Lawrie Dudfield scored two and made another as Notts County held off the resistance of Blue Square Premier side Histon at Meadow Lane in the First Round of the FA Cup sponsored by E.ON with a 3-0 victory at Meadow Lane.
After a frustrating and fairly scrappy first half, the second period began with a bang as Neil MacKenzie played Dudfield clear on goal and he slammed the ball into the roof of the net to hand Ian McParland's side the lead.
Andy Parkinson twice and Richard Butcher squandered good chances to extend Notts' lead, but substitute Hector Sam added a second seventeen minutes from time and Dudfield rounded off the scoring from close range after a defensive blunder by the visitors two minutes from time to ensure Notts' place in tomorrow's Second Round draw.
Magpies Manager Ian McParland made two changes to the side which had started the last two games at Accrington and Barnet, with Myles Weston and Stephen Hunt dropping out of the team and Andy Parkinson and new loan signing Krystian Pearce were handed starting berths.
Weston had missed Thursday and Friday's training sessions due to a family bereavement, while Hunt picked up a knock on Tuesday at Barnet and was not risked as a result.
Histon, missing their leading scorer Cliff Akurang, began brightly and in a scrappy and quiet opening fifteen minutes neither side were able to create any opportunities, but then within the space of a minute of sixteen both sides registered shots at goal.
Firstly, the visitors broke well down the right and forced a good opening for Murray with Okay's right-wing cross picking out Murray unmarked in the box and he met the ball with a sweeping right-foot effort which Pilkington thankfully tipped away with his finger-tips for a corner.
Straight away at the other end Notts forced an opportunity with Parkinson finding room on the edge of the box to shoot at goal, but his right-foot effort was easily saved by Naisbitt.
In truth, Histon were making it really difficult for Notts to get the ball down and play. And really, it shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone - least of all Notts. As predicted, they were quite direct with the ball being played into the channels and forwards at every opportunity.
As a unit, as Paul Mayo had said in the build-up to this game, Notts were looking far stronger than they had earlier in the campaign and despite a few hairy moments when Histon broke Notts were looking comfortable although a long-throw into the box almost caught Notts out just after the half-hour but there was no-one on hand for the visitors to tuck away Langston's flick-on which only just missed the far post.
MacKenzie's long-range drive from the edge of the box was saved by Naisbitt with ease as frustratingly Notts were unable to create much in the final third, and Notts had to settle with going into the break on level terms.
Half-Time: Notts County 0-0 Histon
The second half began with Notts clearly out on the field with Ian McParland's half-time words still ringing in their ears, and three minutes into the half Notts took the lead through Lawrie Dudfield. Parkinson and MacKenzie combined to send the frontman clears on goal, and after taking touch to steady himself he slammed the ball into the roof of the net to bag his second of the season.
It was the perfect way to start the second period after a frustrating start to the game for Notts, but there was a real step-up in the tempo and Andy Parkinson saw two efforts save by Naisbitt in the Histon goal, from which the second of which fell into the path of Richard Butcher at a tight angle - but with the goal gaping he could only hit the side netting.
The step-up in quality was there for all to see, although around the hour mark the visitors were able to put the pressure on again and throw a number of balls into the Notts box, but again the defence held firm and got their heads and feet in the way when required.
A second goal was required to seal things, and seventeen minutes from time some neat footwork down the left by Dudfield allowed him to beat his man and advance into the box, and he simply laid the ball across goal to substitute Hector Sam who took a touch to line up his effort which he calmly stroked into the bottom corner of Naisbitt's net.
Confidence was now running through the Notts ranks and Naisbitt has to be at full stretch to deny another substitute Matt Somner a third soon afterwards as Notts eased into the Second Round, although they were given a scare late on as the visitors pushed men up front in hope of a late rally, but the nearest they came was Matthew Langston heading against the bar five minutes from time.
Dudfield rounded things off two minutes from time, latching onto a poor back-pass by Langston to beat Naisbitt to the ball and roll the ball into the empty net. A confidence boosting third of the season for the striker.
In a no-win situation in some aspects, Notts are through to the next round of the Cup which is all that matters. If Notts had lost, it would have been a big story - and if Notts won, as they did, then that is what was expected of them.
So on that basis, job done for the Magpies and it's back into League action next Saturday with Macclesfield at Meadow Lane as Notts aim to keep the unbeaten run going.
Notts County: Pilkington, Canoville, Tann (C), Pearce, Mayo, Butcher, MacKenzie (Somner 71), Silk, Parkinson, Lindfield (Sam 55), Dudfield (Weir-Daley 89).
Subs Not Used: Sandercombe, McCann.
Booked: Canoville.
Sent Off: None.
Goals: Dudfield (48, 87), Sam (73).
Histon: Naisbitt, Okay, Langston, Cambridge (C), J Kennedy, Murray, Knight-Percival, Wright (Barker 69), Pope (Mitchel-King 74), Gwillim, Ada.
Subs Not Used: N Kennedy, Nightingale, Short.
Booked: Murray, Pope, Ada.
Sent Off: None.
Goals: None.
Match Referee: Mr N Kinseley
Attendance: 4,344 (404 Histon Fans)
nottscountyfc.co.uk Man of the Match: Lawrie Dudfield
