge of the box, nobody expected the ball to fly into the top-left corner of Scott Loach’s goal.
It was so good that, if anything, it probably surprised the Dutchman more than anyone else. It was a pearlier. It was quality. It was the sort of goal that would be a genuine front-runner in any ‘Goal of the Month’ competition, irrespective of the division it was scored in.
Ultimately though it proved to be a false dawn on yet another disappointing day for long-suffering Magpies followers because for the rest of the game Neal Ardley’s team lacked quality everywhere and their overall performance was stinking - especially defensively!
The fact things could be much worse, had 12 points been deducted as a result of the recent off-field problems, also offers little comfort either right now.
After going ahead, Notts looked tatty, scruffy, then toiled and failed to do the downright basics which allowed Barnet to dictate play - something which nearly payed off midway through the half when Jack Taylor's glancing header went across the face of goal.
Notts didn’t heed the warning signs, nevertheless, and more dozy defending at the next set-piece proved costly as Callum Reynolds, unmarked, guided the ball home from close-range after a flick on. It was a sloppy equaliser to concede but a sign of things to come!
After the re-start, the Bees looked the more likely as Simeon Akinola headed just wide, though Kristian Dennis did offer some respite with regards to the hosts’ impending cock up as he drew a top save out of Loach at the other end.
Just after the 70-minute mark, Barnet applied more pressure and James Dunne, then Taylor, both went close with separate efforts in the space of a minute.
It seemed only a matter of time before the visitors would finally poke their noses ahead and that’s exactly what happened in their next attack as Akinola was played through and held off a challenge before guiding his effort over Sam Slocombe and into the empty net.
The early-game ‘roars of appreciation’ by now had turned into moans, groans and general lambasting as Notts sluggishly went in search of an equaliser but to no avail - meaning the final whistle was met by a chorus of boos.
Supporters sometimes over-react and draw too many negatives out of every situation, but this reaction was perfectly understandable - and justified! The fact is simple. If Notts are to get to grips with the National League, they’ll have to perform a hell of a lot better than this.
They may have some big names for this level and a string of well-paid players, but if they don’t do simple basics, work hard or aren’t prepared to run through brick walls for the team-mate next to them, they aren’t going to get very far.
It’s a good job that County don’t have extremely well-drilled, well-schooled and well-organised 'long ball' opponents, such as Maidenhead United or Boreham Wood, coming up soon.
Based solely on this performance, the other Magpies in the National League would have this lot on toast and deliver one of those embarrassing defeats that haunt people for a long time.
Amidst the gloom, do spare a few thoughts for County’s physio as he’s going to be busy over the next few days, nursing some some arses that deserve to be kicked very hard!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.