Notts take Villa all the way with valiant display

Notts County came to Aston Villa, they saw plenty of chances, and they very nearly conquered. They took the Premier League outfit all the way, leading not once, not twice but three times in the game. An outrageous refereeing decision ultimately proved the Magpies’ downfall as the hosts survived the regulation 90 minutes with the scoreline poised at 3-3, before toughing out the period of extra time and making the most of the visitors' increasingly tired legs to sneak an extra two goals and claim a 5-3 win.

It was a game that toed the script as Jack Grealish shone on his homecoming performance against the club where he cut his teeth and ex-Villa man Graham Burke nearly grabbed the win against his former employers with a stunning 30-yard strike.

The Magpies began the game well, more than holding their own against their top-flight opponents, but few could have predicted just how far they’d go in such a short space of time when, in the 16th minute, Alan Hutton gave the ball away near his own box, allowing Genaro Snijders to pick up possession and curl a shot into the net, via a deflection, from 20 yards.

It looked like business would resume as usual just five minutes later as Grealish, so impressive for Notts when he played on loan two seasons ago, weaved into the box before squaring to Adama Traore, who duly converted with a low finish to level proceedings.

With both sides poised to go in level at the break, however, Izale McLeod’s burst into the Villa was thwarted by goalkeeper Mark Bunn, the foul prompting the referee to give the visitors a penalty. Jon Stead stepped up and duly fired home from the spot to give his side the lead on the stroke of half time.

Grealish was the key man once again for Villa’s second equaliser shortly after the restart, the young winger setting off on a superb run before playing a low cross in for Scott Sinclair to tap into an empty net.

A topsy turvy game in every sense of the word, Ricardo Moniz’s charges simply wouldn’t let it go, and for the third time in the game took the lead – in absolutely spectacular fashion, as former Villa man Burke let rip with a ferocious shot, just before the hour, all of 30 yards away which ricocheted off the underside of the bar and into the net. Cue delirium in the away end.

Every classic football game, however, needs some controversy added into the mix, which duly came when Stanley Aborah’s seemingly clean tackle on Kieran Richardson in the box saw the ex-Manchester United man tumble to the ground and the referee point to the spot.

Sinclair stepped up to the spot and, despite Roy Carroll going the right way, the penalty was just too powerful, flying into the net and pegging Villa back for the third time in the match.

Villa stepped it up in the latter stages of the game in normal time but weren't able to finish Notts off in the 90 minutes of normal time, so extra time it was.

In the first period of the added half hour, the hosts edged themselves in front for the first time in the entire game when Sinclair converted Joe Cole’s low cross from close range to clinch his hat-trick.

As legs tired and spaces opened up, Jimmy Spencer spurned a great chance to make it 4-4 when he poked wide from Julian Jenner’s cross, while at the other end Sinclair’s chip flew off target when clean through on goal with only Carroll to beat.

Despite this, the superior stamina and endurance of the Premier League side proved crucial in the late, late stages of the game as substitute Joe Bennett clinched the win by marauding to the edge of the box before firing a low shot into the far corner of the net.

To discuss this game, visit the Pride of Nottingham forum thread dedicated to the match, and join the conversation.