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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
Sport
Oliver King

Five things learned from Notts County victory over Torquay

Ten goals, eight different scorers, a seventh clean sheet, and six more points. If Carlsberg did weeks in football, then this was one of those for Notts County Football Club.

The Magpies extended their unbeaten run in the National League to seven games with another comfortable victory over Torquay United at Meadow Lane, maintaining their three-point lead at the summit of the table.

Goals from Connell Rawlinson, Ruben Rodrigues, Quevin Castro, and Geraldo Bajrami ensured Luke Williams' side remained unbeaten in the league in October, giving Gulls boss Gary Johnson a Halloween nightmare as the pressure intensifies on the Torquay boss.

READ MORE: Luke Williams explains dressing room mindset following Torquay win

The win sees Notts remain top of the National League by three points, with the visit of Bromley on Tuesday evening offering Williams' side another challenging test as the festive fixture list grows closer.

Following the game, we look at the five things learned from the win over Torquay.

Geraldo Bajrami performance

In the absence of Jim O'Brien, the Albanian has been simply sensational in his place, forming an almost telepathic understanding alongside Matty Palmer that would not look out of place in the EFL.

Whilst his goal against Wealdstone may be subject to the Dubious Goals Panel, there was nothing uncertain about his strike against Torquay, rounding off a brilliant performance with a curled effort from the edge of the area to make it in his words, two goals in two games.

His overall performance demonstrated his effectiveness in recent weeks, breaking up play in midfield with a number of strong challenges and allowing Palmer to dictate play with his forward runs and incisive passing.

The way in which Bajrami goes about his work was first unnoticed, but that has instantly become the focus of this Notts team, with his breaking up of play allowing the players around him to create chances in the final third, which was evident once again yesterday afternoon.

Many questioned whether the step up from the National League North would be too much for the 23-year-old, but he has most certainly answered those critics and is arguably one of the first names on the team sheet at the moment.

Alongside Macaulay Langstaff, he could be one of the Magpies' best bits of business during the summer window.

Quevin Castro impact

After not being picked in the last two matches, what a way to return to the matchday squad.

The West Brom loanee made an instant impact on his return to the Magpies side, getting the crowd instantly out of their seats as he attempted a bicycle kick minutes after coming on, before firing an absolute rocket beyond the grasp of Mark Halstead and wheeling away with some questionable dance moves to celebrate.

It was another glimpse of the talent the 21-year-old possesses, and his substitute appearance further demonstrates why he is such an asset to this Notts side.

His inclusion in the squad was a surprising one following Richard Brindley's suspension, with many predicting Joel Taylor to come into the side to provide that extra defensive cover, with Toby Adebayo-Rowling the only recognised defender on the bench should Notts have needed to make an enforced change.

Williams spoke after the game about the midfielder's desire to return to the matchday squad, and he took his opportunity and then some, giving the Magpies manager a selection headache as Bromley visit Meadow Lane on Tuesday evening.

Aden Baldwin return

It was arguably the perfect game for the 25-year-old to return for, with Baldwin rarely troubled all afternoon by the Torquay attack.

His understanding alongside the Notts defence was seamless, signifying his importance to the back three by pushing Connell Rawlinson to the right-hand side in Richard Brindley's absence to play his more comfortable position in the middle.

The overall performance from the defence was encouraging, making amends from Tuesday evening by keeping a seventh clean sheet of the season, something that will certainly please Williams and his staff.

Speaking after the game, the Notts manager explained that Brindley's absence could allow Baldwin to keep his place in the starting line-up in midweek but insisted that he needed to be given time to assess the fitness of goal scorer Rawlinson, who was seen limping at the start of the game following a challenge with a Torquay midfielder.

"We have to look and be honest to see whether this group and this formation deserve to go again," said Williams.

"Brinds was fantastic this morning, depending on how Aden and Connell feel physically, because Connell picked up an injury early doors, we will have to look at it tomorrow because some the guys might come in very stiff and maybe not in the best place to play again on Tuesday night."

Four different scorers

Once again, the Magpies put to bed the labels of being a 'one man team', with four different scorers on target at Meadow Lane.

An unlikely goal scorer in Connell Rawlinson opened the scoring with a finish Macaulay Langstaff would have been proud of, finding the net from outside the area to score his first goal since Notts' 3-1 win over Bromley back in 2020.

Following his penalty miss against Maidstone, Ruben Rodrigues was never going to miss two spot-kicks in a row, with his stuttering run up fooling Mark Halstead before dispatching the ball in the opposite corner.

On his return to the side, Quevin Castro added another brilliant strike to his Magpies collection, firing a rocket from the edge of the area to all but confirm the three points, with Geraldo Bajrami adding the cherry on the icing of the cake in the 90th minute.

It is now eight different scorers in the last two matches, with the threat from all over the pitch evident in particular over the last two fixtures.

Faultless October

As the month began, not many would have predicted 18 points from their six National League games, but the Magpies delivered in some style, scoring 20 goals in the process and conceding just four in that time.

Whilst their FA Cup exit against Coalville Town provided a stumbling block, this campaign has seen the Magpies enjoy their best start to a season since 1949, with the similarities between the two seasons almost identical.

Prior to kick-off against the Gulls, both records were the same in the league with 11 wins, three draws, and one defeat. The only difference being that Notts had scored 40 goals, compared to 41 in the 1949 season.

But now it is about maintaining that momentum, with the visit of Bromley providing another test of the Magpies' play-off credentials on Tuesday evening.

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