A third game in six days saw Notts make a rare Friday night trip up to Salford. A huge travelling Notts support were in good voice pre kick off, and they didn't relent for the entirety. The game got off to a flying start, with a big chance for the returning McGoldrick. A lovely team move resulted in a chipped ball from Langstaff, who found McGoldrick in space. In truth, he really should have done better with the chance, an early let off for the hosts.
It wouldn’t stop there though. The opening stanza was nothing short of frantic. Buoyed by a rapturous atmosphere both sides looked to attack. It was a game that didn’t resemble any performance Notts have seen for a long time; end to end football, with chances flowing aplenty for both teams. Notts attacked with real purpose, and had the better of the possession, but when Salford got any of the ball they really looked to make it count. A half chance fell for Matt Smith just after 5 minutes, but his knock down was well dealt with by Richard Brindley.
An injury to Salford midfielder Ossama Ashley was the only thing that stopped the momentum of the game, and unfortunately for the hosts he was unable to continue. The game slowed slightly from there, but it didn’t take long tick kick back into life, a McGoldrick flick on finding Austin doen the left hand side. The out of position wing back looked to take on his man, and did so, knocking it past him with pace, and he was unfortunate to see the ball collected by keeper Alex Cairns, mere millimetres away from a massive chance.
The next 10 minutes calmed down a touch, at least in terms of clear cut chances, but both sides still continued to play at a fast tempo. The long ball to McGoldrick for Notts and Smith for Salford was frequently used, with knock downs from either man creating a few half chances.
The Notts press began to cause real issues for the backline. Langstaff led the press from the front as always, but work off the ball from Austin, McGoldrick and Crowley also upset the Salford backline. A high turnover from Austin started the move, and Notts attacked with precision. Salford looked to clear their lines, but the press had unsettled them, so the clearance only fell as far as Palmer. He worked the hall wide, and a delightful Dan Crowley cross dipped into the centre of the box. McGoldrick was perfectly placed to meet it, heading home the chance to put Notts 1 goal to the good after 36 minutes.
It was more of the same after the goal. Notts pressed tirelessly when they didn’t have the ball, and backed Salford up when they did. A period of sustained pressure resulted in a Notts corner, and in typical Notts fashion, the ball was played short. Another cross from the right this time found it’s way to the back post, where Langstaff rose majestically to meet it. Again a header had beaten the Salford keeper, but it crashed off the upright to give Salford a reprieve. Notts deserved to be 2 up.
Time looked to be running out in the half, with the 5 added minutes time being played out at a more relaxed pace. That was until the final 30 seconds, where Notts looked to launch one last attack. Crowley received the ball on the turn, and after progressing into the Salford half, slipped through Nemane. His low cut back was met by McGoldrick, and an ingenious flick almost wormed its way past Cairns, and might have done so if not for a slight deflection on the way through. That had taken the pace off the ball, but Salford still couldn’t clear, with Langstaff aiming to get on the end of it. The ball bounced around in the melee, only got Nemane to find himself in the box, and his left footed shot was deflected into the hands of Cairns to see out the last action of the half.
The 2nd half picked up where the last ended; at a frenetic pace. Notts once again had the better of it, with the biggest moment of the early portion of the half another injury for Salford. This time it was self inflicted, Callum Hendry flying in on Matty Palmer, but found himself over extending as a result of the challenge. He was replaced by forward Marcus Dackers, who’s first action was to defend a set piece whipped in from Bostock.
The pressure was sustained by Notts, with the next big chance falling to Cameron. In a position similar to where he got his goal at Stadium MK, Cameron this time found himself pressed, seeing his shot deflected wide. Another chance came immediately from the resulting corner, a deep cross from Crowley knocked into the path of Palmer, via Sam Austin, with Palmer unable to keep his shot down from inside the penalty area. Two big chances went begging for the visitors.
A huge chance followed for Salford followed just before the hour mark. A clever ball down Notts’ right hand side saw Nemane caught out, and the ball into the box found first half substitute Conor McAleny. He met the ball first time, flashing a volley just wide of the post. Aidan Stone may have had it covered, but he would have been relieved to see it squeeze past the post nonetheless. Another Salford chance followed, with the hosts finally playing through the Notts press. A line breaking pass found Ryan Watson, who let fly from 30 yards, seeing his effort just whizz over the crossbar.
Wave after wave of Salford attacks continued to come, once again getting forward with purpose. A cross from the right met by Matt Smith, who dominated Brindley in the air. The referee didn’t a judge it to be a foul, but Smith squandered the chance, a let off for Notts after sustained pressure.
Salford would rue their missed chances not long after, as the Notts press once again proved Salford’s undoing. It was Sam Austin who turned it over once more, and he showed great composure to pick his head up and spot Crowley on the edge of the box. He too showed ice in his veins, taking a touch before sweeping the ball into the far right corner. That doubled Notts’ lead at the perfect time, taking the sting out of the Salford resistance, sending the travelling support into raptures behind the goal.
Immediately after the goal Jodi Jones made his return, in place of Sam Austin, who was excellent. A few yellow cards also followed the goal, for very similar offences. Salford broke down the left, through Declan John, who got between Crowley and Nemane. It was Crowley who pulled him back, fouling John, which would be the final act of the game for the Salford left back. He was to be replaced by Kevin Berkoe, while Elliot Watt made his return to competitive action in place of Theo Vassell, Salford’s final change. The aforementioned Jones had gotten forwards a few times down the left, and he burst through, pulled back persistently by Ethan Ingram, resulting in a card.
John Bostock then made way for Jim O’Brien, a clever change following Bostock’s involvement in the EFL Trophy in the week. It didn’t take O’Brien long to go into the book though, a yellow card perhaps harsh for his challenge deep into the Salford half, with just 8 minutes remaining of normal time. Conor McAleny went into the book for dissent, before Notts made their final 2 changes, with Rawlinson replacing Baldwin, and Chicksen coming on in place of Crowley. That meant a slight change in shape, with a doubling up down the left, Jones pushing further on with Chicksen behind.
Elliot Watt then went into the book, a challenge of pure frustration, hacking down McGoldrick, who had taken on three Salford men with sublime skill. Just seconds later Kevin Berkoe then also got a yellow card, a late challenge bringing Nemane down inside the Salford half. Nemane then got a yellow for taking too long over a throw; Scott Simpson had certainly gone a little card happy in the latter portion of the game.
Notts nearly had a 3rd, a wonderful move the result of another high turnover. Jodi Jones clipped the ball into the middle, which was met by a McGoldrick volley first time on his left foot. It looked to be hitting the back of the net, but a huge save from Alex Cairns with a huge clawing hand keeping it out.
The game petered out, all but for more cards from referee Simpson. Aaron Nemane got the wrong side of Kevin Berkoe, and was dismissed for a second yellow. He wouldn’t be the only man to be sent off though, as Berkoe himself mistimed a challenge. Already on a yellow a second inevitably followed, for the final meaningful action of the game. An excellent 3 points on the road for a rampant Notts side, who return to the top of the table, with what could be considered the best performance of the season to date.
Starting XI: 26 Stone - 15 Baldwin (85'), 2 Brindley, 4 Cameron - 11 Nemane, 16 Bostock (80'), 18 Palmer, 8 Austin (65’) - 17 McGoldrick, 7 Crowley (85') - 9 Langstaff
Substitutions: 10 Jones (65'), 6 O'Brien (80'), 5 Rawlinson (85'), 23 Chicken (85')
Not Used: 1 Slocombe, 14 Randall, 27 Morias