Match Discussion: Game 45 - The Sulphurites (A) Live

[Robbie 𝕏 @Robbie_NCFC]

Massive Three Points!!

Harrogate 1-3 Notts.

Mark Stallard: 'A deserved three points over the 90 minutes and certainly the second half was where they showed their quality.'

[menzinho]

That's us basically confirmed for the play-offs now, Grimsby and Wimbledon play each other on the final day and our goal-difference means Colchester won't overtake us. Looking forward to watching the highlights later!

[DangerousSausage]

We're definitely in the playoffs now as Wimbledon, Grimsby and Colchester would all have to overtake us for us to miss out. With Wimbledon playing Grimsby on the final day, this is no longer possible. I'll cheer for Accrington this afternoon!

A much improved second half after a ragged first half display in which we had great difficulty dealing with simple long balls. I'm happy with that, let's build on it. 

[Robbie 𝕏 @Robbie_NCFC]

Today's goals enjoy.

 

[DizzyBala]

I don't know how but we can still get automatically promoted as long as we win at Harrogate, Walsall draw against Crewe and Bradford lose to Fleetwood.

Quite unlikely but it'll make for a good final day.

[Robbie 𝕏 @Robbie_NCFC]

League 2 table after today's matches.

Notts are assured of a playoff place.

 

[ARLukomski 𝕏 ARLukomski Instagram declanweliczko_arlki]

A much better 2nd half performance from Notts, where we took full control and in the end, deserved our victory. The first half was poor from our point of view. Good save by Belshaw to deny Jatta, but we made some silly errors. One which lead to us clearing one off of the line and the other just about being scrambled away at the last second. Our goal came from a good run forward by Gordon, where he took two men on and won us a throwing. From there we built up and Didzy's shot was saved, but Abbott reacted quickest. The goal we conceded was poor. Route one, straight down the middle, we don't deal with it and it's poked home.

Once again, we only properly perform for one half, but this time the 2nd half was much better. A higher intensity, where Gordon and Jones were pushed higher up to pin Harrogate back and both were a lot more direct when given the chance to take on their man. So many more forward passes, as shown in our 2nd goal. Platt passes forward to Bedeau, who passed forward to Jones (in the half space), who zips the ball across goal. I have no idea how Jatta misses, but Grant is there. The 3rd goal again showcases our improved intensity and directness, where quick forward passes result in Gordon getting in behind, crossing to Grant, who takes his time and his shot deflects in to kill the game.

If we had performed like we did in the 2nd half today, over the course of the season and being consistent, then we wouldn't have to be relying on Fleetwood and Crewe heading into the final day. It's the time where we look back on games that have cost us. Cheltenham (H), Chesterfield (H), Newport (H), Crewe (H), Barrow (H), Bromley (H), Colchester (H and A) and Vale (A). All games where we either missed chances, poor performances, lack of ruthlessness, slow intensity and little urgency have cost us. 

The fact we've taken down to the final day is quite remarkable. It hasn't felt like a promotion season at all. Performances have been unconvincing and mediocre for most of the season, but it's not just us. Everyone else has. Donny and Vale have had the most consistent runs of form in the run in, but even they have had times like it. We've been let off so many times because of how poor and inconsistent other teams have been, but they've been let off by us, because of the same reasons. 

I know I have seem frustrated with SM, the players and most recently the board a few times over recent weeks but it's because I want the best. Despite being inconsistent for a lot of the season, I know this team can be better than the way we have performed and I knew that back in October/November. I knew he wasn't going after Salford away because he still had/has a lot of time left on his deal. The Barrow home game made me feel so annoyed because of our performance. I knew we'd lose at Wimbledon that Saturday and I was fed up with us and how we were playing. Then Grimsby, Chezzy and Crewe gave us ups, downs and frustration, but everyone else was doing their best to not get promoted as well. Then we put in a good performance for 90 against Newport and a 45 minute job against MK in which was a sweet win. Then the Colchester loss deflated me so much and in the days after, I felt demoralised and fed up again, because the performance was bad and I thought that was our automatic chances gone and I had no hope of us winning the play-offs because of our record against other teams and how we don't turn up in big games. This deflated feeling carried on into Salford, Bradford and Cheltenham and despite getting a point from Valley Parade, it felt too little, too late. Then we kept getting offered lifeline after lifeline and somehow we've found ourselves with the most outside shot of outside shots of getting 3rd. 

The perfectly imperfect football club is once again proving that 2006 survey correct.

[Dripsey3]

An impressive 3 points and somehow we are still in with a shout of automatic promotion. The unpredictability of League 2 has kept us on the edge of seats and I suspect there's a few more twists and turns to come.