Match Report: Notts County fall to seventh consecutive league defeat

Notts County have slipped to a seventh consecutive League Two defeat after Doncaster Rovers came to Meadow Lane and left with a 1-0 win on Boxing Day.

The Magpies put in a good performance as they stifled their opponents in the first half thanks to a 4-4-2 diamond formation, like-for-like against the visitors.

Doncaster forward Liam Mandeville carved out a decent chance on four minutes when he clipped a diagonal ball into the box where Andy Williams had sight of goal, only for Scott Loach to race out and smother the effort.

The first real opportunity for the hosts saw Jon Stead flick a header on goal only for Marko Marosi to claim on his line, while Carl Dickinson curled a free kick from 25 yards which Marosi held.

Perhaps the best chance of the half came in the dying seconds as Stead surged into the box and whipped a cross towards Jonathan Forte, only for defender Craig Alcock to get a vital block.

Doncaster boss Darren Ferguson then made a tactical switch at half time, making two substitutions and changing to a 3-4-3 system.

Soon enough the visitors enjoyed more space and they eventually took the lead on the hour through Williams, who headed Tommy Rowe's cross beyond Loach.

Matty Blair could have doubled Doncaster's lead minutes later when he headed another cross from the left on to the foot of a post.

Rovers had two opportunities late in the game to further their advantage as Williams broke away on the counter-attack five minutes from time, only to pull his effort wide.

Then Mandeville found himself in behind the Notts' defence deep in stoppage time, but he squeezed the ball wide from a tight angle.

Despite seven minutes of injury time, John Sheridan's side could not find a way back into the game, and so they slipped to a seventh league defeat on the trot that saw them slip to 21st in the table, just a point above the drop zone.

Share your thoughts about this story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining the conversation.