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Stuart Maynard Discusses the Key to Notts County’s Grit and Determination


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Notts County head coach Stuart Maynard shared insights into his team’s ongoing success as they prepare to welcome Harrogate Town to Meadow Lane.

The Magpies aim to continue their impressive form at home, which follows a resilient 1-1 draw against Barrow midweek and their recent hard-fought win over AFC Wimbledon.

Maynard expressed confidence in his team’s preparations for Harrogate, noting that recovery and rest have been key to maintaining performance levels.

“We recovered in Barrow the day after, which is very good,” he shared, explaining that this approach minimised fatigue and enabled the squad to focus fully on their upcoming fixture.

“We’re back in training today ready for the preparations,” he added, emphasising the importance of both mental and physical readiness.

While Notts County remains unbeaten away from home in League Two, their home form hasn’t always matched that consistency, with two recent home losses.

Maynard believes luck hasn’t been entirely on their side at Meadow Lane but is optimistic about the team’s potential in front of a home crowd. “At home, I don’t think we’ve had that bit of luck that we’ve probably needed... but once we get in front here, it’s very hard for teams to get back into the game,” he stated.

The home crowd’s energy, he explained, propels the Magpies to play at an even higher tempo when they’re in the lead.

The manager highlighted the squad’s mentality as a driving force, especially in away matches where Notts have frequently scored late goals.

Maynard praised the team’s composure, saying, “We’ve got that calmness this season... when we go behind, we’ve shown that we can come back with that calmness.” He acknowledged that some goals conceded early in games were less than ideal but remains focused on improving defensively, seeing these instances as part of the development process.

“It’s a little bit frustrating sometimes, the types of goals that we’ve conceded, but we’re working hard on the training ground to rectify that,” he assured fans.

Reflecting on their unbeaten away record, Maynard acknowledged that teams playing on home turf often press aggressively from the start, which has occasionally put Notts County on the back foot.

“Teams at home are a little bit more aggressive… willing to come out and put bodies forward,” he noted, attributing early concessions to the intensity opponents bring to their own grounds.

Despite this, he views the team’s resilience and ability to rebound as to their determination and focus.

As Notts County prepares to face Harrogate, who sit a few places behind them, Maynard downplayed the significance of the league table at this stage of the season.

“League tables only really matter once you start getting to the back end... when points become so valuable,” he remarked. Instead, he encouraged a game-by-game approach, with Harrogate now the main priority.

"Every game we go into... we want three points and we believe every game we go into we can get three points,” he stressed, underscoring the team’s commitment to securing maximum points.

Maynard’s optimism is further buoyed by their recent 1-0 home win against AFC Wimbledon, a team he described as one of the best defensive sides they’ve faced.

“The way that we defended our box on the day was excellent,” he noted, commending his squad’s discipline and control. For Maynard, this win serves as both a confidence boost and a sign of the team’s growing strength at home.

As Notts County looks to maintain their strong form, Maynard’s words resonate with the commitment to improvement and resilience.

With Meadow Lane as the setting, fans will be eager to see if the Magpies can add another three points to their tally and build momentum toward the season's second half.

Read our latest Pride of Nottingham article where David McGoldrick shares his thoughts on the Barrow draw, saying "scoring is what I live for."

Join the Pride of Nottingham community as we gear up for Notts County vs. Harrogate Town - share your thoughts and match predictions!



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Stuart Maynard has done a great job in making the Notts team very hard to break down.

Conceding just an average of a goal a game since the beginning of the season is testament to his coaching & his ability to organise the team into a tight fit unit 

It's dissapointing that the team have conceded early goals, but their ability to fight back & work hard to get back into a game is again a trait that Stuart has brought to the team 

If the team can continue to play in this way, I am sure that the positive results will continue to come.

Harrogate will be another tough nut to crack but this Notts team is up for the challenge & will work together as they have done in previous games this season, to get those vital three points on Saturday.

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It was definitely a gritty performance, but we managed to grab a point in tough conditions. Maynard’s decision to stay calm at half-time and make tactical adjustments paid off; you could see the shift in our play after Brown came on. Barrow were very organised and difficult to break down, so credit to the lads for their patience. McGoldrick’s penalty was just what we needed, especially given the pressure and antics from their keeper. The team showed great mental strength to stay composed in the later stages. Hopefully, we can work on our starts, going behind early puts a lot of pressure on us. Overall, it’s a decent result, and I’m sure we’ll build from here.

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We need to start getting the right results at home; the pressure should be on the visiting teams. Given how lush the Meadow Lane pitch is, we take great pride when we step onto the field. Our performances will improve, but for now, we must keep our form and make the most of the points we can earn. Stuart Maynard is doing very well, so I trust he will be ready for Saturday.

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The two home losses to Gillingham and Port Vale have been setbacks. Our performances since then haven't been great, but steady results show that we are a team capable of doing well at this level. Notts will need to dig deep on Saturday; this is a match we should win, and I believe we can do it with the right selection. I still think that bringing in a striker in January could give us a much-needed boost. I don't doubt Jatta or McGoldrick, but an additional option would help ease the pressure on our performances.

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So far, Stuart Maynard has been correct about the teams we have faced. However, getting the players to perform well enough to secure victories is a different challenge. 

The recent opposition has been quite tough. When we play on home soil, we must make every chance count.

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