Notts County Football Club

Notts County were knocked out of the FA Cup following a 2-1 defeat to Accrington Stanley in a replay.

The original tie finished 0-0 at Meadow Lane, but goals from Luke Joyce and Marcus Carver gave the League Two side victory in the second game between the two sides. 

Ronan Murray had put the Magpies ahead within the first twelve minutes, finishing from just inside the area.

But Joyce put the home side level just before the break with a stooping header, before Carver’s deflected shot put Accrington ahead for the first time in the tie.

Notts threatened to level, Cassidy’s dink over the keeper hitting the crossbar, but the Accrington defence stayed strong to send the fourth tier side into round two, where they will face Yeovil Town.

Four changes were made by Magpies manager Shaun Derry ahead of the FA Cup first round replay with Accrington Stanley. Jordan Cranston, Nicky Wroe, Drissa Traore and Michael Petrasso were all put into the starting line-up, whilst dropping out were Stephen McLaughlin, Mike Edwards, Liam Noble and Gary Jones, the latter two taking their place on the bench. 

Roy Carroll was in the starting eleven, making it his third game in the space of five games after playing for Northern Ireland on Friday and against Coventry for the Magpies on Saturday. Also in the line-up was Michael Petrasso following a successful international duty with the Canada U20s, scoring one goal against England and winning a penalty against Russia. Also in the side was Drissa Traore, who played his first game since the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy triumph over Scunthorpe United in October.

The travelling Notts support were in good voice during the opening stages of the game as their team put Accrington on the back foot early on, Ronan Murray earning a corner. Nicky Wroe took and Taylor McKenzie got to the ball first, but his contact wasn’t significant enough as the home side managed to clear to relieve all danger.

It took ten minutes for the first real opportunity of the game, with the chance falling to Notts. Drissa Traore cleared from an Accrington throw to Garry Thompson. Thompson flicked the ball nicely for an on running Ronan Murray, who sent Michael Petrasso in on goal. His effort blazed over, giving Jack Rose in the Accrington goal no concerns. That early chance certainly sparked the away side into life and only moments later, the deadlock was broken by Magpies forward Ronan Murray. Murray picked up the ball in the Accrington area and drilled home beyond Rose to give Notts a 1-0 lead.

Accrington weren’t going to sit back after going behind, and were almost level in minutes. A freekick was whipped in on the right, swinging in towards the back post. Garry Thompson rose to try and flick the ball away, but instead it fell to Tom Aldred who was running in at the back post. Aldred couldn’t make good enough contact however as he saw his effort go wide of Roy Carroll’s goal. Thompson clearly did enough to make it difficult for Aldred. 

Chances were coming thick and fast for Notts as they looked to cement their early advantage. Garry Thompson flicked it wide at the near post, before Ronan Murray nearly connected with a dangerous Jordan Cranston cross, which could have put the Magpies 2-0 up. 

This game was becoming end to end, with plenty of chances for both teams as Accrington searched for that equaliser. Marcus Carver first for the home side but his stretched foot couldn’t poke the ball towards goal, whilst Rob Atkinson gave Carroll his first test of the evening, striking from inside the area, but the Notts number one got a strong hand to it to get it clear. McCartan was next, blasting a shot from close range high over the bar.

Notts were claiming for a penalty with ten minutes to go until half time. Garry Thompson pounced on a weak back pass from the Accrington defence, got to the ball before Rose. Was brought down, but no penalty given, much to the dislike of Notts fans. A succession of corners followed with McKenzie coming closest from the set-pieces but Notts couldn’t extend their lead. A Ronan Murray freekick from the edge of the box came close, but didn’t test Rose.

Despite the continuous Notts pressure, Accrington managed to claim an equaliser through Luke Joyce minutes before half-time. A cross in from the right was put in an extremely dangerous area, and Joyce managed to get in between the Notts defence and Carroll to head home an equaliser for the home side. That was to be the last significant action of the first half, with Notts on top for most, but go in at the break level. 

It was the home side who started the brighter of the two teams, Andrew Proctor was first to try his luck, but it took a massive deflection for a corner. From the resulting set-piece, it was played short and played into the box, Notts struggled to clear and it eventually fell to Marcus Carver, who took a shot at goal and via a deflection, it looped over Carroll and into the far corner of the net, giving the home side the lead for the first time this game. 

Notts made an attacking change to try and get back into the game, with Jake Cassidy coming on in place of Blair Adams. The striker nearly marked his return to the team with a goal with his first touch. The ball was played over the top and with Cassidy in one on one with the keeper. Cassidy beat Rose to the ball and managing to lift it over the keeper, but it was very unlucky not to go in as it cannoned off the crossbar and cleared by Accrington.

Accrington continued to pile pressure onto Notts and look for another goal to extend their lead. A foul from Drissa Traore led to a freekick on the edge of the Notts area. Lee Molyneux took, but it took a massive deflection and out for a corner. On the counter, the Magpies played quickly out of the defence, a cross field pass from Murray to Wroe, sent Wroe in, but his cross was towards to the back post, and over any Notts players dashing into the box.

Notts continued to make changes to influence the game, Liam Noble replacing Wroe and Shaun Harrad coming on for Murray, but they couldn’t create a serious chance on goal. Twice Noble whipped corners into the box, but Rose collected on both occasions. On the third corner, Petrasso managed to collect the ball after Accrington got the ball clear, but his first time shot looped into the hands of Rose. 

Noble was having his chance to influence the game, set-pieces were coming his way. A freekick outside the box was won by good trickery from Petrasso. His shot went over the bar, not troubling Rose whatsoever. Notts struggled to hold any sort of possession this second half, with Accrington Stanley looking on top and looking as if they were to go through to the second round. Garry Thompson tried with a header from just inside the box, but couldn’t get enough power in the header.

The Magpies kept knocking on the Accrington goal, Cranston putting a teasing ball into the box, Cassidy rose above all home defenders, but his header went over the bar. Notts continued to pump the ball forward, but Accrington managed to deal with everything that was thrown at them. The five minutes of added time went without any significant action as Notts were knocked out of the FA Cup and Accrington going through to round two, where they will face Yeovil Town.