Monday 9th April, 4:50pm

Handy Assist: James Walker Was On Hand To Fire Across Goal For Notts' Winner

An own goal a few minutes from time by Wrexham's Simon Spender was enough to hand Notts County a fourth straight win in League Two to keep the late playoff push on track - but it took a fine defensive display to ensure the win.

The first-half lacked chances but bags of commitment from both sides were a number of meaty challenges, but the only chance of the half of any note was Chris Llewellyn's header for the home side hit the top of Kevin Pilkington's crossbar.

In the second period the home side took the game by the scruff off the neck as they fight it out to stay in League Two, and Lee McEvilly twice went close with long-range efforts while Jeff Whitley thundered a shot against a post from outside the box.

Myles Weston, Jason Lee and Tcham N'Toya were all brought into the action in attacking moves by Steve Thompson,

Notts boss Steve Thompson, with the Magpies playing twice in three days, decided to rest Jason Lee and David Pipe, following the game against Boston on Saturday with Lee's bookings (eighteen prior to kick-off) and Pipe suffering from a groin problem.

In came goalscorer from Saturday Matt Somner into the centre of midfield with Silk dropping to right-back, and James Walker making his first start since signing on loan from Charlton three weeks ago.

Notts got the game underway knowing a win would close the gap even more on the top seven, and with both sides having something to play for the game began at a high tempo. Matt Somner, on the scoresheet on Saturday, was on hand at the other end to help out with his defensive duties in the first few minutes with a timely challenge on Llewellyn inside the box to deny the Welshman a shot at goal.

The lively home crowd were behind the Welsh Dragons early on with bags of encouragement, but there was little for either crowd to get excited about with no shots at goal in the first fifteen minutes of the action.

Dudfield sliced a shot well wide and Mark Jones also fired well off target in the only two chances in the opening twenty minutes.

Wrexham were looking lively going forwards and some good play by Spender to dispossess McCann also created an opening, but Hunt cleared his lines by positioning himself well inside the box.

It was the home side who almost took the lead on twenty-seven minutes when a free-kick from Valentine was headed across goal by McEvilly to his strike partner Llewellyn who floated a header high over Pilkington, but he could only look on as his header crashed against the bar and over for a goal-kick.

Five minutes before the break the home side lost midfielder Mark Jones to injury after a full-blooded challenge between Matt Somner and the Wrexham man, and despite carrying on for a few minutes he clearly could not carry on and he was replaced by Levi Mackin.

With no added time required, a fairly forgettable first-half was ended bang on forty-five minutes, and giving both sides time to plan their next move and sneak ahead to claim three valuable points.

Half-Time: Wrexham 0-0 Notts County

Neither side made any changes in terms of personnel, and the home side kicked off having already been out on the pitch for around five minutes going through a warm-up routine with a member of the Wrexham coaching staff.

McEvilly whistled a shot just wide from all of twenty yards on the turn minutes into the half, with the ambitious effort on the turn flying past the stranded Pilkington but also past the far post. The big frontman held off a challenge from Somner to turn and get the shot in; a fine piece of individual skill.

Notts introduced Myles Weston and Jason Lee into the action in place of Andy Parkinson and Ian Ross early in the second half as Steve Thompson looked to freshen things up after two games in three days.

Somner's goal at the weekend against Boston clearly whet his appetite for more goals, and he curled a left-foot effort at goal from outside the box, but Williams in goal had the shot covered.

The home side were pushing for a goal by the hour mark and McEvilly came close again, but this time his free-kick from outside the box curled just over Pilkington's crossbar.

Notts were looking more dangerous with Weston keen to take on his man down the left and Lee's presence was obviously another outlet, but they just couldn't find a way past the Wrexham backline which was remaining solid.

The home side rattled the woodwork again midway through the second half, and this time it was ex-Notts midfielder Jeff Whitley. After a ball into the box wasn't cleared properly it fell to him on the edge of the box unmarked, and he let fly with a thunderous volley which crashed against Pilkington's left-hand post and luckily Mike Edwards was on hand to clear.

The pressure on Notts from the home side was strong, but the defence were keeping their heads with entire back line doing their jobs to the letter.

Notts made their final change on seventy-three with N'Toya replacing Dudfield up front in a straight swap, but it was the home side who continued to press and Mackin volley just over with fifteen to go with a similar effort to Whitley's minutes earlier.

No matter what the home side threw at Notts it seemed nothing was going to get past the solid back-line, but with just a few minutes to go it was Notts against the run of play who took the lead. A fine pass by Jay Smith picked out the run of James Walker who advanced into the box from the right and fired an effort across goal which looked to be going wide, but at the back post Simon Spender turned the ball into his own net to the delight of the Notts faithful.

It was perhaps rough justice on Wrexham who had pushed Notts hard, but with so much to play for and a late push towards the top seven - there can be little sentiment in football at this stage of the season.

For Notts, the late push goes on with another clean sheet in the bag - and it sets up this weekend's game at home to Walsall very nicely indeed.