Notts County 1, Wycombe Wanderers 1.

JOEL Grant’s late rocket stole a point for Wanderers as he hit a stunning injury time equaliser.

The winger, on as a substitute, let fly from 35 yards late on past an unsighted Stuart Nelson as Blues got the point that they deserved at the very least.

Ben Burgess looked as if he was going to settle it with the fans at Meadow Lane still getting comfortable in their seats, before Grant intervened as late on as County’s goal was early.

A negative Notts team were punished for retreating into their shells with a quarter of the game still remaining and just a slender one goal lead to show for it.

It looked as if it was going to be another one of those days for Blues until Grant blasted home to bring an end to a run of three straight defeats.

Blues boss Gary Waddock was dealt a blow pre-match with the news centre half Dave Winfield had been laid low by illness, meaning full-back Danny Foster had to take his place in the middle of defence.

He made four changes in total with Marvin McCoy taking Winfield’s place in the back four alongside Leon Johnson, Scott Donnelly recalled to the wing after Gareth Ainsworth’s sending off and Ben Strevens leading the line instead of last weekend’s headline grabber Jordon Ibe.

And his reshuffled pack had a dreadful start to the game and were behind inside 45 seconds when Burgess climbed highest to send a header crashing into the net off the underside of the bar from a corner.

The set piece had been awarded when Burgess flicked the kick-off into the path of strike partner Lee Hughes, whose shot was deflected behind by Stuart Lewis.

Strevens’ scuffed shot rolled through gratefully into the arms of Stuart Nelson but the striker had no support from any of his team-mates and was forced to go it alone.

Blues defence struggled to cope with the giant front pairing of Hughes and Burgess but ironically they nearly drew level from a free-kick. Grant Basey got up amongst the big men to flick on Donnelly’s delivery and the ball dropped to Johnson, but the defender lacked the composure to finish it off and put the chance wide.

Strevens put a difficult chance from a header wide when under pressure as Wanderers briefly threatened but their defence parted again to allow Alan Judge an unchallenged run at goal, which culminated in Nikki Bull having to dive full length to turn his shot round the post.

Neither side was able to light the touch paper to get the game going but Donnelly almost drew Blues level with a close-range header from McCoy’s inch-perfect cross, being denied only by a top drawer save from Nelson.

The recalled McCoy clearly felt he had a point to prove and put in another splendid delivery that Strevens headed off target before Charlie Allen, son of Magpies boss Martin, cut instead and sent a shot drifting over the bar.

Wanderers then had a massive let-off just shy of the break when the ball was flicked into the path of Hughes, whose touch fooled Foster and bought the striker time and space to advance on Bull, but with just the keeper to beat he screwed it woefully wide from eight yards.

Strong winds started to blow around Meadow Lane, meaning Nelson’s first meaningful touch of the second half came when he clutched a huge downfield punt from his opposite number Bull.

Wanderers’ front two of Strevens and Stuart Beavon were being left to feed off scraps as both strikers toiled away against a defence that let in four last week without any reward.

Knowing the next goal was going to be crucial both sides adopted a cagey approach and let their respective defences do the hard work, leading to both linesmen working overtime with their offside calls. From such an occasion Hughes saw his shot batted away by Bull just as he was flagged offside.

In a rare opening Basey hooked over when a corner dropped to him before Wanderers survived another scare when Judge was again given time to shoot, but he was again out of luck as his effort clipped the post as it flashed wide.

Beavon flicked a header from McCoy’s cross wide before Waddock opted to freshen up the attack by bringing on Ibe and Grant.

But despite more attackers being on the field nobody gambled on getting forward to support the newly-introduced 15-year-old, who supplied a lovely low ball that was begging to be put away.

By now County had given up hope of adding to their lead – a point further emphasised when defender Jude Stirling was sent on to replace striker Hughes with quarter of an hour still on the clock.

And the Magpies were indebted to their goalkeeper when he flung himself to his right to claw Beavon’s header over after the Blues striker was given a sight of goal when Johnson nodded back across goal.

Howls of derision were meeting every high ball punted forward by the home defence as the County fans sensed one goal might not be enough to see off a spirited Wanderers side.

They were proved right after Grant’s stunning late intervention.

Wanderers: Bull, McCoy, Foster, Johnson, Basey, Donnelly, Rowlands, Lewis (sub Grant), Harris, Beavon, Strevens (sub Ibe). Substitutes not used: Harding, Bloomfield, Stewart.

Attendance: 7,664 (334 from Wycombe)