Stuart Maynard hails ‘Premier League’ quality David McGoldrick

Feb 1, 2025 2 min read
Stuart Maynard (PA)
Stuart Maynard (PA)

Notts County boss Stuart Maynard hailed David McGoldrick’s goal as straight out of the “Premier League” as the Magpies pushed themselves further into the promotion frame with a 2-1 win at Gillingham.

First-half goals in quick succession from Nick Tsaraoualla and former Sheffield United ace McGoldrick put the visitors two goals to the good at Preistfield.

Sub Joe Gbode pulled one back for the Gills, but it proved too little too late for John Coleman’s strugglers.

Maynard said: “Didzy’s finish was like Premier League. It’s a ridiculous dink of the goalkeeper, where you’re just waiting for the net to nestle and it did.

“Every week he just keeps going again and again, showing more quality and work ethic. It’s infectious. You see it in our group.

“Three points is all that matters. We have got a group of players now that all that matters to us is three points.

“This game is gone now, and we’re starting to focus on the next one already.

“I thought that in the first half, we were absolutely outstanding. I thought that we controlled the game after 10 minutes.

“They came out really fast, and we knew that they would put it on us. We knew that we would have to weather it a little bit. Long balls, balls into the channel, but after that, I thought we took control of the game.

“We probably should have been three or four nil up, and it should have been more of a comfortable win, but you have to give credit to the opposition at times.

“They came out in the second half, and they made a fist of it and had a go. You always know that if you don’t get the third and put the game to bed, then there’s always that little worry at the end.”

Gillingham boss John Coleman apologised to the club’s faithful fans after their sub-standard first-half performance.

He said: “I’m bitterly disappointed. I apologise to the fans for the first-half performance.

“We started the game brightly and could have scored after a couple of minutes. We got on the front foot. Asher’s [Agbinone] had a little burst into their box, and Shad’s [Ogie] put a great ball in. Jimmy’s [Jay Morgan] just inches away from making it 1-0.

“I thought that it was even-stevens until 17 minutes when they scored. After they scored, we were terrible.

“There’s no excuse for that. We lost heart, we lost passion, and we lost the drive.

“We concede from the corner, which is poor, and then we concede a horrific second goal. It was a good finish by David McGoldrick. It was calamitous from our point of view.

“The overall general play, we’re asking the players to inspire the crowd. You’re not going to get inspired by that.”

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