Boss Luke Williams delighted to feel like ‘Notts County manager’ again

Notts County boss Luke Williams admitted he felt like he was manager of the Magpies once again following their comfortable 3-0 League Two win over Doncaster.

County had suffered three-consecutive defeats for the first time in the 43-year-old’s tenure, however he explained the heights he was demanding from his side, following their promotion from the National League in May.

“Last week I felt like Notts County manager again,” Williams said. “No one has anything to apologise for – this is in incredible group that have made the step up and we’re asking them to be a top side and challenge for automatic promotion.

“We have not shied away from that demand, but now they have put two performances back-to-back that represent the group, how they want to be and how they appear in front of the fans – and I am proud of them for that.”

Goals from Dan Crowley, Macaulay Langstaff and Aaron Nemane saw County move up to fifth with the victory as forward David McGoldrick shone at the ripe age 36.

Williams added: “He was brilliant. It’s nice to see these guys combining and it was a really quick action.

“David (McGoldrick) takes the ball so smoothly and doesn’t lose the momentum and he did cross it, otherwise he will have a pop at me if I say it was a shot.

“He handed the baton over to him and the young guy will be looking to follow in his footsteps.

“Didzy was magnificent and we was brilliant to watch – he had the action before like he was in the playground and we all love to see that he still has that enjoyment for football.”

Doncaster boss Grant McCann was happy with his side’s first-half display, but insisted that Joe Ironside’s missed penalty in the opening period was the turning point in the contest, which saw Rovers drop closer to the relegation zone.

“I thought we started the game really bright,” said McCann. “It is just something that is creeping into our game at the moment. I have told them to shoot low and we carry on shooting over.

“It’s a different game if we go 1-0 up and we just get undone by crosses in our box and it has been a problem for us and we need to work on it – we need to defend better.

“You are hoping it doesn’t affect you, but it looked like it did.

“The penalty miss felt like it was a turning point in the game.

“We knew they were going to keep the ball, they are a good footballing side, but I thought we set the traps well on them for the first 25 minutes.”