Match Report: Notts County claim first win of season as Crewe Alexandra narrowly beaten

It took a while but it's finally come, Notts County's first win of the season, a 2-1 triumph over Crewe Alexandra at Meadow Lane.

Harry Kewell's appointment as Kevin Nolan's successor raised some eyebrows initially but the Australian now has five points from his last three games, with draws against Stevenage and Northampton Town giving Notts a solid platform to build on.

On Saturday, County continued their renaissance as they played overall much better football in their home meeting with Crewe and, even though there were still some defensive issues - as seen by Jamie Turley's mistake for their equaliser - there was still enough to earn victory and a first three-point haul of the campaign.

Notts were bright from the off and only needed five minutes to open the scoring, Rob Milsom getting on the end of a delivery from Kane Hemmings and helped on by Jon Stead to rifle into the back of the net beyond keeper Ben Garratt.

However, the issue of defensive mishaps reared its ugly head again when, on the quarter-hour mark, a cross from Corey Whelan was poorly cleared by Turley, and Jordan Bowery seized on the opportunity to slot the loose ball home.

Both sides looked to find a winner in the second half, with Lewis Alessandra seeing a shot blocked and Elliott Hewitt heading the rebound wide of the target.

However, the winner came courtesy of the hosts when Cedric Evina's inch-perfect cross was met by Hewitt, whose header had too much power for Garratt and yielded the decisive goal of the game.

Share your thoughts about this match on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans.

Fancy showcasing your brand or business on Pride of Nottingham? Click here to find out more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities with us.