Notts County head coach Stuart Maynard hailed the mentality of his promotion-chasing players following a hard-fought 2-1 victory over relegation-threatened Tranmere at Meadow Lane.
Despite battling for survival at the other end of the League Two, Nigel Adkins’ Rovers impressed for long periods with Omari Patrick, Sam Finley and Cameron Norman all going close.
But Charlie Whitaker, signed from Everton last month, punished those misses with an 80th-minute opener before Alassana Jatta quickly extended County’s lead after earlier hitting the bar.
Rovers handed themselves a lifeline in the 88th minute when substitute Kristian Dennis nodded home but it was one they were unable to grasp.
Maynard said: “They could have been two up before we went in front. But, at the end of the day, football is all about taking chances and that’s what we did.
“Charlie is someone with serious ability. That’s why we brought him in.
“But he’s also got serious football intelligence too. Put those two things together and it’s a very heady combination.
“To go out there and grab a game by the scruff of the neck like that, especially at this stage of the season, speaks volumes. But, then again, we’ve got a few boys like that.
“We know we weren’t at our best and I can understand why Tranmere will be disappointed. But, when you aren’t at your best, it’s all about finding a way and that’s what we’ve been doing all the way through.
“It’s something we’ve got to keep on doing as well, especially at this stage when the points become even more important and the margins become even slimmer.
“But I’m delighted it’s a habit we’ve developed and it’s one which says a lot about the character in our dressing room.”
Rovers are now without a win in nine outings and sit two points clear of he relegation zone.
Rovers manager Adkins said: “We’ve gone out there and disrupted a very possession-based team. What you’ve witnessed is a very committed performance from a group of players who are all willing to fight for each other and have a real go.
“On top of that, we’ve also played some excellent football and created some really good openings. The fact their keeper was the man-of-the-match tells you all you need to know. It’s not the first time that’s happened to us but we’ve just got to keep on working hard and keep on going.
“Ultimately, it’s all about making sure we turn that good play into an advantage on the scoresheet.
“Once again, refereeing decisions didn’t go our way. But the lads got applauded off by our supporters at the end which tells you what they thought of the performance.
“Those fans know the players have given everything out there and they deserved something.”
