Goals from Dan Jones and substitute Jonathan Forte stretched Notts County's unbeaten run to six games as they beat Morecambe 2-0 at Meadow Lane on Saturday afternoon.

The Magpies defender opened the scoring midway through the first half with a well taken free kick which left Shrimps goalkeeper Barry Roche grasping at thin air.

Morecambe mounted a fightback in the second half but striker Forte eventually wrapped up the win as he steered in via the inside of the post late on.

It was no more than the hosts deserved for a solid performance which maintained their excellent start to the season under boss Kevin Nolan.

The official Notts website has put up the highlights of the League Two encounter, so why not relive the excellent win?

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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 Saturday's 2-0 win over Morecambe.

Meadow Lane was the venue as the Black and White army saw their beloved side face an opponent that had build up a reputation as a bogey team over Notts in recent years.

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 following the restart 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.

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.

Hello and welcome to Pride of Nottingham's PONcast, episode 23.

In this week's episode we discuss Notts County's 1-0 win over Port Vale, recap August 2017 and look forward to September's remaining fixtures, analysing each team that the Magpies will be coming up against over the next three weeks.

PONcast hosts Chris and JJ also discuss the possibility of Saturday night 7:45pm kickoffs being introduced, and whether the game should resist changes to the traditional 3pm slot on Saturday.

All this and more in PONcast episode 23, only on Pride of Nottingham!

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Notts County's season continues to go from strength to strength after a solid 1-0 win over Port Vale in Saturday's League Two fixture at Vale Park.

Lewis Alessandra came on as a substitute and scored with his first touch of the game in the second half to edge the visitors ahead.

The Valiants didn't offer much and, even with Shaun Brisley coming off injured and leaving the Magpies down to ten men having made all their substitutions, they still couldn't find a way back into the game.

County's victory means that they are unbeaten in five games in all competitions (and if you were to specify it as "in the 90 minutes", then we drew with Scunthorpe United too, technically speaking!) and, in League Two, sit an impressive fifth in the table, with 10 points from five games.

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

Kevin Nolan

"It wasn't the greatest spectacle but when you go away, get a clean sheet and a win it's just fantastic. And then you hear all the fans singing at the end, not remembering much from the game but knowing they've won!

"Port Vale are under a bit of pressure so we knew they were going to come out all guns blazing and trying to put their stamp on the game. But I thought we rode that out well and didn't give them many opportunities.

"Thankfully, when the chance came our way, Lewis was on hand to put it in the back of the net. We're absolutely delighted."

The players

Lewis Alessandra

“Victories like this mean a lot when you’ve had to really work for it, as you could see by the reaction from the lads at the end of the game.

“The big thing in this team is the togetherness. There are five or six captains which is really good for us, especially with the blend of youth in the team.

“The manager has built a team full of great lads. We’re a tight-knit group and we enjoy working for each other. The camaraderie in the group is fantastic and, with regards to strength in depth, this is the best League Two side I’ve played in.”

Jorge Grant

Adam Collin

Carl Dickinson

Ryan Yates

Liam Walker

The fans (from PON's Port Vale match discussion thread)

Liampie

Brill result yesterday, its wins like this which will impact our final league position so i am delighted.

Upthepies

Good win but Port Vale could have easily got the victory themselves. In the first half they had a cracking chance which they wasted and the performance was not good enough. It was an awful game for both teams. Very scrappy.

Ell100t

Didn't get to see the match, but only needed to watch the highlights to see what an impact Dan Jones had on the game. Two moments of defensive brilliance. I know it is only one game, but personally I am very relieved with our start to the season as it doesn't feel like it is over before it has began for the first time in a while. Not getting too carried away, but just very thankful to finally see some more positivity around the players and the fans.

Countyman

Very uninspiring performance but the players kept at it and got the win. Port Vale don't look like much of a side in league two but I just hope nobody gets carried away. If we win a few or lose one, people just get all OTT.

The Skipper

Port Vale wasn't really bad they just looked like a team without any real ideas. They could have taken the win for themselves after two early chances which Collin saved and then Jones running back when they was clear through. I am not all that bothered about the performance because the training ground will sort that. At this stage its just good to get the points!

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Notts County's impressive run this season continues to gather pace after a 1-0 win at Port Vale on Saturday.

The Magpies faced their third League One-relegated opponent in their first five League Two games of the season at Vale Park in the first weekend of September.

However, the Valiants have not been in good form this campaign, and they succumbed to a defeat at the hands of Notts thanks to substitute Lewis Alessandra's second-half strike.

Despite going down to ten men due to Shaun Brisley's injury after all three substitutions had been made, Kevin Nolan's charges continued to impress and saw the game out with little trouble.

The result sees the Magpies in an impressive fifth-place position (or joint-third if you will) in the table, with 10 points from five games.

Admittedly, it was not the prettiest of games, but a win's a win's a win.

And if you want to relive the performance - and of course the celebrations for the goal and the final score - Notts County's official YouTube channel has got the highlights up.

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Notts County's season continues to go from strength to strength after a solid 1-0 win over Port Vale in Saturday's League Two fixture at Vale Park.

Lewis Alessandra came on as a substitute and scored with his first touch of the game in the second half to edge the visitors ahead.

The Valiants didn't offer much and, even with Shaun Brisley coming off injured and leaving the Magpies down to ten men having made all their substitutions, they still couldn't find a way back into the game.

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?

I feel the result may have probably been fairer as a draw, however I do think Notts performed better than Port Vale – so victory to the Magpies isn’t unjust or unworthy for the Valiants.

How did Notts play?

Notts tried to change the tempo of the game at times, only for Port Vale to bring it back down to the ground to which slowed down the game massively. Notts could have done with creating more clear chances, with a cutting edge, but overall the win wasn’t pretty at all.

How did Port Vale play?

They played like a team struggling to adapt to the division, despite having signed some new players – this probably also impacted their play. Port Vale struggled to get hold of the game and looked largely ineffective throughout the pitch.

Did our tactics work out?

The simple answer would be yes, yet this type of game is where in-game tactics could have been used to give Notts more of an edge. I’m not complaining though as everything worked well, yet from a tactical point-of-view there could have been positive changes. Yesterday’s game was largely down to performances and the type of play which emulated from it.

How did the referee perform?

Average League Two referee is how most would sum up Robert Lewis. There will always be something questionable decisions, yet he allowed the game to flow and generally didn’t interfere too much.

Who do we play next?

Morecambe – this will be a difficult game in terms of the physicality for Notts. They’re a side which we must show we can play against, and well.

How should we play them?

It’s quite obvious that Kevin Nolan already has the basis of his starting 11, any changes will merely reflect on the opposition or injuries/knocks picked up.

Personally, I would look into forming a holding midfield and include the absentee Rob Milsom – he will allow Notts to fight the type of tactics which Morecambe will try to play with, whilst his ‘move forward’ frame of mind will allow Notts to go forward in a positive way.

I highly suspect there won’t be any changes up top, however I would start with a bit more pace there if possible. Shola Ameobi will be influencing the midfield and anchor play, so if Jon Stead starts he must play closer to the Morecambe defence.

He could use Jorge Grant, as someone who could release him but there’s no doubt in my mind that Notts must look to retain the ball and move promptly with it. Draw the fouls and use it to gain ground, whilst any free-kicks outside of the penalty will be key.

Port Vale fans view (courtesy of One Vale Fan):

Jeffers: We can't score goals as we don't play with strikers other than the cart horse up front. It's not Tom Pope's fault but his best days are behind him. Where is the pace to frighten defenders... lying on the sick bed.

Jacko51: In our last 12 league games we have failed to score in 9 of them. Brown won't solve this problem by playing Tom Pope on his own up front with no one within 30 yards of him. Tom won't outrun the defence so you can't play the ball in behind. There is no point hoofing the ball in the air to Pope if no one is near him to pick up the knock downs. It's absolute madness to keep doing the same thing game after game and expecting a different outcome.

Jeffers: Tom played well against Crewe but not today. Jones gave him 20 yards and caught him. Don't be blinded by Toms heart on the sleeve attitude, but he will be lucky to get 10 goals. He never was blessed with pace, but my frustration is that he needs legs around him which Brown doesn't see.

Bluedevil: Why did Brown make his first substitution when he did? We had no shape or threat after his changes, County couldn't have believed their luck. Brown snatched a defeat from the jaws of victory today.

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Notts County's impressive run this season continues to gather pace after a 1-0 win at Port Vale on Saturday.

The Magpies faced their third League One-relegated opponent in their first five League Two games of the season at Vale Park in the first weekend of September.

However, the Valiants have not been in good form this campaign, and they succumbed to a defeat at the hands of Notts thanks to substitute Lewis Alessandra's second-half strike.

Despite going down to ten men due to Shaun Brisley's injury after all three substitutions had been made, Kevin Nolan's charges continued to impress and saw the game out with little trouble.

The result sees the Magpies in an impressive fifth-place position (or joint-third if you will) in the table, with 10 points from five games.

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.

August is over and done with, Notts County's first month of the season is now just a memory, and we move on to September's fixtures with the Magpies nicely nestled in seventh place in League Two.

However, much like any other job where its employees are routinely recognised and rewarded, it's worth recognising the players who have impressed in the black and white in August.

Jorge Grant has already been named the player of the month by Notts County, the fans picking him head and shoulders over everyone else (64.8 percent compared to second-placed Terry Hawkridge with 20.1 percent).

But here at Pride of Nottingham we have decided to name the standout players for each position in August - so to all those picked, well done and keep up the good work going into September and for the rest of the season!

Goalkeeper: Adam Collin

Left-back: Dan Jones

Centre-back: Shaun Brisley

Centre-back: Richard Duffy

Right-back: Matt Tootle

Left wing: Jorge Grant

Centre-mid: Ryan Yates

Centre-mid: Elliott Hewitt

Right wing: Terry Hawkridge

Striker: Jonathan Forte

Striker: Shola Ameobi

Here is PON's Team of the Month for August (Thank you to Jason Morphus for the graphic). Do you agree with our selection? #ThanksJason pic.twitter.com/HTY44JGxFf

— PrideofNottingham (@PoN_UNCFS) 1 September 2017

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A topsy-turvy August on the pitch for Notts County has ended on a somewhat sour note as the Magpies were held to a 2-2 draw by Accrington Stanley on Friday night.

In the first League Two fixture of the bank holiday weekend, rescheduled due to a clash with the neighbours over the Trent, the Magpies edged into a 1-0 half time lead at Meadow Lane lead thanks to Jon Stead's penalty.

Things got even better for Kevin Nolan's charges as they doubled their lead in the 54th minute through Jorge Grant, but for the second consecutive game, this was to be wasted.

First, Mark Hughes looped home a volley, then in injury time, after a player from each side had been sent off, Mallik Wilks struck the equaliser.

Notts were unable to conjure up another fightback like at Wycombe Wanderers, and in fact were lucky not to concede a killer third in the dying stages of the game.

Pride of Nottingham was at the Lane for the game, and interviewed a number of home fans prior to kickoff, asking them about the Notts team spirit, their favourite goal so far this season, and more.

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A rollercoaster August on the pitch for Notts County has ended on a somewhat sour note as the Magpies were held to a 2-2 draw by Accrington Stanley.

In Friday night's League Two fixture at Meadow Lane, rescheduled due to a fixture clash with the neighbours over the Trent, the Magpies edged into a 1-0 half time lead thanks to Jon Stead's penalty.

Things got even better for Kevin Nolan's charges as they doubled their lead in the 54th minute through Jorge Grant, but for the second consecutive game, this was to be wasted.

First, Mark Hughes looped home a volley, then in injury time, after a player from each side had been sent off, Mallik Wilks struck the equaliser.

Here is Pride of Nottingham's review and analysis of the match.

Was the result fair?

It’s harder this week, as on one hand Notts didn’t deserve to lose their 2-0 goal lead but on the other we didn’t finish our chances which ultimately lead to Accrington coming back into it. Putting aside tactics, changes, and the woeful decisions by the officials, I actually feel the final score doesn’t reflect well on the game at all.

How did Notts play?

First half we passed the ball around well, defended efficiently but that same old problem of rushing when in the final third appeared. Until the Jon Stead penalty, I honestly couldn’t see Notts scoring and that decision lifted the confidence of the players. My gripes against Accrington is that we simply weren’t fluid enough when it came to truly finishing the game off – yet several players did perform well and as a team we did okay.

How did Accrington Stanley play?

They passed the ball well, made good movements and actually looked sharper when they focused on playing football (not pulling shirts or diving) – yet they didn’t defend very well and heavily relied upon their goalkeeper. When it came to scoring opportunities they didn’t really threaten as much as I felt they should have, I’d describe them as the typical ‘League Two’ team.

Did our tactics work out?

In a way, yes, the tactics set out by Kevin Nolan worked. It allowed Notts to play with a level of confidence but there were visible signs that needed adjusting at half time – whilst the substitutions actually balanced the game in Accrington Stanley’s favour. Reverting to one up front in the second half really had a negative impact on the game.

How did the referee perform?

Possibly one of the worst referees I will see this season, he gave fouls for literally nothing – most of the time he seemed to favour Accrington. Whilst they as an opposition side focused on shirt pulling, physically restraining players and pushing – very few of these decisions were noticed. I feel the penalty decision was quite soft, and a call which he felt probably would balance up his poor decisions – yet he was card/whistle happy and I just wanted to see him assert his authority a lot more without being daft.

Who do we play next?

Port Vale – a team which will give us more of a football match, and Notts will need to show their determination towards achieving a respectable league finish by ensuring we leave with a good result.

How should we play them?

It’s obvious to suggest, yet I have been calling for it for a while now – start Jonathan Forte in place of Jon Stead. Also, bring back Lewis Alessandra, allow Jorge Grant to play a more direct role just behind the forwards when in procession and allow someone like Rob Milsom to be the forward thinker in midfield. Without completely changing the balance, there’s not a lot Kevin Nolan can do but I feel this would give us favour over Vale and how they may possible set themselves up.

Defensively we need to be accountable, only commit when there’s a good chance of winning the ball – so Richard Duffy go back and access your defending against Coventry City and Stanley.

Stanley fans view (courtesy of Accringtonweb):

Phil Whalley: Terrific spirit from the Stanley boys, Wilkes a superb finish after a Sykes nod on for an unlikely point. Once it went 10 vs 10 we were all over them. Chappers MOM by a country mile, let's get behind this lad, he needs to keep building his confidence. McLeod terribly unlucky to be sent off, he was rightly fuming. A really good point against one of the better Notts teams of recent years.

Alvin the Chipmunk: Best goalkeeping performance by any Accy stopper in many a year. Not a vintage performance but sheer bloody mindedness salvaged a point.

Lord Stiffupperlip: Another stonewall penalty denied, which could have won us the game. But how & why were they given theirs? Must be the softest penalty award ever!

Monkey Hanger: Still a penalty as one of our lads charged into the back of one of theirs in the box. Soft maybe but did Kayden go down too easy with the push. Penalty for me anyway as contact was there. just going off the highlights which was not the ref's view.

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 A topsy-turvy August on the pitch for Notts County has ended on a somewhat sour note as the Magpies were held to a 2-2 draw by Accrington Stanley on Friday night.

In the first League Two fixture of the weekend, rescheduled due to a clash with the neighbours over the Trent, the Magpies edged into a 1-0 half time at Meadow Lane lead thanks to Jon Stead's penalty.

Things got even better for Kevin Nolan's charges as they doubled their lead in the 54th minute through Jorge Grant, but for the second consecutive game, this was to be wasted.

First, Mark Hughes looped home a volley, then in injury time, after a player from each side had been sent off, Mallik Wilks struck the equaliser.

Pride of Nottingham was at the Lane for the game, and as always, we spoke with fans and took pictures of them. See if you've made it in this week's Faces of PON!

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Notts County's August match action has come to an end, with their last fixture of the month seeing them held to a 2-2 draw with Accrington Stanley at Meadow Lane on Friday night.

Whilst two wins, a defeat and a draw would seem like a fair enough tally from the first month of the League Two season, there is a sense of wasted opportunity from this fixture given the opposition successfully clawed back a two-goal deficit.

Jon Stead's successful spot kick midway through the first half and Jorge Grant's early second half strike were cancelled out through Mark Hughes's goal and loanee Mallik Wilks's equaliser five minutes into injury time.

Other notable occurrences in the game were Stanley goalkeeper Aaron Chapman's heroics in between the sticks, red cards for Notts man Matt Tootle and opposition sub Mekhi McLeod, and a performance from referee Carl Boyeson which has come under scrutiny from both sets of fans.

Here are the highlights from Notts County's official YouTube channel - see all four goals again and relive all the drama from the game.

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A rollercoaster August on the pitch for Notts County has ended on a somewhat sour note as the Magpies were held to a 2-2 draw by Accrington Stanley.

In Friday night's League Two fixture at Meadow Lane, rescheduled due to a fixture clash with the neighbours over the Trent, the Magpies edged into a 1-0 half time lead thanks to Jon Stead's penalty.

Things got even better for Kevin Nolan's charges as they doubled their lead in the 54th minute through Jorge Grant, but for the second consecutive game, this was to be wasted.

First, Mark Hughes looped home a volley, then in injury time, after a player from each side had been sent off, Mallik Wilks struck the equaliser.

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.

Share your thoughts about this vlog on Pride of Nottingham 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 gave the travelling Black and White Army a real scare in their 4-2 win over Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park on Sunday.

The League Two clash began superbly for the Magpies, who took the lead through a Richard Duffy header before being gifted a goal thanks to a defensive calamity finished off by Adam El Abd's own goal.

However, the Chairboys came back strongly in the second half and drew level, with Nick Freeman and Joe Jacobson striking back and leaving Notts rattled.

Just as it seemed like the visitors would crumble, up stepped Jonathan Forte to edge the Magpies back into the lead, before laying the groundwork for Lewis Alessandra to add the killer fourth.

The highlights of the match are up on the official Notts website - relive the emphatic match or, if you weren't there, see for yourself how things went down.

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Notts County's season continues to move in an upwards trajectory after an impressive display - albeit with a temporary blip - in a 4-2 win at Wycombe Wanderers in Saturday's League Two encounter at Adams Park.

Richard Duffy opened the scoring with a header and some comical defending led to Adam El Abd scoring an own goal to see the Magpies two goals up early on, a position retained at the break.

Wycombe, to their credit, fought back and clawed two goals back, but perseverance from Notts saw Jonathan Forte claw his side back into the lead before he laid the groundwork for Lewis Alessandra to add a killer fourth.

In this article, Pride of Nottingham looks at several aspects of the game, from the performance to whether the result was fair, and how to build on from a successful weekend.

Was the result fair?

It’s refreshing to write this - Notts fully deserved the win and, although claiming all three points was made tougher by allowing Wycombe back into the game, County fully deserved to power on and claim the win, so absolutely fair!

How did Notts play?

Notts put together a fine performance in the first half, with the pressure heavily preventing Wycombe gaining any forward momentum. The opening goal saw a surge from Notts, and for the most part the football was bright. In the second half, we saw that jagged play return and Notts looked out of the game after conceding twice. Yet things clicked after Jonathan Forte scored and Notts seemed hungry for more goals!

How did Wycombe Wanderers play?

First half they were simply outclassed, and looked certain to fall victim to a heavy defeat – yet Gareth Ainsworth managed to spark a temporary revival which saw the host take the game to the visitors. Overall they put together a heroic performance but fell short when it truly mattered.

Did our tactics work out?

Kevin Nolan introduced Jorge Grant to the starting 11, and applied tactics, which would cast doubts over the ‘route one’ claims – in the first half Notts played some very good football, showing no fear against Wycombe and working hard. A relapse briefly, mostly due to a loss of focus – would eventually see two substitutions fix anything that may not have been working. The tactics from the word go, to the in-game plans worked a treat!

How did the referee perform?

There were some dubious decisions, yet he largely allowed the football to flow throughout the game and would only fall to some very minor criticism from me.

Who do we play next?

Accrington Stanley, who are they? Don’t forget that the game is played on Friday 25th due to the Forest game.

How should we play them?

It’s hard to consider any changes after the recent results, and performances, there are very few things to suggest. Others may wish to see Adam Collin dropped for Ross Fitzsimons but this is extremely unlikely to happen. Given the opportunity to add a bit of pace upfront instead of Jon Stead is the only change I would suggest. Notts must continue the direct approach, whilst maintaining the spirit to score and of course ensuring the play stems from the floor. I would suggest that centre of the park is the ideal area for us to explore, as there should be more time to create chances there.

Wycombe fans view (courtesy of Gasroom.org):

fedup1980: There is no denying that the quality of our football is very poor regardless of the goals.

Shev: Left ourselves too much to do. Three of their four goals were horribly soft. At least we are finding the net - 7 in 3 games, but 8 conceded is not going to cut it.

bill_stickers: I'm less angry at the 4-2 than I was at 2-0. At least we played some footie second half and it was entertaining. Their third was undeserved but the fourth just shows how poor we are defensively compared to two years ago.

Shev: It did show something to get back to 2-2, but it is a shame we look so wobbly every time a ball is knocked into our box. There are going to be a lot more high scoring games, seeing as so far both teams are guaranteed two goals just for showing up.

Glenactico: Similar game to Cheltenham. Stinking start left us chasing the game, then we stuff up the comeback with some woeful defending. I'd venture that our attacking football was better than County's. Second half we were excellent and looked a real threat. Could easily have put ourselves 3-2 ahead. Defensively we look horrible. Not winning enough in the air and Brown really hasn't inspired any confidence at all.

wformation: A disappointing result today, but the second half did show that we can play football which is enjoyable to watch. Unfortunately, the OG in the first half and the third goal, following a foul close to our penalty area, undid the improvement. If the squad maintain the style we played in the second half I think the rest of the season could be very exciting and certainly enjoyable. Already we have scored 7 but conceded 8. So we can't say we are not seeing many goals. With the injured players back who knows how much better we might get. COYB's

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Notts County bounced back from their 2017/18 League Two campaign opening-day 3-0 loss at Coventry City in impressive fashion, seeing off a dirty Chesterfield side 2-0 in Saturday's encounter at Meadow Lane.

A heated encounter, Gozie Ugwu should have earned a red card for a number of clashes with home players, and was hauled off at half time by Gary Caldwell.

Gibraltar international Scott Wiseman, meanwhile, did get his marching orders after hauling down Terry Hawkridge, denying him a clear goalscoring opportunity.

In the end, the encounter was settled by the man of the moment, Jorge Grant, whose looping header to break the deadlock was followed up by a spectacular free kick into the bottom corner of the Spireites net.

Pride of Nottingham was at Meadow Lane for the game and took plenty of photos as part of its regular Faces of PON feature - here are our top 5 pictures!

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

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Notts County put their woeful 3-0 defeat at Coventry City last week firmly behind them as they claimed a solid 2-0 win against Chesterfield in their first home game of the 2017/18 League Two season.

Jorge Grant proved to be the star once again with an impressive brace consisting of a looped header followed by a stunning free kick in injury time.

Prior to the loanee's goals, it was a heated, controversial game, with Gary Caldwell's side playing dirty and going down to ten men, though it could so easily have been nine bearing in mind Gozie Ugwu's antics.

The result gives Kevin Nolan's side their first win of the new campaign following the loss at the Ricoh Arena in League Two and also in the League Cup at Scunthorpe United.

Pride of Nottingham spoke to a number of fans prior to the Spireites game, asking them a number of questions about the opening games of the campaign and their hopes for the game ahead.

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Notts County got their first win of the 2017-18 League Two season on Saturday after beating a dirty Chesterfield side 2-0 at Meadow Lane.

A controversial and heated encounter, Gozie Ugwu should have earned a red card for a number of clashes with home players, and was hauled off at half time by Gary Caldwell.

Scott Wiseman, meanwhile, did get his marching orders after hauling down Terry Hawkridge, denying him a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Ultimately, Jorge Grant proved to be the star man for Notts once again, coming on as a second-half substitute and opening the scoring with a looping header before curling a wonderful free kick into the Spireites net in injury time.

In this article, Pride of Nottingham looks at several aspects of the game, from the performance to whether the result was fair, and how to build on from a successful weekend.

Was the result fair?

It was difficult to see how Notts would score without the changes made within the second half, Jorge Grant instantly made an impact and his direct approach was greatly lacking prior to his arrival, whilst he also gave the squad some calm edge within the final third. It’s harder to suggest that Notts didn’t deserve the 2-0 win, a superb header and free kick greatly warranted.

How did Notts play?

There were signs of that jagged play we saw against Coventry City in the opening day, however there was little sign of nerves. From a defensive perspective, Notts did very well with Dan Jones frequently winning the ball back or breaking down the play. Going forward Notts passed nicely, though play was often forced or simply rushed. For a debut home performance of the campaign, it was a decent showing by Notts.

How did Chesterfield play?

Quite poor, they moved well but often wasted chances. They looked like a side which knew they would struggle and because of this resorted to being physical – which wasn’t pretty at times. They got the ball into the channels and linked well, yet no real tests were offered bar the odd chance and a one on one with Adam Collin.

Did our tactics work out?

To a degree yes, however the line-up worked from the perspective that Notts wouldn’t concede easily but going forward we had little firepower – not due to a lack of effort or performance. Simply down to the way that Chesterfield played and for the fact we desperately lack pace. The second half changes were very well thought out and changed what was lacking within the first period.

How did the referee perform?

I thought he actually did very well, he seemed to miss things but generally play to continue. He didn’t seem to be on either team's side which makes a change, and I know he made some poor decisions but within League Two I expect this.

Who do we play next?

Everton Under-21s in the EFL Trophy / Checkatrade Trophy; league-wise it’s Wycombe Wanderers who will be another stern test for the Magpies.

How should we play them?

We need Jorge Grant to start, it’s hard to see how we can maximise our creativity from midfield without him. Apart from that, I would keep the line-up very similar to the Chesterfield game – perhaps resting Jon Stead. Adam Collin deserves to retain his place despite opinions, the defence is hard to change after the 2-0 home win and the midfield just needs to think before rushing decisions.

Going into the EFL Trophy Notts should use it to experiment with the strike options, along with one or two changes in midfield.

Here's what Chesterfield fans thought of the game, courtesy of Thecfss.co.uk:

Turrhall: We've been the better team, not by much, but better. Ref atrocious.

Spireitefitzy: If he can get a win from here then Caldwell's stock will go up. Just a shame he has a ready made excuse if we lose. No natural wide players on the pitch and playing strikers wherever he feels like, it's poor and lessens our chances lf winning.

Heart of a Niven: [Joe Anyon] looks tiny in goal. He has absolutely no presence and may as well be on the end of a Subbuteo stick for all the good he does.

Spireitefitzy: Not a sending off, but shouldn't really be putting your arms up there to give the ref the opportunity. Ugwu should be off and serving a three game ban but it was missed, not sure if they can go retrospective if it's not reported so shouldnt be any repercussions. He doesn't look up to this level though.

Westbars Spireite: 8-0 on corners suggests a 1-sided game. I know today is only the second league game (and likely defeat) but things could go very wrong, very quickly for Caldwell off the back of last season's farce. He earned no goodwill at all and has to change things quickly. Now would be a good start.

Spire_78: Could sack Caldwell... probably should for his record alone if nothing else - except i'd have more confidence in Kim Jong-un choosing a replacement. The problems run far far deeper than just a poor manager and a collection of mediocre players. The club is being ruined gradually from the top seemingly without a care in the world - genuinely starting to fear for our League future, if this continues we could quite easily follow the likes of Stockport and York.

gordon_brittas: Lowest ebb, and I can see it getting worse if changes aren't made. Two league defeats to bang average opponents. God knows what the score will be when we play the Luton's and Coventry's of this league.

Exharboroughspireite: This has been coming ever since we didn't roll the dice and backed cook for the final push. Sadly I can't see this having a turnaround until either Allen puts some substantial cash into the club again or finds another buyer. The day to day running of the club Is a disgrace and Caldwell appears to be the third manager on the bounce who simply cannot hack it.

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Notts County got their first win of the 2017-18 League Two season on Saturday after beating a dirty Chesterfield side 2-0 at Meadow Lane.

A controversial encounter, Gozie Ugwu should have earned a red card for a number of clashes with home players, and was hauled off at half time by Gary Caldwell.

Scott Wiseman, meanwhile, did get his marching orders after hauling down Terry Hawkridge, denying him a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Ultimately, Jorge Grant proved to be the star man for Notts once again, coming on as a second-half substitute and opening the scoring with a looping header before curling a wonderful free kick into the Spireites net in injury time.

Pride of Nottingham was at Meadow Lane for the first home game of the season and is delighted to have taken plenty of pictures, both of the game and of the Black and White faithful.

See if you're in this week's Faces of PON! COME ON YOU PIES!

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

Notts County grabbed their first league win of the 2017/18 League Two season in impressive fashion, seeing off a dirty Chesterfield side 2-0 in Saturday's encounter at Meadow Lane.

A game laden with controversy, Gozie Ugwu should have earned a red card for a number of clashes with home players, and was hauled off at half time by Gary Caldwell.

Gibraltar international Scott Wiseman, meanwhile, did get his marching orders after hauling down Terry Hawkridge, denying him a clear goalscoring opportunity.

In the end, the encounter was settled by Jorge Grant, whose looping header to break the deadlock was followed up by a spectacular free kick into the bottom corner of the Spireites net.

Notts have put up the highlights of the game on YouTube - have another look for yourself how the Magpies got on and relive Grant's moments of magic.

Share your thoughts about the Chesterfield game on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans.

Notts County are preparing for the first home game of the 2017/18 League Two season, hosting local rivals Chesterfield at Meadow Lane on Saturday.

The Magpies did not get off to a particularly good start, losing 3-0 at Coventry City last week, but a much-changed team put in an impressive display at Scunthorpe United in the League Cup on Tuesday, taking the League One side all the way to penalties at Glanford Park.

Now, the clock is ticking down to the opportunity to see Notts back on hallowed turf, and what better way to start than against a local enemy who was relegated last season? It's a pretty exciting fixture and it should hopefully be a good game - with Notts getting the spoils (hopefully!).

Pride of Nottingham spoke to two Notts fans, Jürgen Halligan and Nigel Nattrass, about their thoughts on how the game against Chesterfield will pan out, as well as a couple of general questions about themselves and how they see the season going.

Jürgen Halligan

Jürgen has been a Notts fan since 1974 - he had previously never been to a football match so he wandered down to Meadow Lane to see Notts beat Oxford 4-1 and got bitten by the Black and White bug.

His favourite Notts player of all time is Don Masson, while his favourite current Magpie is Shola Amoebi.

Q1) What games between Notts and Chesterfield do you remember from years gone by?

I can remember losing 2-1 at Saltergate and Jack Lester continously diving.

Q2) Which of the East Midlands derbies this season are you looking forward to the most?

Has to be Mansfield.

Q3) Are you worried about our start to the season or should things be alright?

Only played one league game, long way to go.

Q4) Out of all the new signings, who do you think will have the most impact?

Ryan Yates looks a very good loan signing.

Q5) Where do you think Notts will finish this season?

10th in the table.

Q6) Who do you think will finish in the top 3, in the playoffs, and in the bottom two?

Top three: Luton, Coventry, Port Vale. Playoffs: Mansfield, Swindon, Exeter, Forest Green. Bottom two: Yeovil and Morecambe.

Nigel Nattrass (aka Natty)

Natty has supported Notts since 1970. He was born into a Notts supporting family and is athird, if not fourth, generation fan. His grandad saw the last game at Trent Bridge and the first game at Meadow Lane.

His favourite all-time player is Don Masson, while his current pick is Jorge Grant.

Q1) Have you ever been to Saltergate and/or the Proact Stadium?

I went to Saltergate many times since the early 1970s. Been two or three times to the Proact because I follow the development / youth team when I can.

Q2) Which of the East Midlands derbies this season are you looking forward to the most?

All of them... but particularly Lincoln.

Q3) What fixtures are you most looking forward this season and why?

The playoff final!! And Forest Green Rovers away (new ground for me).

Q4) Who should be playing in goal - Collin, Fitzsimons or Pindroch?

Fitzsimons, based on his display on Tuesday night.

Q5) Who do you think will be our key player this season?

Jorge Grant.

Q6) Promotion this season - yes or no?

I think automatic promotion is asking too much, but I'll be disappointed if we aren't at least in with a shout of making the playoffs come Easter. I see no reason why we shouldn't make the playoffs and then anything can happen.

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To say I was optimistic about Coventry that is an understatement, however I really enjoyed the travel. I had quick kip on the coach and was awaken by @magpiejue gently nudging me. I didn’t sleep all that well the night before, however the first thing I saw was the Ricoh Arena.

From the outside it looks too big to be in League One, let alone the fourth tier of English football.

That feeling I had at Stevenage emerged but the atmosphere wasn’t the same, I spoke to virtually everyone I know and some new faces and ‘I’d take a draw today’ was the common reply.

Pre-match for me wasn’t like a typical League Two game, for me it reminded me of playing at an higher level and I got that hopeful feeling that we could do something special – Notts honestly deserves a good season merely for all the loyal supporters who travel to virtually every game and devote their wholeheartly support to the club.

Here are my five favourite pictures from Coventry City v. Notts County

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