Notts County 3-1 Colchester

After three losses on the bounce and an aura of negativity increasingly festering over Meadow Lane, fans were given plenty of reasons to be optimistic for next season with a convincing display against Colchester United on Saturday. Prior to the game, guests of honour Giorgio Zunino and the Italian Magpies were introduced to the thousands of fans in the stands, who responded with applause and cheers.

Aside from their commitment and passion, the boys and girls from Italy brought some good luck with them too, As the Magpies won 3-1. Courtesy of goals from Jeff Hughes, Yoann Arquin and youth team star Romello Nangle.

A mix of suspensions and injuries and the lack of either promotion or survival to play for meant that, with a view to next season, some of the young guns were given a chance. Manager Chris Kiwomya began the game in a 4-4-2 formation, giving Curtis Thompson and Tyrell Waite their first starts for Notts and reinstating Haydn Hollis to the starting eleven.

Colchester had the brighter start, winning a corner after three minutes, while Notts had a corner of their own on eleven, which came to nothing.

A minute later, Hughes had the first chance of the game, Jamal Campbell-Ryce's good hold-up play setting the Northern Irishman up, but the effort was well wide.

Moments later, Colchester had a good chance of their own, Drey White drawing a good save from Bartosz Bialkowski. The resulting corner should have been a goal, but luckily, unmarked Jabo Ibehre's close range header was just wide.

Shortly after, JCR was again involved, his powerful shot from 30 yards flying narrowly wide. Prompted by the scoreboard, gasps of "oooohhhh" filled the air.

On eighteen minutes, young Waite delivered a low cross that Hughes just about connected with, on the slide. Colchester keeper Sam Walker couldn't do enough to keep it out and it was 1-0 Notts.

Just before the half hour mark, Alan Sheehan's free kick was nearly converted by Waite, but Walker was first to it.

On 37 minutes, the U's equalised, Andrew Bond's low cross evading Bart and faling to Ibehre, who clumsily helped it over the line.

Joss Labadie, perfoming with renewed vigour following his loan spell to Torquay, played a pass to Thompson, who, beating his marker, tested Walker with a sweet left-foot strike.

Just before half time, a collision between Labadie and Colchester's David Wright held up play for around ten minutes, as paramedics and physios attended to him. The full-back was taken to hospital with suspected concussion.

The half, having had the sting taken out of it by the delay, ended with both teams level, and after the restart, Wright's replacement, John-Joe O'Toole, connected with Brian Wilson's free kick but sent it wide.

Just before the hour, another dangerous Sheehan free kick was met by Leacock's header, but the lack of strength in it meant the chance was saved.

Bialkowski, so often the hero for Notts County, showed just why he is so highly rated with two top class saves, from Bond's volley and later from Garmston's free kick.

At the Colchester end, JCR once again troubled the U's keeper, as his long range howitzer, aiming for the bottom left corner, was palmed away by Walker.

Waite, having played a good game for which he was voted Man Of The Match, was substituted for Arquin, and within four minutes, he was on the scoresheet, having headed in a Sheehan corner.

Significantly, his goal marked the first time a striker has scored for Notts since the Bury game back in February.

Better was to come, though, as Nangle came on for another youngster, Thompson, and as the game ticked over the regulation ninety minutes, Enoch Showunmi delivered a pass which fell nicely to the unmarked forward.

Goodness knows what feelings of overwhelming pressure would have been going through his head in that split second, but as his shot went through the legs of Walker for the decisive final goal, his joyous, passionate, cathartic celebration in front of the Kop said it all, a moment sure to live forever not just in his memory, but the memory of all Notts fans who saw it up close.