The match was Notts County's second consecutive appearance at a Wembley play-off final, having won the 1990 third division playoffs. after a defeat to Manchester City in a penalty shoot out the previous season. Notts County had finished the regular season in 4th place, one position and two points outside the automatic promotion spots. Brighton finished the season in 6th place, ten points behint Notts County. The teams reached the final by defeating Middlesbrough and Millwall respectively in the semi-finals.
Notts County took the lead in the first half of the final with a Tommy Johnson goal, and doubled the lead in the second half through another from Johnson. They added a third goal through Dave Regis before Dean Wilkins scored a consolation in the last minute of regulation time.
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