Notts County have climbed to the top of League Two after a resounding 4-1 victory against 10-man Lincoln City.

The Magpies found themselves with a man advantage for two thirds of the game after Billy Knott was sent off in the 28th minute for a high boot on Ryan Yates.

Goals from Jon Stead, Matt Tootle, Terry Hawkridge and a spectacular 25-yard free-kick from Jorge Grant then sealed the win for Notts against their East Midlands rivals.

The result means five wins in a row and eight unbeaten in League Two for County, who now sit ahead of Exeter City.

Here is some of the reaction from some of the Notts players, the manager, and the Black and White Army.

Kevin Nolan

"I thought Lincoln started very well and put us on the back foot. They had a couple of good chances but once the sending off came, we dominated.

"It's all about how we react to the red card. You've seen it before - we've gone down to 10 men and won games.

"Just because it's 11 v 10 it doesn't mean you're going to win the game. I thought my lads handled it really well.

"We've been working hard and we're starting to click. You saw a lot of good combinations today. These boys have a lot of quality.

"When it went to 1-1 we could have buckled and felt the pressure of the crowd but we didn't - we thrived on it and showed our quality.

"Lincoln are a top side - they're going to be in and around it this year. It was a tough game today and there are a number of other top teams who we're going to have to battle it out against.

"But I think today, especially in the second half, you could see what we can do when we click."

Terry Hawkridge

"We knew it was going to be a tough game because Lincoln are a good team. We showed our class in the second half and got the goals we needed.

"We used the sending off to our strengths and we moved the ball well in the second half. We tired them out and the goals came.

"They were all good goals. For a right back, it's a great finish from Toots and Jorge probably shouldn't be scoring a free-kick from there but he's put it right in the top corner! Steady's was a good finish, too.

"It's a good win but it's still early doors and we have to now focus on the Exeter game on Tuesday night.

"It's going well but we're only nine games into the season. We have a long way to go and we just need to keep building on what we've been doing.

The players on social media

The fans (from PON's Lincoln match discussion)

Who r ya?? You Pies!!: What can I say we're top of the league what can I say we're top of the league, enjoyed that great atmosphere lots of banta, must say didn't see 4-1 coming but we played some nice stuff in parts second half and a couple of real good goals to boot, you pies!

Chris: I could completely forget about the first half, it was just very poor and despite taking the lead it just wasn't memorable at all. Lincoln City had the right idea at first, however their constant time wasting and diving became frustrating to watch. Their keeper was a shambles but I don't really want to dwell on this negative side. Second half was much better! I keep saying we are a capable team and very good when we pass the ball on the ground. Them pulling level was a warning sign for us, yet pulling back ahead gave us confidence. The passing at times was a joy to watch, as was each of the three goals in the second half. I don't think we can say Lincoln was a poor side, they just didn't help themselves and really they seemed to give up. I do feel the red card was somewhat soft, yet if you go by the rules he had to go. It was dangerous and he shown his studs, horrible challenge.

Countyman: Its about time we thrashed someone in this division, great all round performance by Notts. WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE!

Upthepies: As written by Chris the first half was a write off, neither said played well but the referee didn't help. Second half very entertaining, Lincoln City deserve praise for pulling level but its good to see Notts showing determination to get the lead back. Once we had it, it was never going to change. First time for a number of seasons where the majority of players seemed eager to score, anyone could have done today.

Liampie: Thought both teams was pretty poor first half, no real goal threat from either. Notts deserved the win and some of the possession was great! i dont think the red card changed much, lincoln played as if they had 11 men but was not able to defend properly when it mattered. solid win really.

Heraldmagpie: Its about time we won by more than a couple of goals. Notts shown their class in the second half, after Lincoln had scored I thought here we go but we came back into it.

happy to enjoy the ride and see where we end up. But this is very much a team to be proud of right now. YP"

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Notts County have recorded a fifth win on the spin and climbed to the top of League Two thanks to a 4-1 hammering of local rivals Lincoln City at Meadow Lane.

The Magpies were under pressure early on but Billy Knott's red card for a wild challenge on Ryan Yates gave Kevin Nolan's team a man advantage.

Jon Stead volleyed in the opening goal but the Imps hit back in the early stages of the second period as Harry Anderson's header pulled them level.

Notts were soon back in front, with Matt Tootle rifling the hosts into the lead once again and celebrating in sluggish style, before Jorge Grant's stunning free kick made it 3-1.

Hawkridge then got one over his old employers by rounding off the scoring with a late goal.

ARLukomski, a Notts vlogger and Pride of Nottingham contributor, discussed the fixture ahead of kickoff, gave his thoughts as the game went on, and talked about the performance and result after the final whistle.

Follow ARLukomski on his YouTube channel by clicking here.

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Notts County have climbed to the top of League Two thanks to an emphatic 4-1 win against 10-man Lincoln City.

The Magpies enjoyed a numerical advantage for a large chunk of the game after the Imps had Billy Knott sent off for a high boot on Ryan Yates in the 28th minute.

Notts then went ahead before the break when a Jon Stead volley took a deflection and spun into the corner of the net.

Lincoln hauled themselves level early in the second half through Harry Anderson’s looping header, but Matt Tootle rifled in a stunning second to restore the Magpies’ advantage after 55 minutes.

Jorge Grant’s superb free-kick put County firmly in control and Terry Hawkridge wrapped up the points two minutes from time.

Pride of Nottingham spoke to a number of Notts County fans at Meadow Lane before the game.

We asked them a few questions, including who their unsung hero is so far this season, how crucial Kevin Nolan's contract extension is, and whether an early closure to the summer transfer window is good or bad.

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Notts County have climbed to the top of League Two after a resounding 4-1 victory against 10-man Lincoln City.

The Magpies found themselves with a man advantage for two thirds of the game after Billy Knott was sent off in the 28th minute for a high boot on Ryan Yates.

Goals from Jon Stead, Matt Tootle, Terry Hawkridge and a spectacular 25-yard free-kick from Jorge Grant then sealed the win for Notts against their East Midlands rivals.

The result means five wins in a row and eight unbeaten in League Two for County, who now sit ahead of Exeter City.

The official Notts YouTube channel has put up the highlights - go on, relive them and marvel at just how good we are right now!

CMON YOU PIES!

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Notts County are enjoying a purple patch at present, sitting second in League Two thanks to a four-game winning run, and eight unbeaten in all competitions.

Up next for the Magpies is a local derby with Lincoln City coming to Meadow Lane to try their luck against Kevin Nolan's well-drilled side.

Here is Chris's Scouting Report for this week.

History

Notts County and Lincoln City have met a total of 65 times in competitive matches over the years.

The first fixture took the place all the way back in November 1893, a Division Two game in Nottingham which resulted in an away win for the Imps.

The record currently stands at 34 wins for Notts, 15 defeats, and 16 draws.

The last game between the two took place on 13 April 2010, a 3-1 win at Meadow Lane with goals from Lee Hughes, Graeme Lee and Delroy Facey and a strike from Steven Lennon for the opposition.

Notts have won the last two meetings, with a draw prior to those and three defeats preceding that.

Run-down of their last six features

Saturday 19th August – Exeter City 1 Lincoln City 0

Saturday 26th August – Lincoln City 4 Carlisle 1

Saturday 2nd September – Lincoln City 0 Luton Town 0

Saturday 9th September – Stevenage 1 Lincoln City 2

Tuesday 12th September – Forest Green Rovers 0 Lincoln City 1

Saturday 16th September – Lincoln City 0 Mansfield Town 1

The Players – Fact Sheet

Highest Goal Scorers; Matt Green 3, Alex Woodyard 2, Oliver Palmer 2 and Billy Knott 2.

Persistent Foulers; Matt Green 1 red card and 1 yellow card, Neal Eardley 3 yellow cards, Sean Raggett 3 yellow cards and Michael Bostwick 2 yellow cards.

The Key Players

Matt Green is the most well-known threat that Lincoln City bolster within their squad, he’s a mobile striker and useful on the ball – some may consider him past his former best but he is a player that is able to cause concern within any League Two defence.

Despite the name Alex Woodyard is a very practical midfielder, he’s attacking minded but does have a bit of a temper. He’s pretty direct, likes to try to influence the tempo and adds a creative flair to The Imps midfield.

They also have the experienced Michael Bostwick who plays to a similar fashion as Alex Woodyard, however he offers a defence mind-set even when going forward – his ability to pass and carve open teams is something Notts should be mindful of at all times.

Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses

Lincoln City like to play the passing game, usually it starts from the back and builds going forward. The majority of play tends to come from the flanks, and The Imps move the ball around very nicely even in limited space – they also deal very well with scrappy play often making the most of any opportunities that presents itself.

Like the majority of League Two teams, Lincoln prefer to play defensively but within an attacking mind-set.

They tend to commit plenty of players at the back, yet can break extremely well through a single player at any given moment. Their height offers them good options on goal, and is useful at the back when defending.

However, from a defensive point of view – they do not like pace or direct runs into areas whereby there’s plenty of space. Whilst struggling to defend on break, and even from set pieces or crosses.

This can force them to rush their own play, and has seen them give the ball away quite cheaply but they prefer to get the play back on the ground and ball to feet.

Positional wise they organise themselves very well when given time, yet in the moment or under heavy threat it can become a free-for-all. If allowed to play, Lincoln impress – they have the ability to deliver long throw ins and often shoot from distance if space isn’t available to them.

For Notts it will be about controlling the play, whilst building themselves from the back – the midfield will have to be grouped and prepared to make direct runs when chances occur. As opportunities will arise where the Magpies’ will be able to make chances pay from the open play.

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Hello and welcome to episode 25 of the Pride of Nottingham PONcast, presented by Chris and JJ.

This week's episode reflects on Notts County's recent wins over Swindon Town and Crawley Town, analysing how the Magpies performed from a tactical perspective.

We also cast an eye over to the upcoming derby with Lincoln City, looking at how Notts should approach the game.

In addition, we ask who the team's unsung hero has been so far this season and look into what Kevin Nolan's impending new contract means for him and the club.

We also discuss how long we have been supporting Notts and why we do so, reminiscing about our younger years, and read out some of your stories from PON's social media pages, where you talk about how you got into supporting the mighty Pies.

All this and more in the Pride of Nottingham PONcast, episode 25!

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Notts County have secured a fourth win in a row as they saw off Crawley Town by a score of 1-0 in Saturday's trip to Broadfield Stadium.

Jorge Grant was the hero once again for the Magpies as he drilled home from close range after Jonathan Forte played a low ball into the loanee's path.

The result keeps Notts second in the table and takes their unbeaten run to eight matches, ensuring yet another weekend of smiles for the Black and White Army.

Here is some of the reaction from some of the Notts players, the manager, and the Black and White Army.

Kevin Nolan

“I’m absolutely delighted. The lads have got a mentality about them now.

“They’ve come here and made sure they played the way they wanted to play and countered Crawley’s strengths. I thought we deserved the win.

“When we’re not on top form in possession, we make sure we scrap and battle. Sometimes you’ve got to put your body on the line.”

The players

The fans

TheSkipper: Solid win for Notts. Will always take the victory over the performance because we have done well before and not got what we deserved. I am 100% sure Kevin Nolan will soon get the performances spot on. What another fantastic win!

Liampie: "We can't complain about the performances when we are winning like this. Notts just seems to be a different team this season, perhaps we are finally having a bit of luck now?"

WeymouthPIE: "Not a game which was easy on the eye, but a win is a win. You don't get any extra points for playing pretty football, 3 points is 3 points. You can tell we've built that winning mentality, and we  have learnt how to dig results out. We're learning how to do jobs against the s**t in this division. These last 4 games, we probably wwould have lost 2 or 3 of them the last couple of seasons. It's early days. I'm not getting carried away, after the last few seasons I'm more than happy to enjoy the ride and see where we end up. But this is very much a team to be proud of right now. YP"

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Notts County have made it four clean-sheet wins on the spin after securing a hard-earned 1-0 win over Crawley Town in Saturday's League Two encounter at the Broadfield Stadium.

Jorge Grant was the hero once again for the Magpies as he drilled home from close range after Jonathan Forte played a low ball into the loanee's path.

The result keeps Notts second in the table and takes their unbeaten run to eight matches, ensuring yet another weekend of smiles for the Black and White Army.

Here is an in-depth analysis of the game from Chris.

Was the result fair?

Both sides created several decent chances, but the whole game lacked a leading side. I think a draw would have been fairer but I’m delighted to see Kevin Nolan’s side push past a difficult performance to maintain the winning streak.

How did Notts play?

You’re watching it, even in the highlights and you're pondering what could make this Notts squad click and turn into a similar side that we saw back in 2010 – that said it doesn’t really matter, as Notts worked hard yet again and passed around nicely in spells. Defensively they looked comfortable, so not much else matters.

How did Crawley Town play?

They played as I expected and wrote in my scouting report, so quite well and very much focused on committing players forward. Their finishing was very poor, which was a good thing for us because they managed to create some cracking chances. Defensively they played much better, yet a few wobbles could have had us threaten them a little more. Crawley fans can’t be downhearted though, as they seem capable of doing well.

Did our tactics work out?

The simple answer is yes, it allowed us to hold the game but we failed to create any convincing chances – which I personally feel could have been amended at half-time - but hey, we won.

How did the referee perform?

As per usual there a few gripes, though largely he didn’t make much of an impact on the game and at League Two level it would suggest an okay performance by any match official.

Who do we play next?

Lincoln City – a local derby which has already seen a good amount of tickets sold for the away end at Meadow Lane. The game should be lively, though on a personal note I am hoping for a result similar to the Chesterfield game.

How should we play them?

Defensively if Notts play as we have been we should be okay, I’d like to see Notts build from the back – as this would increase the confidence and provided our defenders a chance to get a proper feel for the game.

There’s no doubt in my mind that we must be patient, yet careful at the same time.

I actually feel Chesterfield would have been the harder game, yet as this one leads into Mansfield – I think it’s vital that we get the best possible result. So, for Notts it’s about building clear chances and maintaining that steady work-rate we have seen.

Regarding changes there’s not much I feel Kevin Nolan should do, leave the line-up without making several changes and just monitor how the game pans out as it happens.

Lincoln can’t be written off, yet I think if we assert the right amount of control from the off – the game will be easier to manage and that Notts will create good enough chances to get the points at Meadow Lane.

Crawley fan views (from the CTFC Fans Forum)

Hampshire Guest: "Total trash. We didn't look like scoring no threat up front at all and usual blunder at the back. It was like watching a games under Yates era. No enjoyment or entertainment what so everybody." (sic)

Hickmottsenior: "We did ok to contain them in the first half but in the second we didn't get a look in and looked utterly clueless. Not having a striker is costing us. I think we had a fair shout for a penalty though. As above, this was like traveling back in time to any of the previous few seasons. Crap. I think it's made my mind up about (not) going to Barnet."

AlexBH: "Absolutely woeful display in the end. First half was OK, we competed, but didn't threaten. Second half we give a silly goal with another mistake at the back and from then onwards we lost of shape and looked completely desperate. The tactics were awful! Play out from back, no recognised midfielder for the last 15 minutes except smith with 5 attacking players on the pitch. It was schoolboy stuff, lump it up there and then Notts county won all the second balls as we had no midfield to speak of except Smith. Truly woeful showing. I can't remember us having a single shot on target all game. What on earth Harry was trying to achieve with the players out there I don't know. We looked OK first half with Bulman, Smith and Payne in there. Then he goes and takes off Payne and Bulman and we completely lost our shape. We looked desperate and clueless. Harry has got to learn that this playing out from the back doesn't work especially when you don't have midfielders showing for the ball. I thought after some good results against Swindon and Yeovil he was beginning to realise this. Instead we seem to be going backwards."

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Notts County have made it four clean-sheet wins on the spin after securing a hard-earned 1-0 win over Crawley Town in Saturday's League Two encounter at the Broadfield Stadium.

Jorge Grant was the hero once again for the Magpies as he drilled home from close range after Jonathan Forte played a low ball into the loanee's path.

The result keeps Notts second in the table and takes their unbeaten run to eight matches, ensuring yet another weekend of smiles for the Black and White Army.

Notts have uploaded the match highlights to their YouTube channel - we have shared it on here so you can relive yet another superb win for Kevin Nolan's boys!

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This weekend, Notts County head to the Broadfield Stadium to face Crawley Town in League Two.

The Magpies have a chance to make it eight games unbeaten in all competition should they get a result against Harry Kewell's side.

History

Notts County have only ever played Crawley Town 10 times in their history.

The first fixture between the two was just under five years ago, on 10 November 2012.

This milestone first meeting between the two, played at Meadow Lane, finished 1-1.

Meanwhile the return fixture, played away on the 9th March 2013, ended as a goalless draw.

The record stands at six Notts wins, two defeats and two draws.

Our recent record against them is very good, the Magpies winning the last four encounters (all in League Two) and six of the last seven.

The last fixture took place on 28 January this year at Meadow Lane, a 2-1 win with Thierry Audel and Jonathan Forte grabbing the goals for us.

Run-down of their last 5 fixtures

Saturday 19th August – Crawley Town 0 Cambridge United 1

Saturday 26th August – Swindon Town 0 Crawley Town 3

Saturday 2nd September – Crawley Town 2 Yeovil Town 0

Saturday 9th September – Colchester United 3 Crawley Town 1

Tuesday 12th September – Stevenage 1 Crawley Town 1

The Players – Fact Sheet

Highest Goal Scorers: Jordan Roberts 3, Jimmy Smith 2, Enzio Boldewijn 1 and Ibrahim Meite 1.

Persistent Foulers: Josh Payne 3 yellow cards, Jordan Roberts 2 yellow cards, Mark Randall 1 yellow cards and Dean Cox 1 yellow cards.

The Key Players

Out wide Dennon Lewis can be very influential when going forward, the 20-year-old winger can also offer Crawley Town a lot of pace and direct movement – which can be tricky.

The youngster, who is out on loan from Watford, can also switch flanks and likes to drift into the middle where he tends to get more chances on goal.

Jordan Roberts is another player that likes to get time on the ball, and can take a shot from range which is usually not far from the target.

Whilst Enzio Boldwijn and Ibrahim Meite offer Crawley Town a lot of options upfront, as the versatile strikers tend to move around – offering them support out-wide when needed.

They both also have a fair bit of pace and like to run directly at the opposition defence.

Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses

Crawley Town largely mix between hoofing the ball, and trying to play the ball on the ground – with more focus on attacking through the centre of the park.

They tend to commit players when going forward, whilst they resort to having shots at goal largely from distance.

The Devils are an able side capable of moving the ball nicely around, however they do appear to have limitations on how best to use their momentum.

From a defensive point of view, they leave a vulnerability at the back when they commit players forward and they struggle to re-group when hit on the counter.

Their position play going forward can be very good, yet at the back its very dubious to say the least and as a result they look very weak when coping with attacking minded teams.

Notts will have to try to create chances whereby they can get behind their defenders, as Crawley like to keep the play in front of them.

Jorge Grant should be able to find more time on the ball against these, so he will be key to unlocking play and pushing Notts forward.

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Notts County have climbed to second in League Two following a solid 1-0 win over Swindon Town in Tuesday night's clash at Meadow Lane.

Jon Stead's penalty just after the half-hour mark, after he was bundled over in the box by Olly Lancashire, was enough to secure the points for Kevin Nolan's charges.

The result also sees the Magpies notch up a seventh unbeaten game in all competitions, which has resulted in an incredible vibe among the Black and White Army.

Here is Chris's tactical analysis of the game.

Was the result fair?

Swindon Town fans might feel they deserved at least a draw from last night’s game at Meadow Lane, however a determined Notts County succeeded and for me warrant the win due to sheer hard-work from a very respectable performance.

How did Notts play?

Notts played like the underdogs in an F.A cup tie, however at times they fully took the game to the Robins who struggled to adapt to the changes made by Kevin Nolan. Whilst there was a lack of goal chances, with only two shots being recorded as on target for the Magpies – this doesn’t reflect the full picture and it was a very solid performance which can only be improved on.

How did Swindon play?

As I mentioned within the PON forum, and within my ‘Scouting Report’ – Swindon Town tried to make the most of the flanks. They used their pace and threw everything they had at Notts, despite several fans telling me they were poor. I felt entertained by them and I think they overthought their tactics, but in truth they played quite well and forced Adam Collin to be at his best.

Did our tactics work out?

Absolutely! Whilst the majority of fans seemed to believe the changes were nothing more than an effort by Kevin Nolan to save certain players legs for Saturday’s clash against Crawley – for me I could see that it was more about controlling the game and combating the obvious way that Swindon Town play.

I felt it was solely to inject pace into our team at a time when Swindon Town would be fading from trying to overpower us on the pitch.

The tactics were absolutely spot on, and it shows that Kevin Nolan does have more than a plan A.

How did the referee perform?

I felt the referee was better than most we had in recent weeks, however at times it was clear that he had lost control and even went as far as deciding favourably to whoever made the most fuss (which was usually a group of Swindon Town players).

There were some key moments, such as their number 7 tripping one of our players which was totally missed and a kick to Jorge Grant which for me warranted at least a card.  

Who do we play next?

Crawley Town – this will be a totally different game for Notts. Crawley are a side capable of playing very well on their day, they can be physical but generally play in the right way.

How should we play them?

For Notts they need to apply common-sense, use bulk in midfield to control the flow of the game. Again for me Rob Milsom will be key, as will a fresh Jorge Grant.

I would revert back to having Dan Jones at left back, however Matt Tootle should retain his position – the defence must deal with Crawley promptly but in a way which doesn’t rush the play, so it’s vital that the ball is played on the ground when possible.

Hopefully Shola Ameobi will be fit, we really missed his presence yesterday but I would like to see him start with Jonathan Forte at the cost of Jon Stead.

We need to bide our time, create chances which can be avoided from rushing – with it being vital to not make whoever is upfront not chase everything. Notts generally struggle to get the ball on target, so fewer chances will come if we don’t adjust.

Swindon fan views (from Thetownend.com)

Stevens: "I made my views early that I did not like this managers way of playing football. We have gone from a side who plays young potential good footballers who were badly handled to a load of old farts past there sell by date and a few loanees playing typical division two football. Thank goodness I missed tonight and will be out of the country for the next month so I don't have to go and watch."

Donkey: "Ok, just before I turn in for the night, I'm going to try to be positive. I liked Norris, worked hard, won a lot of headers, put a shift in. Vigs made a cracking save and held the crosses he came for. Also, I had a genuine fear that we'd slide through this division (Vale are bottom), but I believe this team have enough about them to be mid table. They should halt the decline. At the end of last season, I'd have taken that."

London Pride: "Just got back after an overnight stay and have to say I am somewhat surprised by Flitcroft summary of the game I can only assume he was at another match. It was 100% a penalty as all us could quite clearly see from where we were sat. I have watched every game this year home and away and my confidence in us getting promoted at the first attempt has started to fade. We are clearly not a very good side with some very average players and a manager whose tactics are extremely questionable. The mindless aimless hoof ball that was on display last night which is seeming to become the norm is extremely embarrassing to watch. The only way that we will ever make the playoffs this season is if there are 18 other teams more crap than us."

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Notts County have made it seven matches unbeaten in all competitions thanks to victory over Swindon Town on Tuesday night.

The Robins came to Meadow Lane hoping to extend their superb away record in League Two, but luckily - for us - it wasn't to be.

Arguably the toughest opponent on paper for Notts so far this season since Coventry City, Kevin Nolan's charges were well drilled and well organised.

The winner came midway through the first half as Olly Lancashire conceded a penalty, which Jon Stead duly rattled home.

County's win puts them second in the League Two table and ensures that the Black and White Army is on a great wavelength as autumn rolls in.

Pride of Nottingham spoke to a number of Notts County fans and asked them a few questions ahead of the game, including whether Jonathan Forte has anything left to prove to Kevin Nolan, which player has exceeded their expectations the most, and of course the score prediction.

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Notts County have made it seven matches unbeaten in all competitions thanks to a 1-0 victory over Swindon Town on Tuesday night.

The Robins came to Meadow Lane hoping to extend their superb away record in League Two, but luckily - for us - it wasn't to be.

Arguably the toughest opponent on paper for Notts so far this season since Coventry City, Kevin Nolan's charges were well drilled and well organised.

The winner came midway through the first half as Olly Lancashire conceded a penalty, which Jon Stead duly rattled home.

County's win puts them second in the League Two table and ensures that the Black and White Army is on a great wavelength as autumn rolls in.

Pride of Nottingham was at Meadow Lane for the game, speaking to fans and taking pictures.

Check out our midweek Faces of PON and see if you're in any of our snaps!

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Notts County have climbed to second in League Two following a solid 1-0 win over Swindon Town in Tuesday night's clash at Meadow Lane.

Jon Stead's penalty just after the half-hour mark, after he was bundled over in the box by Olly Lancashire, was enough to secure the points for Kevin Nolan's charges.

The result also sees the Magpies notch up a seventh unbeaten game in all competitions, which has resulted in an incredible vibe among the Black and White Army.

Here is some of the reaction from some of the Notts players, the manager, and the Black and White Army.

Kevin Nolan

“We were brilliant from start to finish. The lads were fantastic.

“I’ve been speaking about this squad and them knowing what’s expected. Everyone who came in was fantastic, so I’m delighted with it all.

“Swindon threw everything at us. We knew it would be difficult. They’re a good side, but we fully deserved to win.

“I spoke to the press on Monday and said I could make seven or eight changes. That’s what you want.

“The table doesn’t lie but I’m not going to look at it now after seven games.

“We’ve got to get to safety first. We were in a good position last season.

“If you think you’ve made it, you get bitten on the backside. We’ve got to keep working hard.”

The players

The fans (from the PON forum match discussion)

Chris: "Well, Swindon tried to hit us with pace and played exactly as I outlined in our scouting report feature. They didn't play 'great', but they were decent enough. Hard work pulled the victory off, however knew the game wouldn't see many goals and thankfully we got the penalty (as neither side looked capable of scoring). This said, I do feel we deserved the win because we played as one unit."

Fozzy: "It's just not good enough, I'm starting to run out of things to moan about! Can't fault yesterday's performance, it was a big gamble to make so many changes for the match, especially against strong opponents, but it worked. Still waiting for Stead to score in open play though!"

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Notts County have climbed to second in League Two following Tuesday night's 1-0 win over Swindon Town at Meadow Lane.

Jon Stead grabbed the winner from the penalty spot just after the half-hour mark following Olly Lancashire's foul in the box.

A tough proposition for Notts, the Robins were relegated from League One last season and have adapted to life in the fourth tier well enough so far.

However, their great away run came to an end in Nottingham, while County's impressive run goes from strength to strength.

Notts County's official YouTube page has uploaded the highlights to the game - relive yet another solid win for the Magpies!

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Notts County have made it seven matches unbeaten in all competitions thanks to victory over Swindon Town on Tuesday night.

The Robins came to Meadow Lane hoping to extend their superb away record in League Two, but luckily - for us - it wasn't to be.

Arguably the toughest opponent on paper for Notts so far this season since Coventry City, Kevin Nolan's charges were well drilled and well organised.

The winner came midway through the first half as Olly Lancashire conceded a penalty, which Jon Stead duly rattled home.

County's win puts them second in the League Two table and ensures that the Black and White Army is on a great wavelength as autumn rolls in.

ARLukomski, a Notts vlogger and Pride of Nottingham contributor, discussed the fixture ahead of kickoff, gave his thoughts as the game went on, and talked about the performance and result after the final whistle.

Follow ARLukomski on his YouTube channel by clicking here.

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Notts County welcome Swindon Town to Meadow Lane this evening.

As openings to a season go, the Magpies have had arguably one of the toughest ones out there this year in League Two, with all four sides relegated from League One last season up against us in our first seven fixtures.

Kevin Nolan's charges have however navigated a very tricky start reasonably well, save for the opener against Coventry City of course, and tonight, another team expected to bounce right back up to comes to Nottingham for what the gaffer has described as "another tough ask".

History

Notts have met Swindon on 63 occasions, the first time being 103 years ago in the FA Cup.

On that day in January 1911, the Robins beat the Magpies 2-0 at the County Ground.

Of the 63 clashes, 24 have been won by Notts, 27 by Swindon, and 12 have been drawn.

The last meeting between the two was on 7 March 2015, away at the County Ground, and the Robins ran out 3-0 winners.

Current league position

Notts - third (13 points)

Swindon - ninth (10 points)

Run-down of the opposition's five games

Saturday 12th August – Swindon Town 1 Exeter City 1

Saturday 19th August – Morecambe 0 Swindon Town 1

Saturday 26th August – Swindon Town 0 Crawley Town 3

Saturday 2nd September – Swindon Town 1 Barnet 4

Saturday 9th September – Luton Town 0 Swindon Town 3

Opposition player fact sheet

Highest Goal Scorers; Luke Norris 4, Paul Mullin 4, Chris Hussey and Olly Lancashire 1.

Persistent Foulers; Donal McDermott 1 red card, Paul Mullin 3 yellow cards, James Dunne 2 yellow cards and Ellis Landolo 2 yellow cards.

The Key Players

Luke Norris is a very capable goal scorer who can instantly change the outcome of a game with his style of play, he likes to attack and sit off the defenders – this allows him to find the right amount of space in order to have a shot.

James Dunne is Swindon’s enforcer within the midfield, he can link play and generally cause a nuisance to the opposition defence.

Ollie Lancashire is also someone Notts should do their homework on, as the defender likes to get forward as much as possible and knows how to strike the ball.

Style of play, strengths, and weaknesses

Swindon like to use the flanks in order to get balls into the opposition's area, at times they try to cut it back at the last minute – this creates space for their offensive players.

They tend to be very direct, whilst asserting pressure as they build with momentum but are inclined to sit back and allow the opposition to attack themselves.

From an attacking stance they like to get the ball in and behind the last defenders, and can mix between passing on the ground and using the wider space available to them.

However, from a defensive point of view they don’t like teams being direct or patient within their own building and can be prone to giving fouls away.

Free kicks and set pieces will be vital for Notts, as will ensuring that the corner pieces are not wasted.

The Magpies will have to focus on getting the ball into the Swindon area so that it unnerves their defence and allows for swifter chances to come forward.

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Hello and welcome to episode 24 of the Pride of Nottingham PONcast, presented by Chris and JJ.

In this week's episode we look back at Notts County's 2-0 win over Morecambe and analyse how the action panned out.

We also look ahead to tonight's encounter with Swindon Town and look at how Notts should approach the game.

We then move onto looking at how the League Two table looks six games into the campaign, focusing on the early hopefuls for promotion and those who have not taken well to life in the fourth tier.

In addition, we discuss whether the upgrades to the Meadow Lane home changing room and training facilities could really help the team improve on the pitch.

All this and more in Pride of Nottingham's PONcast, episode 24!

Share your thoughts about this week's PONcast by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans.

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Notts County have climbed to third in League Two and stretched their unbeaten run to six games in all competitions following a 2-0 win over Morecambe.

Dan Jones opened the scoring for the Magpies at Meadow Lane with a 27th-minute free kick which was curled expertly round the Shrimps wall and beyond goalkeeper Barry Roche.

Morecambe launched a fightback but their efforts were to no avail as Notts struck late on through substitute Jonathan Forte as he broke through and rifled home via the inside of the post.

In this piece, Chris has taken an in-depth look at how both sides played, whether the result was fair, and how to move forward.

Was the result fair?

The result was about right for me, Morecambe didn’t look much of a threat on goal and struggled to get a grip on the game. Notts passed nicely at times, created chances and always looked to get forward.

How did Notts play?

It wasn’t a "wow" performance, yet the team spirit again shined and there were several occasions where pieces of play really did entertain us fans. I think we needed to be slightly more direct, along with taking our time when shooting but overall it was a very decent performance.

How did Morecambe play?

Morecambe really struggled, defensively they were quite poor and I felt if Notts created better chances they would have been finished off early. Their midfield wasn’t able to get hold of the game, nor could they change the tempo. This in turn isolated their attack, so it was a typical disconnected performance by a team clearly struggling to get their season going.

Did our tactics work out?

Honestly, I felt that we needed to change things before the game. Make a simple adjustment to the midfield by allowing Rob Milsom to start and perhaps the tweak we all have been wanting up front. The tactics weren’t bad, I just felt it was somewhat flat but it allowed us to control the game and so to a degree it worked. If Morecambe had been more of a threat or the physical team we know they can be – this could have been different, but the balance was about right for us.

How did the referee perform?

I can still hear his whistle, his repeated blowing and lack of control really frustrated me at times. However, I don’t think it had any sort of impact on the game and again I find myself thinking in hindsight that he was just another poor League Two referee.  

Who do we play next?

Swindon Town – a team still getting to grips with life back in League Two, although they’re heavily tipped for a return to League One and have several good players. This will be a tougher game on Tuesday for Notts!

How should we play them?

Notts needs to be able to cope with any pace they have, the right-hand side of the defence for me is a concern if Matt Tootle doesn’t start. I think Swindon will know that they have a chance to influence the game by using the flanks so defensively we have to stand tall – whilst ensuring we force them back into the centre of the park.

I would like to see Notts try to hold the ball up, perhaps push Jorge Grant a little forward and let him sit behind whoever starts up front.

Kevin Nolan could perhaps justify reverting to one striker, however I think it might limit our chances – yet it would offer Notts more bulk in the centre of the park where it matters. This would allow us to pass the ball around, whilst offering protection to the defence.

We can’t just sit back and defend however, we must pass the ball and look to maximise the set pieces that we get.

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Notts County have climbed to third in League Two and stretched their unbeaten run to six games in all competitions following a 2-0 win over Morecambe.

Dan Jones opened the scoring for the Magpies at Meadow Lane with a 27th-minute free kick which was curled expertly round the Shrimps wall and beyond goalkeeper Barry Roche.

Morecambe launched a fightback but their efforts were to no avail as Notts struck late on through substitute Jonathan Forte as he broke through and rifled home via the inside of the post.

Pride of Nottingham was at Meadow Lane to watch County's impressive win and took photos of the Black and White Army.

Have a look at our pictures and see if you or your friends or family are in this week's Faces of PON!

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Notts County have stretched their unbeaten run to six games in all competitions following Saturday's 2-0 win over Morecambe at Meadow Lane.

The Magpies bossed the first half and deservedly took the lead as defender Dan Jones curled in a superb free kick on 27 minutes.

Although the Shrimps shuffled things round at the break and were more dangerous in the second half, they were unable to make headway in terms of grabbing an equaliser.

Indeed, Notts went on to seal the victory through Jonathan Forte, who raced clean through on goal and slotted beyond Barry Roche.

Pride of Nottingham was at the Lane to watch the fantastic win, which elevated the Magpies to third in the League Two table, and spoke to a number of fans prior to the game.

So what are you waiting for? Get ready to "Meet the Fans"!

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Notts County have climbed to third in League Two and stretched their unbeaten run to six games in all competitions following a 2-0 win over Morecambe.

Dan Jones opened the scoring for the Magpies at Meadow Lane with a 27th-minute free kick which was curled expertly round the Shrimps wall and beyond goalkeeper Barry Roche.

Morecambe launched a fightback but their efforts were to no avail as Notts struck late on through substitute Jonathan Forte as he broke through and rifled home via the inside of the post.

Here is some of the reaction from some of the Notts players, the manager, and the Black and White Army.

Kevin Nolan

"It was a lot better than last week's performance. I thought we dominated throughout.

"The lads were magnificent. They followed up a hard-fought win last week with another top performance and clean sheet today.

"As a defensive unit I feel we had to get better from last year. We were leaking goals from here, there and everywhere and now we look like a really good, solid unit.

"It was a great all-round performance and I'm absolutely delighed. We're on a decent run now but the games come thick and fast.

"We've got another tough one on Tuesday night so we're looking forward to that."

Ryan Yates

Jorge Grant

Adam Collin

The fans (from PON's Morecambe match discussion)

Chris

"I thought Notts played quite well, in spells we really dominated the play but without a few things going our way - this really would have been a draw.

"Morecambe was very poor, I thought they would be more aggressive and physical but they only changed once the free-kick had gone in. To be fair, they allowed us to have more time on the ball by using three men to mark players like Jorge Grant. I agree that our football wasn't pretty at times, yet it's very good progress on the back of a very poor season last year and the promising signs are that it's improving.

"The injury to Shola Ameobi was a massive blow, though Jonathan Forte has proven that he can come in and score.

"The team spirit shined during the period whereby Morecambe threatened, though I must say Duffy looks the weak link in defence and his rushing of the play was very frustrating."

Liampie

"It was sad to see people leaving around the 75th minute mark moaning about how poor the game was, i thought notts played quite well but lacked fire power and we really did miss shola in the squad half. Second goal people became more cheerful. Good performance and win for me."

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