Venue:
Meadow Lane
att:  4358  away fans:  428
Extra info
Notts County
1
  Stallard 88
Two penalties from Dean Keates ensure that we get the points from this fiery game that sees the County keeper sent off for 'violent conduct'.
It makes no difference at the bottom of the table Because Rushden grab another 90 minute winner.
Harriers
3
  Keates 76 (pen), 86 (pen)
  Beardsley 90
  harriers-online match report
Saturday 12th March 2005  
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Keates & Kris KO Kounty


Before the game started most of the Harriers fans were stood in awe looking around at the Meadow Lane ground.  It is one impressive place and most Harriers fans would love to play in a ground like that every week but that can only be done if we stay in this League.  The players must have thought the same and gave us one of their most solid displays in ages.

It was important that, if we got the lead, that we concentrate for the remainder of the game and not give anything away.  We didn't do that either and came away with a victory.

For us it was a great three points after being in control of the game throughout but not being able to make our superiority count until fifteen minutes from the end when we were awarded two controversial penalties and a late clincher from Beardo.  We must carry on with this good form against Rushden next week to keep in touch with them.  We must never give up hope.

On the bench, hoping for his first appearance for us was Reuben Hazell.  After being told that we wouldn't see him until nearer the end of the season it was a big surprise to, first of all, see him playing in a reserves game on Wednesday and then on the bench for this game today.

The only change to the team that took the field was Simon Weaver coming in for the injured Lee Jenkins.

The game got underway with the Harriers on the attack from the start and John McGrath was the first to test the doomed Saul Deeney with a shot that went just over the bar before Chris Beardsley actually got Deeney to touch the ball with a good save to stop a powerful shot hitting home.

Wayne Hatswell should have done better with a chance a minute later when a free kick from Bennett caught him by surprise at the foot of the far post and he somehow managed to miss an open goal.

The running was all being made by us and frankly County were absolute rubbish.  It's worrying when we think that we're playing well but the reason could be because the other team are so bad they make us look good.

As we continued to pile on the pressure and County continued to pass the ball around aimlessly it did cross my mind on a couple of occasions.

Blair Sturrock came close to scoring but we threw away a lot more chances of opening the scoring by failing to pull the trigger at the right moment.  It's no exaggeration to say that we could have been five goals to the good midway through the first half.

The only time that County looked to score was when Glynn Hurst took a long range shot at goal that was curling towards the top corner but John Danby got a cross to it to push it away.


HT. 0 - 0

The second half didn't start the way we would have preferred with us looking a bit unsure of ourselves and the Magpies looking a teeny bit stronger for this second period.  For the first thirty minutes of this half we looked as if we had decided to settle for the point and there was an obvious lack of urgency to our game that was disappointing to the many Harriers fans there, considering that Rushden were losing at the time.

Stuart Watkiss bought on Mark Rawle in place of Blair and for a time we looked a bit more threatening without really testing County too much.

That all changed with the first penalty decision and the good judgment to give Saul Deeney the Man of the Match award by the crackly County announcer.

Chris Beardsley played the ball into the area and Dean Keates turned to strike the ball but before he had the chance he was clattered from behind by Kelvin Wilson.  Mark Rawle stepped up to place the ball on the spot but Keatesy intervened and told him to go away.  With no Ian Foster available the job was his.

With all the away fans praying that he wouldn't blast it over the bar Deano came up trumps with a perfectly taken penalty that sent the doomed one the wrong way.

More controversy came straight after when we mounted another attack on the Notts goal that was thwarted and the ball cleared to touch.  Bertrand Cozic was challenged from behind with a waist high tackle from Paul Bolland that should have been a straight red for the offender.  Instead handbags at close quarters ensued and as well as Bolland getting a yellow so did Tom Bennett for us.

A couple of minutes and it all kicked off again.

An attack for us ended in Deeney collecting the ball under pressure from Johnny Mullins.  The ball was thrown out wide and then Mullins was on the floor with studs heading for his back.

The referee hadn't seen this but the Charlie Carolli look alike with the flag had and, having gained the attention of the ref, spoke to him about the incident.  The ref red carded the assailant and again all hell let loose with another bout of handbags and for some unknown reason Mullins got a yellow card.

Again the ref pointed to the spot and, following a substitution to replace the keeper with the spare one, again Keatesy stepped up and again he sent the new man the wrong way.

Weirdly this spurred County into their best, and thankfully short, spell of the game and they promptly went up t'other end and scored with Stallard getting the token goal for them.

With the time ticking away Chris Beardsley popped up to grab a third goal and make sure of the points.  It was a characteristic goal for him as he came in at a sharp angle from the left to slot the ball past the keeper for his fifth goal of the season.

There was still enough time for another goal for County but thankfully it was struck off because it went straight into the net from a throw in without anyone touching the ball.  The ref must have had his rule book in his back pocket.

Finally the whistle went to tumultuous celebrations from the faithful.  At the time the scoreboard said that Rushden had managed a draw in their game but it wasn't until we got out of the stadium that we heard that they had scored a late winner to keep the points gap the same.


FT. 1 - 3

The Harriers-Online
Man of the Match is : 
Mark Jackson

A solid showing from Mark now that he's settling down.  His first MotM award from H-O and at least he didn't get a bloody nose in this game.
Man of the Match
vote for your
man of the match now

Notts County  subs   cards      Harriers  subs   cards 
Deeney   Danby  
Pipe     Hatswell  
Bolland   Weaver  
Wilson     Bennett
McFaul     Mullins
Oakes     Jackson  
Gill     Beardsley  
Ullathorne     Keates  
Stallard     Sturrock  
Hurst     Cozic  
Friars     McGrath  
SUBS:       SUBS:    
Elliot     Lewis  
Scully     Hazell  
Palmer     Jones  
Williams     Russell  
Harrad     Rawle  

REFEREE:
Mr K Friend
Leicestershire


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notts county websites:

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nottscounty.net
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