World News – UK – Wealdstone’s empty threat fails as Notts County ensures routine victory

A homecoming bore fruit for a rampant Notts County who took Wealdstone to the sword in the National League and secured a 3-0 win on their return to Meadow Lane.

Notts, having survived two hectic games in the last two National League games, could settle for a more routine win under the floodlights in Nottingham.

Visitors to Wealdstone were shocked within 20 minutes when Notts signaled their intention to attack early. Five corners and two goals early in the game were the result of an early Magpies rampage that saw the home side force their fall despite the best efforts of Wealdstone keeper Harry Isted.

Kyle Wootton dared Wealdstone to push him, and his hold-up game gave Ruben Rodrigues another chance to challenge Isted again. The goalkeeper only managed to deflect the ball into the path of an aspiring Enzio Boldewijn, who shot an empty net at him.

Magpie striker Sam clearly saw this prelude as a challenge and squirmed into the Wealdstone box – to take the chance with a clever nutmeg – and ended from a narrow angle to quickly double Notts’ lead.

More chances for Rodrigues and Sam were saved by an active Isted, while Wealdstone’s chances to score were slim – with Connor Smith’s curling hit the only real outside threat in the first half.

Wealdstone, who lost two in the second half, of course continued his attacking intent to find a way back into the game – but all chances were missed or countered well by a determined Notts side. While magpies slowed their pace, despite the lack of threat, they found no place to stew and became complacent.

The first corner of the away team came in 78. Minute, and her aggression for throwing bodies forward throughout the game didn’t pay off at all, and only putting on tired legs in the final ten minutes was possible to improve Wealdstone’s attack.

In a game where the away team had to fight for every scoring opportunity, it seemed all too easy for the home team. Notts was able to seal his third goal with another move from Kyle Wootton, with the striker’s shot falling back to Notts – and Wootton – substituting Jimmy Knowles for an easy hit for the Magpies’ third goal.

After a late heartbreak in Halifax and even later exploits in Chesterfield, Notts have dug the foundations for a solid home win in twenty minutes – and their only complaint will be the quality of Isted’s goalkeeper. The only reason Wealdstone wasn’t really blown away was because of his performance, and the match could have ended as a ceremony without his efforts in goal.

Even so, a three-goal win is just a reward for a Notts side who have had a roller coaster ride in the past few games and this time got a more relaxed – and still sparkling – victory.

Notts County: Slocombe, Brindley, Reeves, Doyle, Boldewijn, Turner, Wootton, Rawlinson, Kelly-Evans, Sam (Knowles 88 ‘), Rodrigues (O’Brien 75’)

Notts County F. . C.. . , Wealdstone F. . C.. . , National League, Neal Ardley