Notts County and York City play out entertaining draw to close out the regular season

Winning 5-2 on their travels away at Maidstone United before this one, backed by a sea of Magpies fans making the long journey down to Kent, everyone connected to Notts County hoped for another big win as York City visited Meadow Lane to close out the regular season.

Unfortunately for Luke Williams’ Magpies, Michael Morton’s Minstermen didn’t roll over and give in. Instead, they battled throughout to clinch a 1-1 draw - Shaqai Forde slotting past Sam Slocombe late on to secure a share of the points. York City might well have been thanking their lucky stars that they had Ryan Whitley as their goalkeeper in this one - the one-time academy prospect excelling in between the sticks all afternoon - but they didn’t care how they clinched an unexpected point. There was a party-like atmosphere in the Jimmy Sirrel Stand generated by the Minstermen away support, 1400 or so enjoying their day out and subsequently enjoying the outcome of the contest.

Notts County might well have been disappointed come full-time but there’s so much good happening at the club that outweighs this minor misfire, May 7th presented Luke Williams’ men with a National League playoff semi-final match with promotion back to the EFL a very real possibility.

Team New

Speaking to the Magpies’ website before this National League game, Luke Williams reiterated the importance of this clash even if it was effectively a dead rubber. You could tell the Magpies boss was serious about this match from the strength of his starting eleven, not resting key individuals such as Macaulay Langstaff or Ruben Rodrigues.

York City did make some changes for their journey down to Nottingham from Yorkshire, Maz Kouhyar, who is an Afghanistan international, started for Michael Morton’s men. Shaqai Forde, who has been instrumental in helping the Minstermen stave off relegation with some crucial goals, was only afforded space on the substitutes bench.

First Half

A lively pre-match atmosphere saw York City fans let off a flare in the away stand, the lingering smell of the flare still present in the air when referee Greg Rollason blew his whistle to start the contest.

Notts County started the match in the ascendancy, and with barely a few minutes on the clock, nearly opened the scoring. Macaulay Langstaff uncharacteristically would miss a golden chance, however, glancing a header wide.

The travelling Minstermen would find some joy via the channels though, Ryan Fallowfield and Maz Kouhyar unsettling the Notts County backline with electric surges going forward. Unfortunately for Michael Morton and co, these runs often resulted in the offside flag being raised and momentum dashed.

York City also proved to be a pain in the back for Luke Williams’ County, Mark Ellis and his fellow defenders getting in the way with blocks and interventions to deny a Notts County side attempting to play their free-flowing best.

The Magpies would continue to pepper Ryan Whitley in the York City net as the clock ticked away to the half-time interval, Macaulay Langstaff stylishly turning away from defenders aiming to keep him under wraps to then unleash a fierce shot. Whitley would parry the venomous shot to safety, a warning sign for the Minstermen.

Macaulay Langstaff would finally get the goal his play deserved right on the stroke of half-time, a delicate passing move resulting in Ruben Rodrigues effortlessly cutting the York defence in half with a through ball. Langstaff would get on the end of his teammate’s perfect pass, placing it past Whitley for 1-0.

Second Half

Early into the restart for the second half, Notts County could have sealed all three points with a second strike. Ruben Rodrigues’ free-kick tested Ryan Whitley in the York City net, the York keeper denying Rodrigues with a finger-tip save. The rebound wasn’t put away either, a wasted opportunity to kill the game.

York City would grow in confidence the longer the scoreline stayed at just 1-0, Maz Kouhyar nearly catching Sam Slocombe out with a long run. The resulting shot was rather tame but Slocombe still had to stay alert.

Ryan Whitley was playing out of his skin for Michael Morton’s men, constantly denying a barrage of Notts County efforts on goal - an impressive claim of the ball from Whitley after a Cedwyn Scott header was the pick of the bunch. Without Whitley in the net for the Minstermen, Notts County would have had that stylish win Luke Williams so desired.

Gambling with the game at 1-0, Michael Morton would introduce Shaqai Forde into the match for York City - the Watford loanee scoring eight goals since making the temporary switch from the Hornets. It would prove to be a worthwhile gamble, as Forde grabbed his ninth goal in York colours.

Beating the offside trap a matter of minutes into being introduced, Shaqai Forde would send the York City away support into a state of frenzy when he put the chance away. The confident attacker would slot an opportunity away with ease, 1-1 on the 89th-minute mark - the Minstermen not playing to the script.

Adam Chicksen would attempt to secure his side a 34th win of the regular season with a corner-kick delivery into additional time, but his delivery into the box was cleared by a York man and the referee would then blow up for full-time.

A fantastic and competitive contest to see out York’s season would please the interim boss Michael Morton, the Minstermen turning their season around to seal National League safety after turbulent times before.

For Notts County, they’ll hope they won’t face such a formidable goalkeeper in Ryan Whitley when their semi-final opponents travel to Meadow Lane. Still, even though a draw wasn’t the result they would have wanted to close out the regular season, a lap of appreciation after the full-time whistle saw lots of pride on show from the County fanbase to Luke Williams and his squad.

Man of the Match

Notts County would give their Man of the Match to Matt Palmer, the Magpie’s number 18 energetic centrally and often attempting a killer pass throughout the 90 minutes.

For me, however, Ryan Whitley in the York City net was the overall Man of the Match - the City keeper made a whole host of crucial saves to give the Minstermen the foundation to send those York City fans home happy with a dramatic draw.