Notts County: Stuart Maynard has seen what made Charlton Athletic so excited | OneFootball

Lucas Ness' performance on Saturday showed why Charlton Athletic were once so excited about the young defender.

Notts County boss Stuart Maynard has been given a selection headache within his backline ahead of the Magpies’ tricky tests away at Peterborough United and Walsall this week.

Centre-back Lucas Ness was outstanding in Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Newport County in what was his first league appearance at Meadow Lane.

The 22-year-old has had a difficult start to the season since his move from Charlton Athletic at the end of the summer, with his continued recovery from an injury sustained towards the end of his time in South London, preventing him from getting many minutes for Notts.

Notts’ centre back trio of Lewis Macari, Matty Platt and Jacob Bedeau have all been superb so far this campaign, but Ness’ performance on Saturday may have just given his manager a decision to make ahead of their upcoming games.

Ness was outstanding in Notts’ draw with Newport

Ness joined Notts from Charlton for an undisclosed fee in the summer, signing a three-year deal with the option for a fourth.

The young centre half was considered to have a bright future at Charlton, something which is highlighted by the fact the Addicks inserted a sell-on clause as part of the deal with Notts.

Ness’ minutes have been very limited so far in 2024/25, as his rehabilitation has continued.

He was described by Notts’ Director Richard Montague as “an outstanding young defender, who has huge potential to improve” over the summer.

Montague also referred to the chance to sign Ness as an opportunity that was “too good to pass up” and described him as someone who is “fantastic in the air and comfortable on the ball.”

This was something that was clearly outlined by his performance on Saturday.

Ness helped Notts to their sixth clean sheet of the season at home to Newport, in what was just his second league start for the club.

While Notts ultimately couldn’t break Newport down and find a winner, they were never really under any genuine threat of conceding (Newport had just seven touches inside the Notts box), something which couldn’t be said very often last season.

Across the entire team, Notts worked hard, hunted the ball down well and won the majority of their duels, something Ness was central to.

Nobody on the pitch won more duels than Ness’ 10, and he was also commanding in the air, winning four aerial duels.

The former Torquay United loanee also used the ball effectively, playing 57 successful passes and having 91 touches of the ball – a total only bettered by the metronomic Matty Palmer.

Ness has provided a selection headache for Maynard

After making his league debut in the 2-0 defeat at Crewe last week, Ness’ showing on Saturday could provide the springboard for him to start earning more minutes in the Magpies’ backline.

Despite his age, Ness has a decent pedigree at League One level, having made 29 appearances for the Addicks in the third tier. He was voted by the fans as Charlton’s player of the month in both January and February of 2023 and even made 16 consecutive starts in 2022/23, a run which was only ended by a season-ending injury.

That quality was evident on Saturday, and Ness’ emergence comes at a time when Notts are in desperate need of more depth.

Maynard’s side are continuing to suffer badly from injuries, with all five of Dan Crowley, Jodi Jones, Scott Robertson, Curtis Edwards and Conor Grant still sidelined.

And although all of those injuries are affecting the attacking half of the pitch, with benches weak in the last few weeks, Notts need strength in depth in whatever form they can get it at the minute.

Defensively, the Magpies are transformed from last season’s team. They’ve conceded just 15 goals from their 17 league games so far. At this stage of last season, they’d conceded 29.

The backline of Macari, Platt and Bedeau, coupled with the efforts of Alex Bass between the posts, have all been incredible so far this season, but chances are they won’t be able to play every single game.

If Ness can continue to force his way into Maynard’s reckoning, he could become an integral part of this Notts side.