Match Report: Notts County claim draw at Carlisle United

Notts County have fought back from a goal down to claim a 1-1 draw in Saturday's League Two encounter at Carlisle United.

The Pies came close to getting off the mark early on when Mike Jones sloppily gave away possession in midfield, with Shola Ameobi setting up Ryan Yates on the edge of the area, but Jones was able to charge down the ensuing effort.

Carlisle countered through Tom Miller, who was on hand to rifle a Jamie Devitt cross goalwards from close range, but Notts keeper Ross Fitzsimons pulled off a great two-handed save.

At the other end, a looped delivery from Jon Stead at the back post invited Jorge Grant to shoot, but the loanee sent his volley wide.

Both sides continued to trade chances, with Fitzsimons bailing his side out once again when he parried Hallam Hope's toe-poke then kept out Reggie Lambe's follow-up diving header.

Terry Hawkridge then burst clear and fired an effort against the post which then deflected off keeper Jack Bonham and out to safety.

The opening goal came not long after that chance and it went the way of Carlisle, with Nicky Adams crossing towards the back post, Devitt nodding the ball back to centre and Hope bundling home.

County came close to drawing level just before the break when Matt Tootle's shot was kept out by Bonham, but eventually succeeded in getting their equaliser just before the hour.

Tootle was involved once again, overlapping with Hawkridge and sending a cross into the box which Yates steered into the back of the net.

Notts went close to a second on 73 minutes, when Shola Ameobi headed Grant's cross against the post, while a last-ditch tackle from ex-Magpie Gary Liddle then denied Lewis Alessandra.

Yates then headed over a chance late on as Notts finished the game with a share of the spoils which keeps them second in the League Two table.

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