Notts County 1 - 0 Crawley Town

The rollercoaster ride, the saga, the odyssey has experienced yet another twist, because Notts County, down and out more times than we care to remember this season, have secured yet another three points,and yet another opportunity to survive relegation, with a frantic, dramatic 1-0 win against Crawley Town.

A solitary header from Jimmy Spencer in the 34th minute secured the ever-so-crucial spoils for the Magpies, but the Red Devils made it difficult by coming at County time and time again, chance after chance being thwarted by the home side.

After a scrappy first three minutes of the match, Notts were first to threaten when Jack Grealish and Alan Sheehan combined in the final third, but the Irish left-back’s cross was cleared.

Just a minute later, Bartosz Bialkowski had to be alert to thwart headers by Joe Walsh and Jamie Proctor.

Despite Crawley dominating possession in the early stages, neither side was particularly strong in the final third, with Notts sending too many overhit balls into the Red Devils box.

In the 18th minute, however, Spencer had a great chance to put Notts in front, but his header, following a JCR cross, flew just wide.

Gwion Edwards replied almost immediately for the away side with a powerful long-range shot, but Bart was equal to it.

Just before the half-hour mark, Jack Grealish was fouled in the Crawley box, but with the referee deciding to play advantage, Ronan Murray and Callum McGregor were in line to register efforts on goal, which were saved and off target respectively.

Eventually, the breakthrough came just six minutes later, and luckily, it fell to the Magpies. Sheehan’s free kick on the far side of the box was met by the head of Spencer, the ball thumped downwards into the bottom left corner from close range. Cue wild celebration from the Meadow Lane faithful.

The home side could have scored again immediately after their goal, but Sheehan’s low 35-yard effort was flagged offside after Murray nearly turned the ball in.

The remainder of the half saw the Red Devils push forward in a bid to pull a goal back, but failed to register any concrete chances on goal, and so the half finished with Notts a goal to the good.

The second half would prove an exercise in extreme backs-to-the-wall defending and lucky escapes.

In the opening stages of the second period, Mike Jones whipped the ball across the Notts goal, but nobody could get on the end of it, before not one, not two, but three consecutive corners tested the home side’s defensive mettle.

In the 52nd minute, Notts should have been a goal down, as Bart made a mistake before rectifying it with a wonderful save. The action ended with Haydn Hollis clearing the ball off the line.

The whole Magpies back line was imperious on this day, with tackles and clearances aplenty, and despite Bart’s earlier mistake, he more than made amends for it with another stunning save in the 67th minute from Gary Dicker.

Everything but the kitchen sink continued to be thrown at Notts, but Crawley just couldn’t get that all-important goal back, and when the final whistle went, Notts had secured all three points and a renewed opportunity to maybe, just maybe, survive relegation to the bottom tier of English football.