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Stuart Maynard: Morecambe clash a stern test as Notts County seek to bounce back


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Notts County head coach Stuart Maynard has called for a strong response from his squad as they prepare for tomorrow's away fixture against Morecambe. 

The Magpies head into the match on the back of their first defeat of the season, a narrow 1-0 loss to Gillingham. Despite this setback, County remain 4th in the League Two table, and Maynard is confident his side can return to winning ways.

Reflecting on the defeat to Gillingham, Maynard expressed confidence in his squad's overall performance, emphasising that their display did not reflect the result.

"I believe we were the better team within the game," he stated. "We should have been 2 or 3 nil up at half time. Even in the second half, we limited them to very few chances and created a lot ourselves."

Despite the loss, Maynard remains focused on the positives, pointing to the importance of maintaining performance levels as key to future success.

"Big moments within that game went against us," he said, "but the confidence in the group is very high. We’re firm believers in performance levels, and the performance levels all season have been very high. We’ve got to take that into Saturday now."

Maynard’s thoughts ahead of the Morecambe fixture reflect his awareness of the challenge posed by a side that has been struggling for points but remains competitive in every match.

"When you look at their scores, there’s always one goal within it," he observed. "They’ve probably been a little bit unlucky in a lot of their games that we’ve watched, with big moments not quite going their way."

The Morecambe game, Maynard added, will be anything but straightforward. "We’re fully prepared, we’re aware of what they bring, and we’ve got to be fully focused," he noted.

"This league’s relentless. You can’t look at league positions at this stage of the season, because there’s a lot of factors that determine why teams are where they are. Their performances have been very high, even if the results haven’t always followed."

In terms of team news, the head coach confirmed that Alassana Jatta, who has been side-lined with a concussion, will not be available for the trip to Morecambe. Jatta has returned to non-contact training, but the club is closely following the concussion protocols.

"We’ve just got to make sure that we manage it right with him because it’s a very serious thing with the concussion protocols," Maynard explained. "His welfare is more important than anything else."

Maynard also touched on the impressive progress of some of the club’s younger players, many of whom featured in the recent EFL Trophy clash against League One opposition.

"We believe in young players," he said. "If you’re good enough, you’re old enough. They didn’t just come in to make up the numbers, they performed to a very high level."

He singled out one young talent in particular, Kameron Muir, who made history by becoming the youngest player ever to make a first-team appearance for Notts County at just 15 years and 32 days old.

"He’s a special talent," Maynard praised. "He performs way above his age. He’s so level-headed and humble, which is a huge credit to him and his family. But we’ve got to manage him carefully."

Looking ahead to the game itself, Maynard is clear that Morecambe’s direct and aggressive style of play will pose a significant test for his side. "Morecambe are very committed to the press, very aggressive," he said. 

"They put a lot of balls into the box, and we’ve got to be prepared to deal with that. But I believe we’ve got that within our group now."

With the challenges of Morecambe away tomorrow and Carlisle away just days later, Maynard is under no illusions about the demanding schedule ahead, both for the squad and the club’s loyal fanbase.

"It’s a huge credit to our fans, the way they travel up and down the country," he said. "The journey does take it out of you a bit, but we’ve got the right protocols in place to recover and be ready to go again."

For Maynard and his team, tomorrow's match at Morecambe offers the perfect opportunity to show resilience and re-establish their momentum as they seek to solidify their promotion ambitions.

Jacob Bedeau has admitted that this weekend's clash against Morecambe is one he’s eagerly awaited since joining Notts County. Read his full thoughts on Pride of Nottingham and share your take on facing his former club!

Join the match discussion on Pride of Nottingham and have your say on the upcoming Morecambe vs. Notts County fixture! Let's hear your predictions, Magpies fans!



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Morecambe might be struggling, but their aggressive style could definitely put us under pressure. I trust Maynard has a solid game plan for this one.

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Tomorrow's fixture against Morecambe is indeed a stern test, but I believe in the squad's ability to bounce back. Our performance against Gillingham was not reflective of the result, and it's good to see Maynard focusing on the positives. Morecambe's pressing and aggressive style will definitely test our defence, but if we stay focused and maintain our high performance levels, we can turn things around. It’s also a big opportunity for our younger players to step up and show what they’re made of, especially with the likes of Muir shining so brightly. Come on, Notts!

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i have faith not only in this squad to continue to impress and fight for promotion, but also stuart maynard. he has done well, we were unlucky to lose to gillingham. it was mostly out of our control, so if we can step up and work hard to secure a win it would be a good boost.

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We must believe in and support the lads. Although we all want promotion, every match will be a challenge, but a strong start is crucial.

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Every game in league 2 is going to be a stern test & the match against Morecambe will be no exception.

They made a great comeback after being 0:2 down the other night & they showed lots of character & determination to come back & force a draw, & could have easily won the game against Fleetwood in the end 

Every single side in League 2 will raise their game against Notts so Notts have to be at their best every time.

If Notts play to their capabilities they should be too strong for Morecambe however, at this point I would take a draw as a good result.

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Facing Morecambe away is never a walk in the park, but it’s heartening to see Maynard’s faith in the lads. We put in a sterling performance against Gillingham, even if the result didn’t go our way. That’s football for you, isn’t it? The key is to keep up those high standards. Morecambe’s pressing game is something we need to be cautious of, but I have every confidence our boys are up to the task. It’s a pity about Jatta, but the welfare of the players must always come first. And it’s truly uplifting to see young talents like Kameron Muir getting their chance. Tomorrow’s match is vital for us to regain our footing and maintain our momentum in the league. Our supporters deserve nothing less than a top-notch performance!

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Maynard’s balanced and thoughtful approach is exactly what we need following the Gillingham match. His recognition that we played well despite the loss shows a lot of maturity. Morecambe’s style indeed poses a unique challenge, and it wouldn’t be wise to underestimate them despite their position.

Our team’s high performance levels must continue, and this game is a perfect opportunity to showcase our resilience. It’s a tough break not having Jatta, but following concussion protocols is paramount. Also, giving younger players like Muir a chance demonstrates our depth and future potential. The match at Morecambe might be testing, but I believe in our squad’s strength and ability to secure a win.

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Maynard’s comments about our performance and his positive outlook, even in the face of defeat, are truly encouraging. It’s evident that the team has been putting in a lot of effort and creating chances, even if the results haven’t always gone our way. Facing Morecambe’s aggressive style will be another challenge for our resilience and adaptability. However, we’ve consistently shown that we can rise to such occasions.

The absence of Jatta is certainly a setback, but prioritising player health is crucial. On a brighter note, the emergence of young talents like Kameron Muir highlights the club’s strong foundation. I’m optimistic about tomorrow’s match and eager to see how we fare against Morecambe.

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Stuart Maynard is starting to find his feet with the interviews. He doesn’t shy away from questions and answers them with enough detail as you would expect. It might not be to the level of Luke Williams, but I am enjoying seeing his confidence grow.

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