Notts County 0-1 Port Vale

Another matchday, another defeat. A decent enough performance by Notts who nevertheless find themselves on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline against Port Vale.

The visitors dominated possession in the opening five minutes at Meadow Lane, but it was Notts who had the first chance when Liam Noble’s 20-yard strike was caught by Chris Neal.

Vale took the lead on seven minutes when Byron Moore curled a pass into the box for Williamson to run onto.

Roy Carroll and Mike Edwards got in each other’s way as the ball ricocheted across the area to Mark Marshall and, faced with an open goal, the winger made no mistake as he volleyed home.

Minutes later, Michael Brown’s low strike from long range was well held by Carroll before Jamal Campbell-Ryce found Paddy McCourt in the box, but the subsequent low shot was well held by Neal.

Balint Bajner was next to threaten as his header was easily saved by the Vale keeper, and in the 34th minute McCourt cut inside to the area before unleashing a powerful drive which was also palmed away.

The veteran Northern Irishman continued to impress when he found Garry Thompson behind the defence but his low strike from 12 yards forced another good save.

Garry Thompson’s effort was then well saved before County wasted another chance as Bajner chested the ball down not far from goal but volleyed over.

In the second half, Blair Adams volleyed over after a McCourt free kick sparked a goalmouth scramble.

County went close again on the hour when Adams drilled the ball across the six-yard box. Garry Thompson tried to connect but could only deflect the ball straight to Neal.

Noble should then have scored when he rose to meet Mullins’s cross, but headed over from eight yards out.

The game almost swung back to the Magpies in the 71st minute when Campbell-Ryce broke free on the right of the area, but the Vale keeper was on top once again.

It wasn’t to be Notts’s day as, for all their bluster in the latter stages of the game, they were unable to find an equaliser as they gave away another three points.

They fall to 19th in the table and are three points from the drop zone. The way things are going, it’s time to think about a successive relegation battle.