Notts County 2-0 Barnet (National League Playoff Semi Final) 25.07.20

Notts County took a giant leap into returning to the football league at the first attempt after beating Barnet in a drenched National League semi-final encounter at Meadow Lane.

Magpies Manager Neal Ardley played his perfect hand as he moved Jim O’Brien to the left side of midfield and the Irishman conjured up some magic eight minutes before half time to supply the perfect cross for Kristian Dennis to head home and put Notts one up before the Geordie Messi, Cal Roberts weaved some magic ahead of the hour to put the match to bed.

The home side dominated the first half and were excellent considering the long lay off without a competitive game for four months with the returning Ben Turner and Alex Lacey solid as the centre back pairing and going forward, young Callum Roberts in particular always proving to be a thorn in the Bees defence.

Roberts had the first real opportunity of the game after 15 minutes, picking himself up after being fouled to curl a free kick over the wall from 25 yards only for Scott Loach to save on the slippery sodden surface. Both teams had to deal with the tricky conditions as a downpour interrupted the quality on show but perhaps suiting Notts direct style more than Barnet’s short passing game, on 33 Wootton may have opened the scoring looping a header inches wide from Lacey’s centre.

Dennis it was though who scored the Magpies first goal in four months, his fourth goal in three games a forward certainly on form and justifying his selection ahead of Wes Thomas in the starting XI.

Another player on form after having a superb latter stage of the season pre-lockdown is Cal Roberts, he went close dragging his shot inches wide of the post seconds before the half time break but as the whistle blew the home side were more than content than their opponents with a brilliant performance by Neal Ardley’s men where they might have had more than a one goal lead.

Barnet improved in the second half and attacked with more threat, Vilhete always looking to run at young Bagan down the right wing, the  Cardiff loanee however, more than up to the challenge.

Mason-Clark shot from range with Slocombe saving well on 49 minutes proving the Bees best attack whilst at the other end Dennis was twice denied by Bees keeper Loach when it looked he was certain to score.

That miss mattered not though as shortly after Roberts danced his way into the six yard box and side footed home from the angle, a brilliant solo goal to give Notts a 2-0 lead on 59.

The remainder of the game was all about County solidly defending their lead but Barnet failed to trouble Slocombe with the Magpies back four quite brilliant. In fact the midfield in front of them also brilliant with Jim O’Brien working his socks off and Michael Doyle meticulously keeping County calm by keeping possession.

The Magpies picked off their opponents and at times looked more like making it three than seeing an away side goal which would have reduced the arrears although substitute Pavey and main man McCallum had half chances to no avail for Barnet but in the end it was very much two will do for Notts as the Magpies will now go to Wembley for the first time since 1995 with a chance to get back into the Football League at the first time of asking since relegation last year.

Next up for Notts is Harrogate Town who won their semi-final match against Boreham Wood to set up a tie next Sunday that will define the season for one of the two finalists. If Notts play like they did today, there’s no reason to be confident that it cannot be them going on to take reward in getting back up to where many (including us) feel they rightly belong.

County: Slocombe, Brindley, Turner, Lacey, Bagan, Roberts (Thomas 86), Doyle, Rose, O’Brien, Dennis (Boldewijn 74), Wootton.

*Main image @Official_NCFC Kristian Dennis scores the opening goal at Meadow Lane.