Notts County Football Club

Ricardo Moniz’s first game in charge of the Magpies ended in a draw away at Yeovil Town.

A second half equaliser from Garry Thompson claimed a point for Notts County as they secured a 1-1 draw.

The visitors didn’t start well. Hadyn Hollis headed into his own net after a freekick from Sam Foley wasn’t dealt with.

Notts piled on the pressure in the second half, Spencer came close to equalising but his header was saved by Artur Krysiak.

Down the other end, Yeovil nearly had a second after James Hayter’s close range shot hit the crossbar.

However the Notts pressure did pay off with ten minutes to go. Substitute Jamal Campbell-Ryce’s cross was perfect for Garry Thompson to head home from close range to level the game.

Alan Smith nearly clinched all three points, but his volley from distance was caught by the keeper, with the shot being straight at him.

In his first game in charge as Notts County manager, Ricardo Moniz made two changes to the side that drew 0-0 with Coventry City at Meadow Lane.

Jimmy Spencer missed the game on Monday and was placed straight back into the starting line-up to partner Garry Thompson up front. Alan Smith kept his place in the starting eleven, but was pushed back into midfield by the new manager, it was Mike Edwards who missed out and moved to the bench. Jordan Williams was also back in the side having been on the bench against Coventry, he took up his place in midfield, Nicky Wroe dropped to the bench.

There was an instant difference in the way the Notts side approached the game. A goalkick for the Magpies showed how Moniz wanted the ball to be played short from the back. The away side retained good possession during the opening stages of the game, however it was Yeovil who took the lead in unfortunate circumstances. Paddy McCourt fouled 25 yards from goal. Sam Foley took the set-piece, and as Haydn Hollis went to clear, he headed it past Roy Carroll and into his own net to give the home side the lead.

It was all Notts regarding possession for the first 20 minutes, but a mistake nearly played Yeovil through for a second. A defensive mix-up left Roy Carroll to clear the danger with an on rushing James Hayter baring down on the loose ball.

Down the other end, not much had come in the way of chances for the Magpies. Jimmy Spencer headed wide from inside the area after a floated cross from the right. Whilst it was the striker again who tried his luck from distance, picking the ball up on the half hour mark and turning before hitting his effort high over the bar.

The Magpies did have a couple of freekicks in dangerous areas. Jimmy Spencer was brought down on the edge of the box by Stephen Kingsley. Sean Newton stood over the central set-piece, but it clipped the wall before Yeovil cleared.

Carroll was called into action again with ten minutes to go to half time. Kingsley received a cross from the right, brought the ball down and hit a shot for the near post, but the Notts number one did brilliantly to cover his near post and block the shot. He was called into action again moments later. Chigozie Ugwu lost him man inside the six yard box and headed towards goal. However Carroll did excellently to get hand to the effort and tip it over the bar.

Notts were inches away from equalising and it was Spencer with the chance again. He combined well with Alan Smith on the edge of the box before turning and striking for the far corner. Artur Krysiak was well beaten, but it went the wrong side of the post. Garry Thompson too had a header from inside the area, but with little power in the effort, Krysiak saved with ease.

HT: Yeovil Town 1 – 0 Notts County

Moniz made two attacking changes at the break as they looked to get back into the game. Hollis and Newton were replaced by Jamal Campbell-Ryce and Blair Adams, this meant that Jordan Williams dropped into defence.

Spencer was nearly played in almost instantly by McCourt, but good defending denied the striker from turning. Whilst Ugwu was played in down the other end, after bursting past Hayden Mullins, but he scuffed his shot well wide.

Campbell-Ryce showed good skills to get in behind the Yeovil defence. He got to the byline and pulled it back for Spencer, but the tackle was made to deny the forward a shot at goal. The Magpies claimed for a penalty, but it was waved away by the referee. Spencer did have a header on target moments later, but it was saved with ease.

It was all Notts once again in the opening moments of the second half. Garry Thompson won a freekick inches away from the penalty area. McCourt took the set-piece but it was cleared. It did fall to Gary Jones on the edge of the box, but his shot blazed over the bar. Final substitute Graham Burke too tried his luck from distance this time forcing Krysiak to save and tip wide for the corner. Burke took the resulting set-piece and Thompson rose above his defender, but headed wide.

Despite seeing very little of the ball this second half, Yeovil’s first opportunity nearly resulted in a second goal. Joel Grant was played in by Ugwu, he went for goal himself despite having James Hayter in support, it was blocked into the path of Hayter, whose shot cannoned off the crossbar and Notts cleared.

Notts were rewarded for all their second half pressure with an equaliser 10 minutes before full time. Campbell-Ryce took on Nathan Smith on the left. He got past the full back and whipped in a pin point cross for Garry Thompson who was lurking in the box. The Magpies’ top goalscorer took his chance as he nodded it beyond Krysiak and into the back of the net.

The confidence was with the Magpies. Thompson played Burke in, but his shot was well blocked as he looked to get Notts the winner. Kieffer Moore and Foley had chances to win it for the hosts, both firing wide from inside the box, whilst Alan Smith had a volley from distance saved by Krysiak.

Notts continued to put the pressure on late into the game, winning various set-pieces in dangerous areas of the pitch, but they couldn’t capitalise, making it four draws in a row for the Magpies as they go into Tuesday’s clash with Barnsley at Meadow Lane.

FT: Yeovil Town 1 – 1 Notts County