Maynard: Macca’s goals will be key for Magpies in next campaign
STRIKER ON TARGET ONCE AGAIN IN HOME VICTORY
NOTTS County boss Stuart Maynard is determined to keep top scorer Macaulay Langstaff after he again underlined his importance to the club.
Langstaff leads the League Two scoring charts with 28 after netting the only goal in Saturday’s home win over Colchester United.
County’s early promotion bid has long since fizzled out but Langstaff remains one of the division’s leading lights and could be a man in demand this summer.
Asked if it was the last time his number nine would play for the club in front of a Meadow Lane crowd, Maynard responded: “Not in my eyes.
“We build our squad around these players and they are under contract. The owners have done their business brilliantly and our squad is strong now, but we have got to add to it.
“We know what it takes now in League Two and we want to make sure we are right in the mix next season, and we want to make sure we have a good pre-season.
“For me, my thoughts are that we want these lads with us. They are Notts County players so while they are Notts County players, we are looking to build the team around them.
“Macca’s goals will be key for us to have a chance of being in that top three, minimum, next season.”
The win was only Maynard’s second at home since arriving at the club in January and he added: “It was an outstanding performance and a clean sheet.
“It’s something we have been aiming for, it is our third clean sheet since we have come in now and it is something we need to really drive home and keep looking for.
“The all-round performance was excellent and the lads made it comfortable because of their work ethic.”
The visitors nearly took the lead early on when Ellis Iandolo’s speculative effort from distance almost caught Luca Ashby-hammond off guard, the keeper tipping the ball onto the woodwork.
It was the Colchester full-back involved once again minutes later, producing a last-ditch tackle to deny Langstaff an opportunity to shoot inside the area.
Jodi Jones saw his effort clip off the crossbar, while Cameron Mcgeehan was found unmarked inside the box at the other end but headed straight at Ashby-hammond.
The hosts continued to create the better chances, as Crowley saw his effort blocked on the line by Riley Harbottle seven minutes after the restart.
But County’s pressure would pay two minutes later when good work between Aaron Nemane and Crowley was finished off by Langstaff, putting the ball in off the crossbar.
Harbottle almost secured the away side a point late on as his header came off the post, with Colchester now three points ahead of relegation rivals Sutton United, who conceded a late equaliser to Crawley Town.
Colchester boss Danny Cowley said: “Ellis’ early attempt was like a David Beckham-type effort, and it ends up hitting the crossbar and we end up having two really good chances.
“But they probably score against the run of play and we just needed to control our emotions better in that moment – we got a little bit emotional and started to feel a bit sorry for ourselves.
“You can’t do that in football. It is not a good look, and it has never helped me win matches.
“Do the players have a right to feel sorry for themselves? Maybe. Does football care? No, it has never cared about excuses, and we have to be tough and that starts mentally and physically.”