Luke Williams relieved after ‘dreadful’ Notts County edge thriller

Notts County boss Luke Williams branded his side’s performance “dreadful” despite edging a seven-goal thriller 4-3 against Forest Green and returning to the top of League Two.

Goals from Dan Crowley and Macaulay Langstaff had given the Magpies a two-goal advantage at the break, only for Troy Deeney to score two quickfire goals to draw the game level midway through the second half.

However, John Bostock and David McGoldrick were on hand to restore the hosts’ two-goal advantage and they held on despite Deeney completing his hat-trick from the penalty spot late on.

Williams said: “I didn’t enjoy it all, not one bit.

“Forest Green are very good, and when you are two goals in front midway through the game, it does not matter if they are very good for the level, you need to be able to control the game better.

“Instead, it was dreadful – I don’t feel so great about it.

“So often is the case, the players are incredible because of many different things. Today, they didn’t play football in exactly the way we would like as a group, and for a period of the game they didn’t show the characteristics that have made them a good group – but then they remembered.

“Yes, it still wasn’t pretty at any point in the second half I don’t think, but Forest Green are going to go up the table for sure because they are excellent – but at 2-0 up, you should make the game calmer.”

Forest Green manager David Horseman was delighted with striker Deeney after taking his tally for the season to four – insisting the veteran striker is desperate to succeed at The New Lawn.

“What has been interesting as the weeks have gone on is that he has got stronger physically, a lot fitter, his pressing was good today and the quality in the box it goes with a Premier League player and the way he looks after the ball and flicks headers on,” said Horseman.

“But he is so desperate to win and do well for the team – he’s a brilliant player for us but more importantly a brilliant person.

“I am delighted he has got his hat-trick and hopefully there will be a lot more to come from him.”

Having seen his side come from two goals down to draw level, Horseman believes that his side must gain confidence from the performance to move up the table.

“I just think today could have gone one or two ways,” he added.

“We are only going to get stronger – we need to because the table does not lie, we have drawn one and won two out of nine games, it is nowhere near the level we should be at.”