By PON_News
Notts County head coach Stuart Maynard expressed his satisfaction with his side’s defensive solidity after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Carlisle United at Meadow Lane.
A first-half goal from Gambian striker Alassana Jatta secured the three points, pushing the Magpies back into third place in the League Two table.
Speaking after the match, Maynard acknowledged the difficulty of the contest, describing Carlisle as a strong opponent.
“Football's a funny game, the way we performed at the weekend, and we come away with just the point… you've got to give huge credit to Carlisle, they're a very good team,” he said. He also noted that despite their current position, he does not expect Carlisle to struggle come the end of the season.
The head coach was particularly pleased with his team’s defensive organisation, highlighting their ability to limit Carlisle’s attacking opportunities.
“Defensively tonight, we've shown once again. It's another clean sheet, 11 for the season, and I didn't feel at any given stage under threat of conceding,” he stated. He emphasised that aside from one moment when goalkeeper Alex Bass, known as “Bassy,” misjudged a clearance and the visitors hit the post, Carlisle rarely troubled Notts County’s backline.
Maynard stressed that his side controlled how the opposition attacked, forcing them into wide areas where they were less effective. “They had a lot of possession in and around the final third, but I thought we decided where we wanted them to cross the ball from and shoot,” he explained. “I'm really impressed with the way that we defended tonight.”
While the match was tightly contested, the moment of real quality came from Jatta’s decisive strike. “Oh, definitely some goal,” Maynard admitted when asked if it was the standout moment of the game.
He believed Notts County had opportunities to increase their lead, particularly in the first half, but was pleased with the attacking display. “I thought we performed very well in the first half, attacking-wise I thought we were very comfortable. We were around the edge of their box a lot,” he added.
One of the key talking points of the match was a controversial refereeing decision when Nick Tsaroulla appeared to be fouled in the box. Maynard was left frustrated by the explanation given by the officials.
“I'm baffled why it's not [a penalty],” he said. “The fourth official said to me on the side, ‘the reaction of your players is why it's not a penalty,’ and I'm like, but we tell our players not to surround the ref. We don’t want players surrounding referees.”
Maynard also praised his substitutes for adapting quickly to the pace of the match, singling out Kellan Gordon, Zak Johnson, Curtis Edwards, and Will Jarvis. “I thought they were excellent to get up to the speed of the game very quickly,” he said.
Despite concerns over injuries, with Connor Grant coming off with a dead leg and Sam Austin sidelined due to groin tightness, Maynard remains optimistic about the team’s momentum.
He reiterated his belief in focusing on performances rather than the league table. “No, no, look, it's so tight… I think it'll be like this all the way to the wire,” he commented. “We've just got to keep performing the way we have.”
With another victory secured and their defensive record improving, Notts County will look to maintain their promotion push as they head into the crucial final stretch of the season.
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