Accrington Stanley 0-3 Notts County (EFL League Two) 18.01.2025

Stuart Maynard’s Notts County collected their fifth win in their last six outings on Saturday afternoon, following a routine, 3-0 result, away to fourth bottom Accrington Stanley.

Victory leaves County level on points, in fifth place, with AFC Wimbledon (fourth), and Doncaster Rovers (sixth), with both of those also collecting wins, home to Tranmere (2-0) and at Gillingham (1-0) respectively.

Hometown favourite, David McGoldrick, fired a brace, taking his tally for the season to twelve goals, as the visitors continue to chase down an automatic promotion spot, although it was George Abott who opened the scoring, sixteen minutes into the first half.

It was to be a goal that arrived after a hectic opening which would see home midfielder Shaun Walton’s header saved by Alex Bass in the visiting goal, and a handful of home players being booked.

County midfielder, Abbott, on-loan from Premier League side, Tottenham Hotspur, bagged his fourth for the club when he beautifully volleyed home a deep corner from Matt Palmer, and, on the run, fired the ball back across goal from the edge of the box, into Everton loanee, Billy Crellin’s top corner.

Doubling the lead a little over ten minutes later, the County faithful would see McGoldrick finish off a move, from close-range, after Abbott had turned provider; motoring on the flank, he swung a cross to the back post which Alassana Jatta rose to head goal-bound, beating all between him and the goal, for McGoldrick to chest the ball home from a couple of yards out.

With the hosts causing little problem for the County back-line, and ‘keeper Bass, it was to be a two-goal, interval lead, for the League Two high-fliers, a lead they would extend just past the hour mark, McGoldrick putting the game to bed.

Stanley, having made several changes at the break, posed a little more threat upon the restart, but that was doused on sixty-three minutes when another County corner led to another County goal.

The corner was hit deep across goal, headed back to Jatta who would see his headed effort come back off the crossbar, and onto the boot of the sliding McGoldrick, who took delight in poking home.

Midfielder Shaun Whalley gave the hosts a chance on goal in the second, he heading straight at Bass on sixty-five minutes.

Maynard also afforded two of his recent signings, Will Jarvis and Charlie Whitaker, some on-field minutes late on in the contest, the former coming on for Jatta with twelve remaining, and the latter for Conor Grant, ten minutes earlier.

It’s back-to-back home games next up for County, they welcoming Bromley and Carlisle United to Meadow Lane on Saturday 25 and Wednesday 28, respectively, before travelling to Gillingham at the beginning of February.

Notts County: Alex Bass, Rod McDonald, Matty Platt, Jacob Bedeau, Sam Austin, George Abbott (Jack Hinchy 85), Matt Palmer, Nick Tsaroulla (Jodi Jones 68), Conor Grant (Charlie Whitaker, 68), Alassana Jatta (Will Jarvis 78), David McGoldrick (Curtis Edwards 85)

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @Official_NCFC Matthew Platt celebrates a win for Notts County.