ALAN Judge was not denied by the woodwork this time, but, still, Notts County proved unable to beat one of the big clubs in League One as they went down 2-1 at Sheffield United.

Judge had hit the crossbar in both of the Magpies' two league games that preceded their encounter against the Blades at Bramall Lane, against Yeovil Town and Leyton Orient, but he gave Notts a 1-0 lead against United with a free-kick on 17 minutes.

It was a moment of fortune, but how he deserved it.

The Magpies were ultimately defeated 2-1, however. They led for only 14 minutes before Ryan Flynn levelled for the home side and Alan Sheehan scored an own goal early in the second half to gift United the victory.

Notts are still in ninth place, but have now won only once in their last nine league games and have lost to all of the top five teams, leaders Charlton Athletic, Sheffield Wednesday, MK Dons, Huddersfield Town and now the Blades, which will lead to questions about their play-off ambitions.

It was the first time in almost 13 years Notts had faced United at Bramall Lane.

The two clubs met each other in an FA Cup tie all the way back on January 2, 1999, which is still today a significant moment in the Magpies' long history because Jermaine Pennant became the club's youngest-ever player when he made his debut at 15.

In light of that, it was appropriate that one of their youngest players at present, the manager's son, Charlie Allen, who is 19, started their latest encounter with the Blades in place of Gavin Mahon, who travelled to Sheffield but was sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Allen partnered captain Neal Bishop in central midfield, while Judge and Jeff Hughes, the Magpies' leading scorer so far this season with nine goals, began on the wings.

The conspicuous absence of such an influential figure as Mahon for such a hugely important league game was undoubtedly a setback for Notts.

They were, however, boosted by the surprising availability of two other key men.

The first was defender Krystian Pearce, who missed their league defeat to Orient ten days earlier with a groin injury. He was paired with Sam Sodje, who was once again preferred to Mike Edwards in central defence.

The second was striker Ben Burgess. The Magpies were unsure if he would play at all over Christmas and into the New Year because he was given indefinite leave when his wife gave birth two months prematurely on December 16. Yet he was named in attack alongside Lee Hughes.

United notably boasted Wales striker Ched Evans in attack and Kevin McDonald in midfield. McDonald, 23, played 11 games for Notts during an unsuccessful three-month loan at Meadow Lane last season.

The Blades were razor sharp in the opening minutes and threatened after only three minutes. Allen was ambushed by McDonald close to the halfway line, Evans surged purposefully forward into the penalty area and, holding off Bishop, crossed the ball low into the box. Fortunately for Notts, it was behind everyone.

The Magpies looked nervous at times, though Judge was impressive and he got a sight of goal on six minutes. Sheehan played a free-kick short to him and he raced forward to the edge of the United box, but his shot rose steeply over the crossbar.

Despite being dominated in the early stages, Notts took a 1-0 lead on 17 minutes. After Burgess was fouled by one of United's central defenders, Harry Maguire, former Republic of Ireland under-21 international Judge swung the subsequent free-kick into the penalty area.

Lee Hughes was inside the box and his presence quite clearly distracted Blades goalkeeper Steve Simonsen because when he narrowly missed meeting the ball with a glancing header, it crept entirely untouched inside Simonsen's left-hand post.

The Magpies faced a stirring response from United, inevitably. Julian Kelly made a terrific tackle inside the penalty area to deny Flynn on 27 minutes and then headed clear a dangerous free-kick played into the Notts box by Stephen Quinn four minutes later.

The Magpies' resistance was broken on 31 minutes, however, as United levelled. Richard Cresswell crossed the ball low into their penalty area from the right and Flynn finished flawlessly, side-footing the ball superbly past Notts goalkeeper Stuart Nelson from close range.

Evans and Matt Lowton both then threatened to give United a 2-1 lead during an ensuing onslaught, but Notts stood tall in the face of severe pressure and had two opportunities of their own before the end of the first half.

First, Burgess headed over the bar on 40 minutes and Judge tested Simonsen with a powerful low shot from inside the penalty area on 45 minutes.

The game was beautifully poised at the beginning of the second half, though not for long as Notts gave United a late Christmas present on 51 minutes.

Pearce was complaining to referee Jon Moss about his decision to award the Blades a throw-in when Evans threw it quickly over his head to Quinn. He promptly crossed the ball into the six-yard box and Sheehan inadvertently put it past Nelson under pressure from Cresswell.

Notts responded by replacing Allen with Ishmel Demontagnac, but, still, United almost scored a third goal on 62 minutes. Flynn swung a corner into the Magpies box, Neill Collins headed the ball powerfully at goal and Nelson tipped it over the bar.

Notts were undeterred, however, and went close to equalising on 68 minutes. Jeff Hughes was faced with two United players just outside the box, but still he somehow found space to unleash a powerful left-footed shot that Simonsen parried past a post at full-stretch to his right.

It was a thrilling game and Evans so nearly ended it on 74 minutes with another surging run. He swept forward, past Bishop and into the Magpies' penalty and looked poised to make it 3-1, but Nelson made a good block to deny him.

It kept Notts' hopes alive and Karl Hawley, who they had introduced for Pearce on 74 minutes, so nearly scored an equaliser on 86 minutes.

Bishop crossed the ball into the box, Burgess headed it back across goal and Hawley met it powerfully on the volley but directed it straight at Simonsen.

It proved their final chance in the end. Evans hit a post on 87 minutes and to complete Notts' misery, Demontagnac was sent off in injury time after he threw the ball and it hit a United player in the face.