Town: Glynn Garner, Graeme Lee, Marc Pugh (James Constable 46), Kelvin Langmead, Dave Hibbert, Ben Herd, Ben Davies (c), Asa Hall (Chris Humphrey 72), Steve Leslie, Marc Tierney, Kevin McIntyre

Subs: James Constable, Andy Cooke, Luke Jones, Chris Humphrey, Scott Bevan (gk)

Notts County: Russell Hoult, Lee Canoville, Adam Tann (c), Jay Smith, Gary Silk, Paul Mayo, Stephen Hunt, Danny Crow (Spencer Weir-Daley 65), Richard Butcher, Ryan Jarvis (Jason Lee 74), Wayne Corden

Subs: Austin McCann, Neil Mackenzie, Jason Lee, Andy Parkinson, Spencer Weir-Daley

Referee Andy Haines (Tyne and Wear)
Assistant Referee (yellow) M Astley
Assistant Referee (plain) A Scregg
Fourth Official S Barrow

Attendance: 5673 (548)

Paul Simpson makes the one change from the side that drew away to Dagenham with Dave Hibbert coming in for Andy Cooke who drops to the bench.

IT was a bright opening to the game with both sides looking to attack and take the early advantage.The best opening on goal though fell to County when Ben Herd put in a solid tackle but the ball bounced back and dropped to Ryan Jarvis in space on the edge of the box, he curled in a shot but Garner was equal to it and got down quickly to smoother.

Town best early effort came from Ben Davies after he'd been clattered by Adam Tann to win Town a free-kick.It was Davies who placed the ball and then curled over a dripping shot that caused a bit of panic in the box but dropped just wide of the far post.

Kelvin Langmead had a couple of decent sites at the County goal, the first after he'd snuck in at the back post to stab a header goal wards but it was put behind for a Town corner.Davies curled over a great ball that looked to be heading for the run of Langmead at the back post until Hoult managed to get a hand in to nick the ball away.

Town put one of the best moves together of the half with just under 25-minutes on the cross, a good tackle from Hall saw the ball with Davies in space, he then put a great ball in behind the defence for Steve Leslie to run into down the left, he cut past his marker and burst into the box before cutting the ball back to find McIntyre who drilled in a long range drive that flew over the mark.

County looked dangerous when they did get the ball into their midfield and down the wings but in the final third Town seemed to have the better of the battles.The final 15-minutes of the game though were a bit of a dull affair with neither team really putting their mark on the game.

Glyn Garner had been having a solid if uneventful afternoon in the Town goal; he'd claimed a couple of crosses well but had had little to do in terms of saves.He did have to be alert though when County had good possession down the left, Corden did well and then cut inside before laying the ball to Silk who drove in a great effort that Garner had to be alert to tip over the bar.

Half-time: 0-0

The half started with a Town change that saw Marc Pugh going off and James Constable on to partner David Hibbert up front.

Town started the half with the early momentum and camped in Counties half.Hibbert and Constable were playing off each other well and with Davies and Leslie bombing down the wings the advantage seemed to be with Town.They had half chances from Tierney, Davies and a decent header from Lee which dropped just wide of the far post.

Town were getting hearer to grabbing the lead, first after a superb early ball from the right from Davies found Hibbert just inches from applying the all important finish, and then minutes later a great attacking move from Town saw the ball drop to Davies in the County box, he hit a first time shot that was on target until Smith got in the all important block.

All the goal chances were falling to the home side but they didn't have any goal to show for this pressure.Town crafted a superb opening after cutting through County down left, Leslie pulled ball back to Tierney who threaded it to McIntyre who had burst in the box looking for the angle but unselfishly pushed it to Constable who was free but a County foot snook in just as he was about to shoot.

With just over 15-minutes of the game remaining Paul Simpson bringing on Chris Humphrey to replace Asa Hall with Ben Davies coming into the centre of midfield with Humphrey's going out on the right.

The shoots were coming in from all over the Town squad and the introduction of Humphrey had given Town extra impetuous down the right.His pace and deliveries were causing all sorts of problems for County and when he delivered an excellent early ball to theback post Hibbert got a flick that dropped to Leslie, he drilled in a superb shot to the near post that went just wide of the post.

Simpson made his last switch of the afternoon on 82-minutes bringing on Andy Cooke to replace Dave Hibbert in a straight swap.

Town were still having all of the attacking play but still couldn't the goal the deserved.More good work from Humphrey down the right saw him put over a cross to the back post to find Leslie, he cut the ball back to get away from his marker and then drilled a low cross into the box that Davies just failed to connect with and then McIntyre stabbed in a shot at the back post that was blocked and then cleared.

If the result had been calculated on chances Town would easily have won the game by a mile.With the game in 5-minutes of injury time Town continued to push and push but still the goal wouldn't come. With seconds remaining Steve Leslie created a great chance after the ball came to him on the edge of the box; he cut past his marker and then got the ball onto his right foot before drilling in a shot that was flying into the top corner until Hoult got his finger tips to put the ball over.

Full-time: 0-0