It was always going to be the biggest test of their season so far, and in front of a packed Meadow Lane, and a live television audience, Notts County saw their great start to the season take a huge hit.
The fact that it was a derby game, made the loss even more significant for the home fans, but for visiting Mansfield Town, their 4-1 win on Saturday lunchtime showed their promotion credentials, as well as keeping their unbeaten start going.
Derby Day Defeat
After taking an early lead through Dan Crowley, it was one-way traffic after, with Nigel Clough’s Stags romping away.
Nottinghamshire Live reported after the game that Magpies boss Luke Williams was full of admiration for what is the only unbeaten side in League Two. “I thought we started the game brilliantly; we just couldn’t maintain that level. I think we played the best team since I have been at this club. There was a noticeable difference and that was reflected in the scoreline.”
The manner of County’s defeats so far has been alarming. On the opening day of the season, they lost 5-1 at Sutton United and dropped their second loss in a 5-4 thriller at Colchester United. This, only third loss, will be most disappointing as they showed no resistance to Mansfield’s swift counter-attacks.
Defeat. pic.twitter.com/3MAgdXRjDM
— Notts County FC (@Official_NCFC) October 14, 2023
Williams continued. “Nothing changed, we just couldn’t maintain that level of quality and speed of our play and our opposition played man-to-man against us which proved to be a brilliant tactic. Everyone had to take the ball under more pressure and they came out on top, way on top.
“When you are playing a team with that much quality, it’s understandable that they beat you from planned football with great movement and good finishes, but two set-pieces – it’s difficult for me to take.”
The loss drops County down to second place, and still in the thick of what is building up to be a fascinating promotion race. They will need to react quickly after this poor showing.
Writer’s View
Luke Williams will be proud of what his team has achieved so far. They were tipped to be in the fight for promotion and have shown why. The ability to bounce back from losses in League Two is crucial, and they will need to lick their wounds and take the game to Gillingham in their next game. Any slip-up in form now could put a dent in their chase for consecutive promotions.
