Leicester Boss Russell Martin's Promising Start Despite Draw with Notts County
Leicester boss Russell Martin left Meadow Lane with a point, a thumping goal and a notebook full of lessons.
His side were held to a 1-1 draw by Notts County in their season opener, a contest that swung sharply in tone, tempo and control without ever losing its edge.
County start fast, Leicester strike first
County came out flying. They pressed high, snapped into challenges and forced Leicester into mistakes. The warning signs were clear when Ollie Cooper rattled the crossbar, reacting quickest to a loose Alex McCarthy clearance and almost punishing the visitors’ hesitancy.
Leicester survived. Just.
For long spells in the first half, though, Martin’s new-look team did what he wants them to do: they kept the ball, dictated the rhythm and dragged County around the pitch. Several players were making their first competitive league starts for the club, academy graduates included, yet they showed composure in possession and a willingness to take responsibility.
Martin admitted he “really enjoyed the first half”, praising the control, patience and the way his side worked to open up gaps against a fierce, man-to-man press – something he said they had only really experienced in pre-season against Malaga.
The breakthrough came on 62 minutes and it was worth the wait. Jayden Joseph picked his moment, stepped into space and unleashed a fierce right-footed drive from distance. James Belshaw saw it late and could do nothing as it flew past him. A stunning strike, and harsh on County given their early dominance.
The goal changed the mood. Leicester, who had been relegated from the Championship last season and handed to Martin to reshape, suddenly looked like a side ready to impose themselves on the division. They regained control after a spell under pressure and, at 1-0 up, appeared to have weathered the worst of the storm.
Then the atmosphere turned.
Anxiety, an equaliser and a warning
Martin spoke openly about what happened next. After Joseph’s goal, a little anxiety crept into his team. Passes became looser, decisions a fraction slower. The home crowd sensed it and the energy inside the stadium shifted.
County pushed again. They hit the post through substitute Emile Acquah, his header crashing back out and sparking chaos in the box. Leicester failed to clear, and with nine minutes of normal time left, another substitute, Conor Grant, reacted quickest to turn the rebound in from close range.
The equaliser felt inevitable once Leicester stopped looking after the ball. Martin didn’t hide from that.
He praised the energy, aggression and togetherness – especially the way his team repeatedly regained possession high up the pitch – but he was clear: if they don’t protect each other with the ball, the way they failed to in the closing stages, the whole model suffers.
“There’s so much to work on and much to like as well,” he said, stressing that this group has “loads of learning to do” and will be “much better” for the experience. For a first competitive outing under a new manager, in a hostile ground, it was a performance that mixed promise with rawness.
Paterson proud, but pushing standards
On the other side, Martin Paterson cut a figure who refused to settle for sentiment. He led Notts County up via the play-offs last season, and this was a marker of where his side stand against a club with clear ambitions to climb back up the ladder.
Paterson admitted he was “disappointed because we were at home” but pushed back on the idea that frustration should define the day. The dressing room was quiet, players feeling they had enough chances to win it. Their manager agreed.
He acknowledged Leicester’s quality and their ability to find key moments, yet insisted County created just as many. They pressed bravely, forced errors and carved out opportunities; the issue, as he saw it, was simple: they didn’t take them.
That, Paterson said, is what the training ground is for. His message was clear – this was a “really competitive performance against a really good team” who will “cause people problems all the way”, but County will still hold themselves to a high standard.
For Leicester, this was the first step under Martin after the pain of relegation. For County, it was a reminder that they belong on this stage and intend to stay there.
The question now is which of these two sides learns faster from a night that exposed both their flaws and their potential.
