2nd tier* League fixture
*Then known as Division Two

Sheffield Wednesday 2     Notts County 2
Sheridan (pen) 2                                                               Draper (pen) 48
Hirst 45                                                                            Bartlett 77
 

Attendance:- 23,474
Referee:- I. Hemley (Ampthill)
Weather:- Dry & Overcast
Corners:- Owls 8 Notts 5
Goal attempts on target:- Owls 7 Notts 7
Goal attempts off target:- Owls 6 Notts 5
Bookings:- Worthington (Owls) for dissent and Thomas (Notts) for a foul
 

Sheffield Wednesday
Colours:- Yellow shirts, Blue shorts, Blue socks
League Position:- before match 3rd/24, after match 4th/24
Manager:- Ron Atkinson

1.   Kevin Pressman
2.   John Harkes
3.   Phil King
4.   Carlton Palmer
5.   Peter Shirtliff
6.   Nigel Pearson
7.   Danny Wilson
8.   John Sheridan *
9.   David Hirst
10. Trevor Francis
11. Nigel Worthington

Sub: Paul Williams *82
Sub not used: Steve McCall
 

Notts County
Colours:- Black and white striped shirts with yellow trim, White shorts, White socks
League Position:- before match 7th/24, after match 7th/24
Manager:- Neil Warnock

1.   Steve Cherry
2.   Charlie Palmer
3.   Paul Harding
4.   Craig Short
5.   Dean Yates
6.   Don O'Riordan
7.   Dean Thomas
8.   Phil Turner
9.   Kevin Bartlett
10. Dave Regis
11. Mark Draper

Sub not used: Phil Robinson
Sub not used: Garry Nelson

Video of the match:- Highlights were shown as the featured match on Yorkshire TV's "Goals on Sunday". See also Notts on the box - The 1990's.
 

Nottingham Evening Post Reports

COUNTY’S BATTLERS
By David Stapleton

On the day that manager Neil Warnock got the key of the door, second time around, Notts County came of age as a team in Division Two. They showed in a magnificent, fighting 2-2 draw against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Saturday that they need fear no-one at this level. Indeed, television evidence indicated that highly-rated Wednesday were fortunate not to lose their first home game since Nottingham Forest relegated them on the final day of last season. There looked nothing wrong with the 58th minute Kevin Bartlett effort ruled out for offside by late stand-in official Ian Hemley. The deputy for Brian Stevens appeared right, however, with the two furiously contested penalty decisions he made. Mark Draper, in tugging at Trevor Francis's shirt with only 38 seconds on the clock, prevented the old master from converging onto Nigel Worthington's corner. And David Hirst, having put Wednesday 2-0 ahead on the stroke of half time, clearly handled Phil Turner's corner in the 48th minute. The incidents provided only two talking points for the biggest crowd, 23,474, that Notts have played before since the Wembley play-offs.

It was an excellent of pace, skill and commitment with chances at either end for a veritable goals glut. Where the game really turned was in midfield, and County's progressive control was such that if ever there was a belated decision it was Wednesday's in taking off John Sheridan with eight minutes left. The Nottingham Forest misfit has subsequently proved that he can destroy teams, given the space to utilise his passing skills, but he went from quiet to anonymous on Saturday. Paul Harding saw to that with his highly concentrated marking, something on which he thrives as the midfield stars of other recent opponents would testify. Not only that, Harding again showed his powers of thought and it becomes more and more unfathomable why he and striker David Regis were languishing in non-League football at 26.

Another surprise packet in midfield is Don O'Riordan, who at the season's start was virtually reconciled to confining his vast experience to reserves level. He worked as hard as anybody in the side - that is saying something - and had the facial scars to prove it. At the back Craig Short, tested as never before by Francis's twinkling, evergreen skills, emerged as the outstanding defender on the field. Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish came along with his Magpies 'season ticket' and must, surely, have been impressed with the 22-year-old as much as anyone. At the front Bartlett, Regis and skipper Phil Turner all posed moments of deep discomfort for the Wednesday defence. Turner, who grew up a Wednesdayite, underlined some nimble skills with a 45-yard first half chip that almost caught out goalkeeper Kevin Pressman. It was Turner's shrewd pass also that created a Bartlett one on one situation with the 'keeper, relieved that the shot was straight at him.

Big Regis succeeded in turning the defence several times and both skill and persistence enabled him to set up Bartlett's offside "goal." When the ball was touched into the net from close range, television revealed that home right back John Harkes was at least level with Bartlett. Goalkeeper Steve Cherry, though never over active, made an important 47th minute block with his feet when Danny Wilson's shot was destined to put Wednesday 3-1 up. Instead, straight from the clearance, Notts made it 2-2 with Bartlett running on to Dean Thomas’s lofted ball and squeezing an exquisite left footer inside the near post.
Hirst had scored Wednesday’s second from a similar position on the stroke of half-time, and Notts were undeniably sloppy in the way that Worthington’s free-kick found its way to the back post.
But Sheffielder Warnock could never have had a better birthday treat than this one.
 

CELEBRATIONS FOR WARNOCK
By David Stapleton

NOTTS COUNTY manager, Neil Warnock, partied on Saturday night jubilant that the "hardest working side in the Second Division" had pulled off a superb 2-2 draw at highly fancied Sheffield Wednesday. Warnock was able to hold his head high, as he celebrated his 42nd birthday in his native Sheffield after Notts had wiped off a two goals half time deficit. And he was quick to scotch South Yorkshire suggestions that the special circumstances, which also included a bumper crowd, had lifted County to new peaks.

Said Warnock: “We have players who can play, and it showed again. People become confused into thinking we are long ball merchants because we play quickly, don't hang about and give crowds value for money through not wasting time. We also have the hardest working side in the division and that makes me very proud."
Warnock revealed that "a few heads were down" when his players trooped into the dressing room on the interval. "But I thought if we could pull a goal back, even if it took 25 to 30 minutes, the big crowd could work against Sheffield and we could get a result. It worked out quicker than I thought as Mark Draper converted our penalty three minutes into the second half. Ten minutes later I believed we scored a good goal when Kevin Bartlett knocked in David Regis's low cross. The linesman, in my opinion, flagged when Bartlett put it into the net. When Regis crossed, Bartlett was well on-side. There were a few strange decisions and I was far from convinced at the early penalty against us, but it evened out with our spot kick."
Warnock pinpointed Craig Short and former Barnet non-League players, Paul Harding and Regis, for special praise. "Short was tremendous and, if I could have done, I would have liked to have given him 11 out of 10. He marked David Hirst in the first half and Trevor Francis in the second with equal distinction. I switched him to deal with Francis because he caused a few problems for Dean Yates. To Dean's credit he settled into the groove later on. Harding marked John Sheridan out of the game and if I detailed him to mark the corner flag he would come out with flying colours. He also showed again his skill on the ball. Regis has also come on in leaps and bounds and we bless the day six weeks ago that we decided to give them both a chance in League football.”
Warnock felt for Bartlett when he struck the 77th minute equaliser, "He gets more criticism from supporters than anybody, but he continues to create so many chances. If he could finish like Trevor Francis he would score 45 goals a season, and if Francis had still got Bartlett's legs we would have a multi-million pound Colossus between them."

NOTTS DESERVED DRAW - ATKINSON
Sheffiefd Wednesday boss Ron Atkinson: "We gave a mixed performance and there's no doubt that Notts deserved their draw. They worked very hard and dominated the midfield in the second half.”

Notts captain Phil Turner, a Wednesday supporter as a lad, whose young niece was a Magpies mascot: "It was lovely to get something out of the match with so many members of my family present. The gaffer gave us a bit of a telling-off at half-time and we started to take the game to Wednesday. We were well worth the draw."

Kevin Bartlett. who scored the point-saver after having an effort disallowed for off-side: “Dean Thomas hit the ball forward and as it bounced I thought that I must hit it. The ball went in a treat at the near post. It should have been my second goal because I certainly wasn't offside when I touched in the low ball from David Regis.”

Ukrainian side Kaparty arrive at Meadow Lane for tomorrow's friendly (7.45pm) with a good record in domestic football. They were third in the Second Division when they began their customary winter break. Notts Reserves take on Preston Reserves in a Pontins League fixture at Meadow Lane tonight (7.30pm). County have no injury problems before tonight's FA Youth Cup second round replay with Arsenal at Highbury (7pm).
 
 

Up the Maggies footnote:
The owls had just been relegated from the top flight having been one of the promoted clubs who replaced Notts in 1984 (so this was the first competitive meeting between the two local rivals since 1980/81). Us travelling fans were all seated in the upper tier of the Leppings Lane end, the standing enclosure underneath was still closed following the Hillsborough tragedy. Upon reaching the top of the steps to the seating area, I remember stopping to have a look down at the terraces below and it was really quite chilling to realise that this was where so many people had lost their lives just 18 months earlier. The moment of reflection passed and the ground began to fill up nicely, this was only the 4th time Notts would run out to a 20,000+ crowd since they had lost their top flight status, so it was pretty exciting after being used to 4,000 at Chesterfield etc. It was a surprise to see the Owls take to the field in their yellow and blue away strip, the referee had decided that both Notts' home and away strips clashed with Wednesday's home colours and as Notts did not have a 3rd choice kit, it was Wednesday who had to change (I believe Notts were later fined by the league for failing to turn up with an appropriate strip). It turned out to be a really great day out, the sort we had won promotion for, although it was almost ruined on the way out of Sheffield when a brick was thrown at the coach I was on, thankfully it bounced off and no damage was done. Compounding the sense of being back in the big time, BBC Radio had a reporter at the game who complimented our "vociferous" away following and the following day we were the main match on Yorkshire TV's highlights programme.
 

Notts County Season 1990/91
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