Match Report: Notts County now closer to playoffs than to bottom two after victory at Carlisle United

Not even the most optimistic of Notts County fans would have honestly believed that their beleaguered team, reeling from 10 consecutive defeats and on their way out of the Football League, would be heading into the last five games of the season closer to the League Two playoffs than to the bottom two.

But that's exactly what has happened, as the Magpies now boast a four-match winning run after two late goals overturned what appeared to be a defeat at Carlisle United into a 2-1 victory at Brunton Park on Saturday.

The opening exchanges of the match were somewhat scrappy but Notts soon got the upper hand and Shola Ameobi was unlucky not to open the scoring midway through the first half when his header was cleared off the line by Shaun Brisley.

The second half started with Jon Stead trying his luck with an effort which Mark Gillespie had covered, while Matt Tootle blazed another attempt wayward and Adam Campbell fired a volley over as both sides battled to take the upper hand.

Despite County's probing play, they were sucker-punched when Jabo Ibehre, who had come on as a substitute for Carlisle less than a minute , gave the hosts the lead with a powerful shot which dumbfounded Adam Collin on the way into the net.

However, Kevin Nolan's boys persevered and found themselves level five minutes from time when Stead made the most of a mix-up between Brisley and Gillespie to bundle home from close range for his 14th goal of the season.

That wasn't the end of it, and Notts went on to win the game outright thanks to a 90th-minute strike from Tootle, who let rip from range and, despite Gillespie claiming the ball, he let it bobble out of his hands and into the net.

The result puts Notts 15th in the table, 10 points off seventh and 13 ahead of Newport County, who are enjoying a mini-revival of their own with a second consecutive win, but with just 15 points to play for this season, it's very unlikely for Notts to slip back into trouble, given the miracles worked by Nolan.

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