BARTOSZ Bialkowski was Notts County's hero today.
The Magpies drew 0-0 at Yeovil Town in League One – and were indebted to their goalkeeper, who made four great saves in the second half to deny the Glovers and make sure Notts extended their record unbeaten away run to 21 games.
The Magpies were boosted by the return of Dean Leacock to the heart of their defence at Huish Park, after he missed their FA Cup draw against Rotherham United through suspension.
On-loan striker Chris Iwelumo was also restored to their attack and Carl Regan replaced Julian Kelly at right-back, joining Leacock, Gary Liddle and Alan Sheehan in defence, in front of Bialkowski.
Gavin Mahon, captain Neal Bishop, Alan Judge, Yoann Arquin and Jeff Hughes all also started against the Glovers.
Notts made a blistering start and Bishop went close to scoring after less than two minutes, but Yeovil goalkeeper Marek Stech blocked his low shot from eight yards with his left leg.
Defender Byron Webster then headed over the crossbar for the home side from a corner on seven minutes and midfielder Edward Upson blazed a shot over Bialkowski's bar from 20 yards three minutes later.
Yeovil threatened again on 13 minutes.
Jamie McAllister, their captain, curled a free-kick into the box and Ayling hit a shot at goal from close range that Bialkowski blocked at his right-hand post.
The Magpies hit back on 20 minutes, Liddle heading the ball across the face of goal from a corner, but it was hacked clear, and Iwelumo prodding wide a minute later.
Judge then swung a dangerous cross into the box on 25 minutes, but defender Daniel Burn headed it clear under pressure from Hughes.
Glovers' midfielder Sam Foley fired narrowly wide from the edge of the box in reply on 28 minutes, but Notts were quickly back on the attack and Hughes was inches away from getting a toe to an inswinging free-kick into the penalty area by Sheehan on 35 minutes.
Bishop then directed a near-post header into the side-netting and, after Joe Edwards curled a shot wide from inside the box, Arquin went close to breaking the deadlock.
Bialkowski launched a long goal kick forward, Hughes flicked it onto the Frenchman and he attempted to curl a shot beyond Stech and inside his left-hand post, but he was denied by a good save.
Yeovil were first to threaten at the start of the second half.
Gavin Williams hit a shot at goal from inside the box on 49 minutes that was blocked by Leacock and Upson forced Bialkowski into a good save with a 20-yard effort a minute later, the Pole diving to his left to parry the ball away.
The home side went close to scoring again on 58 minutes, Williams seizing onto the ball inside the box and rifling it at goal. Fortunately for Notts, Bialkowski was there and made another good save.
Undeterred, Yeovil continued to put Notts under pressure it took a super save from Bialkowski to stop Burn scoring on 65 minutes.
McAllister swung a free-kick into the box and Burn met it with a good header that looked set to creep inside Bialkowski's left-hand post, but he somehow clawed it away at full stretch.
The Magpies' No.1 then blocked a powerful shot from Upson.
Notts brought on Francois Zoko for Mahon soon after and the Ivorian was quickly involved, sending Judge racing into the penalty area on 72 minutes.
The Irish midfielder aimed a low shot towards the bottom-left corner that beat Stech, but went inches wide.
Hughes then fired just wide of Stech's right-hand post on 76 minutes.
That was the last time the Magpies threatened and they came under intense pressure in the closing minutes, but they were rock solid at the back and held on for a good point.
YEOVIL: Stech, Ayling, Webster, Burn, McAllister, Edwards, Smith, Upson, Foley, Williams (Hayter, 77), Madden. Subs: Stewart, Hinds, Blizzard, Ugwu, Reid.
NOTTS: Bialkowski, Regan, Leacock, Liddle, Sheehan, Mahon (Zoko, 71), Bishop, Judge (Labadie, 90), J Hughes, Arquin (Showunmi, 83), Iwelumo. Subs: Mitchell, Kelly, Bencherif, Hollis.
ATTENDANCE: 3,355 (235 away).