Boreham Wood 2-2 Notts County (National League) 16.03.21

Notts County came from two goals down to earn a share of the spoils at Boreham Wood but despite the draw last night in Hertfordshire, many Notts fans have questioned the performance with some questioning whether Manager Neal Ardley should still be at the club.

Notts relied on a 75th minute goal by Alex Lacey and an 88th minute Inih Effiong penalty to take a point away from Meadow Park, but it wasn’t pretty, and in doing it the hard way in a match where the home side were for large parts, the better team, some folk questioned the Managers tactical decisions after the side went two goals behind thanks to an early first half strike by Tyrone Marsh and one ten minutes after half time from Kabongo Tshimanga.

The late come back is one that delighted fans of Ardley of whom he still has many, the questions in favour will highlight the troublesome season Notts have had to deal with off the pitch, whilst those who want him out will look solely on results and performance with no compassion for events elsewhere.

Notts are now seventh in the table, clinging on to the last playoff place and last nights result left the Magpies further behind table-topping Sutton United who won at Chesterfield.

It was Tyrone Marsh who gave the home side early advantage after a thunderbolt on two minutes but Notts came back into the game with an early spell of pressure, the best chances however coming for Boreham Wood as Slocombe saved from Tshimanga and Fyfield blazed over after a goal mouth scramble before the half hour.

On the stroke of half time, Connell Rawlinson headed towards goal from a Rodrigues free-kick which was somehow kept out, County perhaps deservingly down at the break as their hosts had the better of the half.

As they did in the first, The Wood started the second half well too as Slocombe was forced into an early save from a free kick before Tshimanga netted on 55 after some sloppy Notts defending, but credit to Notts who never gave up, a Doyle corner found Alex Lacey who nodded home with fifteen minutes remaining and with two minutes left, Wootton’s header was handled by a home team defender inside the area and substitute Effiong, who used to play for Boreham Wood, smashed home the penalty to end things all square.

After the match when questioned on his own thoughts about his position at the club, Manager Neal Ardley stated “The boys are giving everything. They are going through a tough period and we are determined to come out of it.”

“We’ve picked up four points from two away games and for me I would rather talk about the fact we’ve picked up points.”

Notts next face a double header home and away against Yeovil Town as they look to continue their recent run and build on taking four points from two tricky away days, after Yeovil it’s the Buildbase FA Trophy semi-final against Hornchurch where a trip to Wembley beckons, let’s hope it will be the first of two.

Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Fyfield, Pearce, Ricketts, Ilesanmi, Tshimanga, Whitely, Mafuta, Marsh, Murtagh, Smith.

Notts County: Slocombe, Miller, Lacey, Ellis, Rawlinson (Knowles 66), Boldewijn, Doyle, Reeves, Rodrigues (O’Brien 90), Sam (Effiong 66), Wootton.

Venue: Meadow Park

*Main image @Official_NCFC Alex Lacey reduces the defecit as Notts go on to take a point.