Kevin Nolan delighted with Notts County’s return to form

Posted Sunday, April 08, 2018 by PA

Kevin Nolan thinks his Notts County players looked back to their old selves after they ended a four-game winless run and breathed life back into their promotion push.

Two goals from Jonathan Forte, including a late winner a minute after Jordan Ponticelli had equalised for Coventry, saw Nolan’s men secure a 2-1 victory.

Nolan was delighted with the character of his players as they responded to the Sky Blues’ late goal.

He said: “I thought the lads were terrific and they got their rewards in the end.

“I think the reaction shows just how big it is to get a result here for other teams given the way Coventry celebrated the equaliser.

“But I thought the way we handled it, and that bit of quality and the goal we scored was fantastic.

“We deserved it and we looked back to our old selves. We were really pleasing on the eye and it was a good reaction from the players.

“I have spoken all season about the character this squad has and they’ve been questioned over the last few weeks and rightly so in some cases.

“But we should never question what this squad have done for this club. They are standing up to the test and I am delighted for them.

“We will go back to work Monday and look forward to another tough test at Colchester.”

Forte opened the scoring on the hour mark, glancing in a corner from Jorge Grant’s, who then crashed a volley against the foot of a post.

Ponticelli brought Coventry level five minutes from time with a deft flick which deceived goalkeeper Adam Collin, but Forte restored the home side’s lead a minute later as he turned in Shola Ameobi’s low cross to the delight of the home crowd.

Coventry boss Mark Robins said: “We lost ground on them, we lost three points, we’ve lost the game and we’ve lost a goal from a corner again and I am disappointed again.

“We keep saying the same things week in and week out, ‘do not lose a goal from a set play, don’t give them any ground’ and we’ve ended up contriving to be masters of our own downfall.

“It’s just really disappointing because we worked hard to get back in it having probably had the best of most of the game up until the time they scored.

“I don’t think there was a great deal between the two sides.

“When we got the equaliser it looked like there was only going to be one winner and then there was just a stupid bit of play where you have got to see the ball out.”