Tied Up In Notts Part 2

By: Andrew Doherty
Date: 01/04/2007

TOWN lined up 4-5-1 with Barnes in goal, McDermott - Fenton - Whittle - Newey across the back, Till - Bollard - Hunt - Boshell - Toner in midfield and Jones up front. The game began with some neat passing before Notts attacked up the left side on 4 minutes, beating Macca for pace.

Newey cut out the cross, composed himself, and passed up to Toner. The ball swung across to Till who crossed to Jones. The header was weak. On 6 minutes Newey was bowled over for a free kick then the same Newey wasted a cross. Till had a surging run from the right but fouled the defender. The Newey Show continued on 14 minutes with an interception. Passing to Toner or crossing to Jones were the options. Newey crossed to the goalkeeper. Notts County’s Lee and Town’s Whittle were developing a battle at the back. On 15 minutes Bolland fought to win the ball and passed to Newey who ballooned it out for a throw.

On 17 Newey returned the compliment, passing to Bolland who put in a cross. Toner turned neatly on 19 minutes but the resultant ball went out for a goal kick. Town continued to press on forward. Town won a free kick on 21 in the Notts half after the umpteenth foul. Till then won a corner on 23, and this led to a second one. Fenton headed back and Town won a third corner. This time Fenton won the header but it was cleared. Notts countered soon after and won a free kick. Lee headed on but the Enigma that is Tom Newey calmly intercepted and passed the ball to Toner. The ball was worked forward and Boshell almost lobbed the keeper with a header. Notts attacked on 28 but the cross to Lee was headed clear. Hunt won the ball in the middle and set up a Jones header.

The game was not pulsating and seemed at times to be in slow motion. Boshell livened up proceedings on 32 by flattening a Notts player. Town proved they could cover well at the back and cleared without fuss. Town then had a bright spell and on 35 Macca linked up with Newey but Toner took too long before Hunt got involved and started another attack. Macca was fouled. Newey sent in a long free kick for Fenton to head back and Town won one corner, then a second. The ball came back in the Town half on 37 but Newey put in a great cross-ball to Till who crossed to Jones. Jones’s headed effort was tipped over. In general it was all a bit scrappy.

On 38, Bolland won the ball, allowing Boshell to burst forward before being fouled outside the box. The free kick was wasted as Till was offside. A Hunt tackle on 40 set up another attack. Then on the stroke of half-time Dudfield for Notts inspired Notts’s first dangerous attack which was shut down before Newey played safety first and put the ball out for a corner. At half-time it was Town 0, Notts 0.

Half-time Verdict. Town had out up a solid performance and had most of the play without creating chances or threatening. Notts were succeeding in closing Town on occasions and sometimes there was a lack of width. Hunt and Bolland were winning balls but Town were suffering from a lack of pace up front. The defence seemed solid with good support work. Notts were doing very little.

The report continues in Part 3

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