Notts County advanced to the 2025-26 Sky Bet League Two Play-Off Final following a 1-0 aggregate win over Chesterfield.
County dug in defensively to hold a spirited Chesterfield side to a 0-0 draw in the second leg of their semi-final at Meadow Lane, which meant that Jayden Luker’s first-leg winner proved the difference on aggregate.
County midfielder, Jodi Jones explained to Sky Sports post-match that he thought that the team delivered a brilliant performance full of resilience and fight to earn their spot in the final.
“It’s amazing,. We got the job done in the end, I thought we were excellent. One more game to go.
“It was heart, grit, determination, all of the above. We know we have special players who can win games but I like to think the gaffer has added a different part to (our) game.”
Notts County now will meet Salford in the final on Bank Holiday Monday 25 May at Wembley Stadium, London, at 3pm BST, after the Ammies defeated Grimsby 4-3 on aggregate following a 2-2 draw at Peninsula Stadium.
Daniel Udoh initially extended Salford’s lead before Kieran Green and Jaze Kabia turned the game around for the Mariners, which forced extra time but Kallum Cesay found an on-the-night leveller in extra time to seal the aggregate win for Salford.
Trailing 1-0 on aggregate after their eight-match unbeaten run was ended at home in the first leg, Chesterfield made a fast-paced start as James Berry saw a fourth-minute shot blocked.
Berry then saw a 11th-minute free-kick deflected behind by a header from Rod McDonald, before he saw another shot saved by James Belshaw ten minutes later.
Notts County’s only notable chance of the first half came in the 22nd minute as Tom Iorpenda’s cutback cross from the right flank was flicked on inside the box by Jayden Luker but blocked by Janoi Donacien, yet Alassana Jatta was unable to sort his feet out as Ryan Boot made a save.
Martin Paterson’s Magpies nevertheless managed to hold Chesterfield into half time and protected their aggregate lead.
County however wasted a chance to double their aggregate lead just two minutes into the second half as Jodi Jones’ tightly-angled shot towards his far-right corner was saved by Boot.
Luker then missed a chance to score a carbon copy of his first-leg winner as he lashed over from Nick Tsaroulla’s low cross in the 50th minute.
Chesterfield though continued to pose a threat as Dilan Markanday saw a 54th-minute shot flicked behind by Belshaw, as it looked destined for the far-bottom left corner.
Markanday then saw another shot ten minutes later saved by Belshaw as the 35-year-old goalkeeper continued to frustrate Paul Cook’s Spireites.
Referee, Thomas Parsons however had to be substituted in the 88th minute due to injury with Ollie Yates introduced as his replacement.
Notts County eventually inflicted another play-off heartbreak on Chesterfield after the Magpies previously beat them on penalties in the 2023 National League Play-Off Final – following a 2-2 draw at Wembley Stadium, as they dug in defensively to weather waves of injury-time attacks.
Teams
Notts County: James Belshaw, Lucas Ness, Rod McDonald, Jacob Bedeau, Nick Tsaroulla, Oliver Norburn (Palmer 79′), Scott Robertson, Jodi Jones (Kouhyar 67′), Tom Iorpenda, Jayden Luker (Grant 79′), Alassana Jatta (Ndlovu 68′)
Substitutes: Matthew Dennis, Conor Grant, Harry Griffiths, Maziar Kouhyar, Keanan Bennetts, Lee Ndlovu, Matt Palmer
Chesterfield: Ryan Boot, Janoi Donacien (Curtis 63′), Kyle McFadzean, Sil Swinkels, Lewis Gordon, Tom Naylor (Duffy 72′), Ryan Stirk (Fleck 42′), Dilan Markanday, Sammy Braybrooke, James Berry (Mandeville 72′), Lee Bonis (Grigg 72′)
Substitutes: Sam Curtis, Dylan Duffy, John Fleck, Will Grigg, Zach Hemming, Liam Mandeville, Tom Pearce
Referee – Thomas Parsons
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