Kevin Nolan: 'Key refereeing decisions cost Notts County against Exeter City'

Kevin Nolan has bemoaned Notts County's 2-1 defeat to Exeter City and rued a number of key refereeing decisions which he felt cost his side dear.

The visitors raced into the lead after just eight minutes through Jake Taylor's tap-in before Stockley struck the decisive second just before half-time.

Jon Stead scored a second-half penalty after Shola Ameobi was hauled down in the box but the Magpies couldn't find an equaliser and so lost their unbeaten home record which stretched back to April 2017.

“It was a disappointing afternoon and it always is when you lose a game,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post. “But I thought the lads’ reaction in the second half was absolutely fantastic.

“I thought we totally outplayed Exeter, and while we created lots of opportunities, the ball just didn’t seem to fall for us or we didn’t work the keeper well enough.

“I just thought the response was better all round because in the first half we showed them a little bit too much respect.

“But I did feel that the free-kick which led to the first goal shouldn’t have been given and when a team scores off the back of it shows how big those decisions are.

“I discussed that at the end with the referee because little decisions are just as important.

“It was the same for their second goal. Their lad can’t win the ball without going through Jorge Grant.

“There is a ref and a lineman there and I am bewildered as to why the free-kick wasn’t given.

“But these are the decisions they have to get right even though I thought the referee had a decent game.”

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