3rd tier* League fixture
*Then known as Division Three South

Nottingham Forest 1     Notts County 2
Capel                                                                        Lawton
                                                                                 Broome
 

HT 0-1

Attendance :- 37,903
Referee:- Mr J. W. Toploss (Grimsby)

Nottingham Forest
Colours:- Red shirts, White shorts, Red socks
League Position:- before match 2nd/22, after match 3rd/22
Manager:- Billy Walker

1.   Harry Walker
2.   Geoff Thomas
3.   Jack Hutchinson
4.   Johnny Anderson
5.   Horace Gagar
6.   Jack Burkitt
7.   Freddie Scott
8.   Jack Love
9.   Wally Ardron
10. Tommy Capel
11. Gordon Kaile

Notts County
Colours:- White shirts, Black shorts, Black socks
League Position:- before match 1st/22, after match 1st/22
Manager:- Eric Houghton

1.   Roy Smith
2.   Tommy Deans
3.   Norman Rigby
4.   Harry Chapman
5.   Bill Baxter
6.   Harry Admason
7.   Frank Broome
8.   Jackie Sewell
9.   Tommy Lawton
10. Billy Evans
11. Tom Johnston
 

LAWTON IN MASTERFUL MOOD

Nottingham, Saturday

When two clubs meet who are next to each other in the same division of the Football League and whose grounds are little more than a stone's throw apart, one could perhaps sympathise if tempers became frayed during their game. No such thing happened here today in Nottingham Forest' s match with Notts County. Robust, fair tackles were seen in plenty, but infringements were surprisingly few and the referee, Mr J. W. Toploss, helped towards this by handling well what might easily have been a difficult game.

Supporters of the Forest team possibly were somewhat disappointed that their favourites were defeated 2-1, but would no doubt admit that the better side won. Notts County always looked to have the extra polish and finish in their movements. Their forwards were the more dangerous on attack, they had an efficient if not excellent defence, but the real difference between the teams was that Lawton was so obviously leading his men, whereas Forest often appeared individually good but did not combine so well as a team. Forest had their chances, but Love headed well over the bar with only the goalkeeper to beat before a goal had been scored, and early in-the second half Ardron missed a glorious chance of equalising when he shot straight at Smith from point -blank range.

At the start of the game each side attacked in turn. Forest opened with an attack on the right, Deans cleared with a long downfield kick, a shot by Lawton was blocked, and then Broome marred a promising move by getting offside. A free kick for a foul on Anderson was diverted for a corner. Soon afterwards Ardron evaded Baxter before he beat Deans cleverly with a change of speed, and it was from his centre that Love headed over the bar. Gradually, however, the County got on top. Lawton had a sound understanding with his inside right, Sewell, and though perhaps not quite so fast as he was some little time ago, he showed that he is still a power to be reckoned with. He brought balls under his control regardless of how he received them, and his sense of positioning himself, particularly for corner kicks, was masterful. This surely can never have been seen to belter effect than when he scored his side's first goal. Walker had conceded a corner from a shot by Lawton. Broome took it and placed it well : the centre forward met it in the middle of his forehead from the far side of the goal, and this time Walker had no chance.

Notts County again attacked after the interval, but Forest' s defence had tightened up and it was the home side who nearly, and should have, scored. Ardron 's speed took him to the full-back from a move which began near midfield, but then he performed almost the impossible by shooting straight at Smith from only about three yards ' range. The credit for County's second goal was again Lawton's. He received the ball wide on the right, controlled it easily, beat Hutchinson with the minimum or effort, and when challenged by another defender coolly tapped it across the goal to Broome : the outside left could hardly have failed to score. Capel then scored for Forest from a neat pass by Love, and though County tired towards the end and their opponents attacked strongly, it was too late.
 
 
 
 

Notts County Season 1949/50
Up the Maggies home page