Martin Paterson proud as Notts County dig deep to beat Tranmere

Notts County manager Martin Paterson said he was proud of his side after they came from behind to register their first away win of the season with a 2-1 victory over Tranmere.

Omari Patrick struck just before half-time for Rovers, finishing neatly from close range after Charlie Whitaker’s run and cross from the right.

But County levelled four minutes into the second half when Matthew Dennis prodded home Tom Iorpenda’s delivery and turned the game around on 62 minutes as substitute Kellan Gordon converted after Luke McGee had saved bravely from Dennis.

Paterson said: “I was really pleased with what I saw today.

“We had to respect the game, we had to defend, we had to withstand pressure at a tough place to come, and we were able to build our way into the game.

“I chose my words very carefully at half-time but I also made the players abundantly clear what I wanted of them in the second half.

“What I saw in the second half was a reaction and a response to what I said at half-time, so credit to the players because we’ve got a great bunch here.

“I thought we looked much more dangerous in the second half and all of a sudden the confidence grows at both ends of the pitch.

“They threw everything at us at the end but we stood our ground and that looked like a Notts County performance today.

“There will be no over-reaction from me, good or bad. It’s onto the next game now and we have to continue the progress we are making.

“I can’t doubt the reaction of the players in the second half to win a game of football and I’m really proud of them, but it means nothing if we don’t kick on.”

It was a first league defeat of the season for the home side and manager Andy Crosby said: “I think the message that I’ve been trying to relay to the players and the media after the first few games of the season remains the same.

“We found ourselves ahead at half-time in what was pretty much a nothing game but looking at the two goals they have scored, the first one is a fantastic pass but the second goal is really disappointing.

“We have to learn from these things and I’ve just said to the players that when we’ve been winning games, the message has been exactly the same – there are lots of areas to get better at and that’s what we will continue to do.

“After five games we’ve got eight points but when we come in on Monday we will do exactly what we’ve done whether we’ve won and drawn, and try and make improvements.

“It’s important that when you walk off the pitch at the end of the game you can’t have given any more and the players have done that without any question.”