Caretaker Manager Paul Hart was happy with the endeavour and commitment shown by his Notts County players in the 0-0 draw with Walsall on Friday.
Two top class saves from Walsall goalkeeper Richard O’Donnell denied Notts more than a share of the points in the goalless draw at the Banks’s Stadium, in what was a hard-fought encounter between two sides looking to move away from the relegation places in Sky Bet League 1.
Hart was full of praise for his players after the draw and feels that they are making the progress that they need to, game-by-game to move away from trouble during the run-in to the end of the season.
“Yeah we need to do a bit more obviously, but I thought that was a very well-earned draw today and the games are coming around thick and fast now,” Hart said after the game.
“But I was delighted with the players, I thought they grafted, worked hard, and you might argue that they put us under a bit of pressure, which they did, because they’re not a bad side, by any means.
“I saw them play at Meadow Lane and I thought they were pretty good, so I think it’s a great point for us,” he added.
“We were under the cosh after about 20 minutes, so I changed it and got two up front and we weathered it after that and got hold of it a bit better and when we get hold of it we can play we’ve got people who can play.
“We’re just easing the confidence back into them and getting them into a situation where they feel comfortable.”
Notts felt that they should have been awarded a penalty late-on in the game, when Garry Thompson seemed to be bundled over in the area and Hart made his feelings clear on the matter.
“Late on, I thought we had a stonewall penalty turned down,” he continued. “He was going to head it in, so it had to be a foul, he wouldn’t dive out the way of it I know that, so that was disappointing.
“But for an away performance I thought we were very disciplined and apart from the win that’s all that we were missing.”
Subscribers can watch the full post-match interview with Paul Hart on Magpie Player.