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.”
Motta defends Juventus talisman Vlahovic after Genoa brace
Juventus boss Thiago Motta lashed out at those criticising striker Dusan Vlahovic after he scored twice in the Bianconeri's 3-0 win over Genoa on Saturday.
Juve continued their fine start to life under Motta with a routine victory at the Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris, Vlahovic netting twice before Francisco Conceicao added a late third.
They have kept a clean sheet in each of their first six matches of a Serie A season for the very first time, also scoring at least twice in five of their last eight games, having done so only once in their previous eight.
Despite Juve's strong run of form, Vlahovic has attracted criticism from some quarters.
Only Christian Pulisic (six) and Marcus Thuram (five) have bettered his four goals in Serie A this term, though, with the Serbian also helping himself to a brace versus Verona.
Motta heaped praise upon Vlahovic after the win, also hailing his defensive work as he said: "No goals conceded is a team effort.
"Scoring goals starts well with [goalkeeper Mattia] Perin and not conceding goals starts with Vlahovic.
"We have a group that wants to defend to have the ball and recover it. This is very important, a team must be solid to aspire to something great."
Motta then added: "Honestly, I think you pay too much attention to a single player. He has always been very good.
"I understand the expectations and needs of a striker at this level. But as I said from the beginning, he is a positive leader who helps a lot.
"I am happy because he scored but I was also happy when he didn't. He must improve and be more connected with the team because he is an important player in many aspects of our game. He is fine and must continue to work as he is doing".
Vlahovic, who has more games with multiple goals than any other player across the last six Serie A seasons (19), said: "The most important thing is that we won and we want to continue like this.
"It's no problem, people talk. If you score you're the best, if you don't you're the worst. It's up to me to respond on the pitch and I will certainly do so.
"Sometimes there are fewer opportunities. People expect me to solve the games and that's normal, I don't run away. I always do everything 100%.
"I'm super calm and I will always give my all on the pitch. For a striker when you don't score it's difficult, but today we won and that's the only thing that matters."
Al Kholood 2-4 Al-Hilal: Koulibaly on target as champions move to summit
Al-Hilal withstood a late Al Kholood rally to move top of the Saudi Pro League following a 4-2 victory at King Abdullah Sport City Stadium.
The damage was done during a late first-half surge by the reigning champions, who leapfrogged Al-Ittihad to the summit of the table.
Al-Hilal broke the deadlock in the 38th minute through former Napoli and Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly, who finished after Renan Lodi initially struck the woodwork.
Malcom doubled the lead four minutes later, then Ali Al Bulayhi made it 3-0 in first-half stoppage time.
Former Atletico Madrid and Nottingham Forest defender Lodi then got in the act to make it four within three minutes of the restart.
The hosts finished the contest the stronger of the two sides with Hammam Al Hammami and a William Troost-Ekong penalty halving the deficit, but that rally could not prevent the visitors from remaining perfect after their first five games.
Data Debrief: Al-Hilal remain perfect
Al-Hilal have won each of their opening five games in a Saudi Pro League season for the third time in their history, also achieving the feat in 2010-11 and 2018-19.
Jorge Jesus' side also continued their dominant record against newly promoted clubs, having now won each of their last nine such matches.
Despite their late surge, Al Kholood suffered their third defeat of the season, though there was individual cause for celebration, as former Al-Hilal player Mohammed Jahfali came on for his 200th Saudi Pro League appearance.
International record goalscorer Sinclair to retire after NWSL season
Christine Sinclair, the all-time record goalscorer in international football, will retire at the end of the National Women’s Soccer League in November.
Sinclair, 41, has 190 goals in 331 appearances for Canada, making her the top scorer across both men's and women's football.
She has played for the NWSL's Portland Thorns since 2013, helping them to win the inaugural title that year. She added further league crowns to her collection in 2017 and 2022.
The Canadian great has had similar success with her national team, winning a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She is also one of three players to score at five World Cups, alongside Brazil's Marta and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.
Sinclair retired from international football in December 2023, and will now call time on her club career.
"Portland, thank you will never be enough. Soccer has been my passion since I was four years old and it has taken me on a journey I could never have imagined," Sinclair wrote on Instagram.
"As I finish out this last ride, I want to say what a privilege it has been to represent this unique, beautiful, and passionate city that I will always call home."
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