Notts County have got their September off to an ideal start with a clean sheet and three points from a tough League Two fixture, winning 1-0 at newly relegated side Port Vale in Burslem.
The prettiest game it was not. But the result is what counts, and Kevin Nolan's charges could not have asked for a better result, particularly given they played the latter stages of the game with ten men.
Neither side managed to stamp their mark on the game in the first half, the only effort of note coming from David Worrall's strike on 24 minutes which cannonned off the woodwork.
With Nolan opting again to use Jon Stead and Shola Ameobi up front, while Vale used Tom Pope as a lone striker, perhaps it wasn't much of a surprise that chances were few and far between.
There was more in terms of goalmouth action in the second half, as Dan Jones had to be alert to make a last-ditch tackle to deny Tom Pope and then clear Gavin Gunning’s header off the line.
The breakthough - which would turn out to be the winner - came in the 67th minute, as Jorge Grant's cross was met by substitute Lewis Alessandra, who bundled home from close range to send the Black and White army barmy.
Notts were then reduced to ten men when Shaun Brisley suffered an injury and had to be helped off the pitch, with all three of their substitutions having already been made.
Even when eight minutes of injury time was awarded, giving the Valiants plenty of time to try and find an equaliser, the hosts had little in response, ensuring that the full-time whistle would bring joy to the travelling pack.
Edited by Joe Jones
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