0-1, min. 38, Femi Ilesanmi. 0-2, min. 45+1' Ndlovu. 1-2, min. 48, Baldwin. 2-2, min. 90+7' Baldwin. 3-2, min. 120', Jones.
Football VAVEL

Notts County 3-2 Boreham Wood AET: Baldwin and Jones rescue Magpies in playoff semi final

Aden Baldwin's brace and Jodi Jones' last minute winner in extra time inspired a comeback for Notts County, who were seconds away from crashing out of the playoffs in normal time.

Notts County 3-2 Boreham Wood AET: Baldwin and Jones rescue Magpies in playoff semi final
(Photo by Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
owen-barnard
By Owen Barnard

Notts County completed a stunning turnaround to book their place in the Vanarama National League playoff final, beating Boreham Wood 3-2 after extra time at Meadow Lane.

Goals from Femi Ilesanmi and Lee Ndlovu saw the visitors go two goals in front at the break, which Notts just about found the goals to reply to in normal time.

Aden Baldwin was the hero for the hosts, scoring in some style at the start of the second half to bring the game back to 1-2.

Ruben Rodrigues who nearly cost his side a place in the final on the day, passed up on several golden chances, including his 64th minute penalty miss.

Baldwin was on hand to rescue him and his side though, turning in a cross right at the death to force extra time.

Notts scored late on again to prevent the game going to spot kicks, as Jodi Jones fired in with seconds to spare to secure a stunning 3-2 win for Notts County.

  • Story of the match

Notts County boss Luke Williams unsurprisingly picked a strong team to face The Woods, with playmaker Rodrigues and star striker Macaulay Langstaff both starting.

Jodi Jones and Cedwyn Scott were both left on the bench.

The visitors started Joe McDonnell in goal, who signed on an emergency loan from Eastleigh in midweek.

He was returning to face his former side on Sunday afternoon.

Top scorer Ndlovu also led the line for Luke Garrard's side.

Notts' fast start

Rodrigues had a wonderful opportunity to give his side a dream start, when the ball was floated into him from the left hand side to the back post, but he somehow could not find the target from close range.

The atmosphere inside the ground was incredible early on in the tie, as the home crowd cheered every good pass and misplaced pass from The Woods.

Tyrone Marsh wanted a foul as the ball was clipped over the top of the Notts defence and the striker was bundled over, but the referee waved the appeals away.

Rodrigues had another great chance in the opening 10 minutes, when Aaron Nemane made a driving run on the right wing and cut the ball back to the Portuguese midfielder, who could only sky his effort.

Nemane continued to get the crowd off their feet early on with his ability to take on and beat his man, but he had so far not produced a goal.

McDonnell was called into action for the first time in the game when Matt Palmer's dangerous cross needed a hand from the goalkeeper to push it away from a black and white shirt.

Better from Boreham Wood

Ilesanmi had The Woods' first chance of the tie, but he was off balance at the back post and headed over.

Sam Slocombe had to rush off his line to clear a through ball as the visitors continued to grow into the game, but the flag was raised anyway.

The home crowd was angered after Langstaff collided with Jamal Fyfield, but the referee saw nothing wrong coming together.

Slocombe made a good save to deny Marsh, who possibly should have done better with his shot, which was weak and straight at the goalkeeper.

At the other end, Langstaff had his first sniff of goal of the day when he turned and shot, but it was well saved.

Rodrigues then passed up on yet another glorious chance, as the ball was slid into him and he was in on goal, but his shot went down the middle and allowed McDonnell to get a foot on the ball and steer it away from harm.

There was a promising moment for Boreham Wood when George Broadbent burst forwards, but the momentum of the attack slowed and Notts were able to recover.

Adam Chicksen did well to slide and divert a dangerous cross away from goal, and skipper Jack Payne forced a smart stop from Slocombe on the volley as The Woods continued to put the pressure on.

Sam Austin had a wonderful chance to race through on goal as the ball was played into him, but his touch let him down.

Boreham Wood throw a spanner in the works

The Notts party looked to be in trouble in the 38th minute, when Ilesanmi tapped home at the back post to give Boreham Wood the most unlikely of leads.

The hosts completely switched off, allowing Garrard's side time and space to cross and a virtually empty net for the striker.

Palmer and Baldwin both went for goal from range in quick succession, but neither were successful in their search for an equaliser.

Instead, it was Boreham Wood who raced into a two goal lead, as Ndlovu slid in and won the ball, and proceeded to place the ball beyond Slocombe to double the lead.

The Woods were halfway there at the break, and Notts County had it all to do.

Baldwin brilliance

Notts were back in the game straight away in the second half when Baldwin smashed the ball in from range, much to the delight of the home crowd.

He was a hero at the other end a matter of seconds later too, when Ndlovu looked for his brace as he rounded the goalkeeper, but Baldwin threw himself in front of the shot and got a vital touch to keep it out.

Austin had the chance to shoot and tried to place his effort, but it was blocked. 

Langstaff curled a shot towards the back post, but it floated just wide of the target as the tie hit the hour mark.

McDonnell magic

Notts were given a penalty as Rodrigues was brought down in the box, and he stepped up to take it.

Yet again when given a golden opportunity, Rodrigues was denied, as McDonnell once again denied him and palmed away the spot kick.

John Bostock had a shot from range, but it was easily saved.

Langstaff then fired over soon after, as time began to run out for Notts County.

Nemane went down in the box looking for a penalty, but he was not given one.

Langstaff once again tried to curl the ball in, but it went inches wide.

Notts were afforded seven minutes of added time to score in, as Boreham Wood looked to be holding firm, and frustrations increased around the ground.

Their screams for fouls and anger at every misplaced pass somehow did enough to inspire the turnaround though, as Baldwin turned in a cross in the final seconds to bring about extra time.

At the start of extra time, Chris Bush made a vital tackle to deny Rodrigues a chance.

Both teams seemed to tire slightly in extra time, and the action packed nature of the game caught up with them, as the game drifted towards half time of extra time.

Nemane did excellently to draw a foul in a dangerous area after the break, but it came to nothing.

He made a vital contribution at the other end though, as Josh Rees looked to tee up an easy finish, only for Nemane to divert it away from goal.

Once again, in extra time, Notts County left it late to score the defining goal.

Jones fired towards goal and McDonnell arguably should have saved it, but he could not push it over the bar to save it and Notts had a late winner in extraordinary circumstances.

Full time saw The Magpies secure an incredible win and superb turnaround, to put them 90 minutes away from a return to EFL action next season.

  • Player of the match

The man who rescued his side when they needed him most on Sunday afternoon, Baldwin was the deserving winner of the award.

He scored a stunning goal to get the crowd behind the team early in the second half, and converted in the final seconds of normal time to keep Notts' promotion hopes alive.

Without him, they would be guaranteed to be playing non-league football again next season.