SCARBOROUGH'S big match strategy was undone in six first half minutes as they went the way of the majority of Meadow Lane visitors.

The Seasiders were still easing themselves into a new look 5-3-2 formation when league leaders Notts County struck their solitary but decisive goal.

Defensive markers Paul Atkin and Gary Bennett, backed by sweeper Ian Snodin, failed to track the runs of both Tony Lormor, on loan from Preston, and Sean Farrell.

Lormor saw his shot tipped onto the bar by Tony Elliott but Farrell reacted first to the rebound for a sixth minute goal.

Infuriatingly Boro looked the more accomplished side from the tenth minute onwards but County's sturdy defence was lifted by the inspirational clean-up job of Ian Richardson.

On the rare occasions that twin towers Gary Strodder and Matt Redmile missed a header or lumbered with the ball on the deck, Richardson was on hand.

The flourishing strike partnership of Steve Brodie and top scorer Gareth Williams suffered a knock out blow when the latter was stretchered off with concussion on 24 minutes.

But his replacement, former York City junior Chris Tate, relished his rare run out as he carried the aerial fight to the home side with some success.

And Brodie's vision was always a likely source of an equaliser and a worthy away point, which would not have been begrudged by many in the 5,645 crowd.

The former Sunderland striker's pass threaded through to the feet of Michael McElhatton, bursting from midfield, beat County's blanket defence but 'keeper Darren Ward was sharp off his line to save.

Brodie again by-passed Strodder and co with a perfectly weighted ball for left wing back Paul Heckingbottom, but his woeful cross found Ward not Paul Conway or Tate.

The effect of Boro's control on the game forced County manager Sam Allardyce to revert to 4-4-2 after an hour but the tactical battle was extended when visiting boss Mick Wadsworth countered by shifting Snodin into midfield.

Seasiders' 'keeper Elliott kept the score at 1-0 with a magnificent flying save from Lormor, who eluded Gary Bennett and Ben Worrall to open up a scoring chance.

And although Farrell had the ball in the net when Boro failed to clear the resulting corner, he was adjudged offside.

Scarborough hopes of pulling out a plum promotion point went skyward along with Bennett's high and wide injury time shot, the result of yet another Tate knock down.

Boro manager Wadsworth admitted that County's early goal undermined the thrust of the thinking behind his change in formation.

"The whole game plan went out of the window. Losing Williams early on did not help but I think the players have done well and we were the better team," he said.

"But it is goals that win you games. I thought there was a huge suspicion of offside about their goal. We were the better team and our strategy was better than theirs.

"They are a top of the league team and they are going to win games 1-0. I cannot see anybody stopping them now but we can take pride from our performance."

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