Cedwyn Scott reflects on Notts County promotion final heroics

Just over a month has passed since the former Gateshead and Carlisle United forward saw his late spot-kick saved at Wrexham as the Welsh outfit landed a major blow in a remarkable National League title race.

The defeat at the Racecourse Ground meant Luke Williams’ side had to fight their way through the play-offs and they were pushed all of the way in a 3-2 semi-final win against Boreham Wood last weekend. That set up a Wembley date with Chesterfield and the two sides played out a dramatic 120 minutes under the famous arch as they battled for a place in League Two.

County were forced to claw their way back into the game as equalisers from John Bostock and Ruben Rodrigues cancelled out goals from Spireites duo Andrew Dallas and Armando Dobra to ensure the game would be settled via a shoot-out. Magpies substitute goalkeeper Archie Mair came to the fore as he denied Darren Oldaker and Jeff King from 12 yards to allow Scott to step up and fire home the decisive spot-kick to set off wild celebrations from the County supporters as their four-year absence from the Football League came to an end.

Speaking after the game, Scott reflected on his two penalties that evoked contrasting emotions as he told the club website: “Obviously I was a bit nervous with the affairs that happened at Wrexham. That hit me hard after that game seeing the title slip away, I always knew to get stuck in and kept working hard - the gaffer had a word with me and he was brilliant and backed me all the way, and I had full confidence in the team stepping up to take the penalty and gladly I put it away.

“Tom Weal (Magpies goalkeeper coach) deserves a lot of credit because we have worked on it after every training session in the week and he said to the boys, practice the penalty you want to take if it goes to it on Saturday and he gave us a routine to do, we stuck to it which made it so much easier and I could concentrate on that and could execute it.”