Alan Hardy on Notts County EFL Cup draw with Middlesbrough and getting another striker

Alan Hardy has claimed that Notts County's EFL Cup game at Middlesbrough will be a "great test" for both teams.

The Magpies will make the journey to the Riverside Stadium in the week commencing August 13 and will take on a side which reached the Championship playoffs last term.

Notts played Boro away in the League Cup in September 2006 and famously won 1-0 in front of 11,148 fans.

"It will be a great test for both teams," Hardy told the Nottingham Post.

"Boro will naturally be favourites with the bookmakers, but we proved last year during our FA Cup run that we will give anybody a game.

"We took Swansea to a replay and they were in the Premier League, and we also beat Championship Brentford.

"I am really looking forward to it. It's an excellent stadium, the pitch should be in supreme condition and who knows what can happen on the night.

"We will go there, give it our best shot and see where that takes us."

Hardy also revealed that he is looking to add a fourth striker to the senior ranks, likely a loanee or an academy player.

"We are actively looking for a fourth striker but that fourth striker will either be a loan player or a rising star from the academy such as Remaye Campbell," he told the Post web chat.

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