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Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan has hailed Notts County's mental strength in coming from behind to claim a 1-1 draw at Stevenage on Saturday.
The Magpies fell to a 3-0 defeat at Broadhall Way back in March but were a tougher proposition this time round, Elliott Hewitt cancelling out Danny Newton's opener.
"Back in March we capitulated here after going 1-0 down and we didn't look like getting back into the game,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post.
"But now we have a mentality whereby we want to work our way back into the game and, once we do, go to win it.
"The players are in a good place at the minute and we have to continue working hard and keep doing what we do.
"You saw a lot of quality from us - I am delighted with some of the play."
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Joe Jones
Notts County have claimed a 1-1 draw in Saturday's League Two encounter at Stevenage.
The Magpies fell behind at Broadhall Way through Danny Newton's 38th-minute strike, but levelled through Elliott Hewitt in the second half.
Stevenage then found themselves repelling numerous attacks from the visitors and were lucky to hold out until the final whistle and ensure a share of the spoils.
Combined with Cheltenham Town's 97th-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Luton Town, the draw ensures Notts remain at the top of the table.
Here is the reaction from Notts manager Kevin Nolan, several players, and the Black and White Army following the game at Broadhall Way.
Kevin Nolan
"We could have won it and I don't think people would have been able to argue if we did. We dominated the second half.
"I was disappointed after the start we made. We were on top in the first 10-15 minutes but took our foot off the pedal a bit and let Stevenage into the game.
"They scored from a third phase from a free-kick which we gave away sloppily so we were disappointed to go in 1-0 down at half-time. We have to stop doing that.
"But we have to respect the point. I'm delighted with the squad. They are where they deserve to be."
Elliott Hewitt
"The first half wasn't good enough today. But in the second half I thought we dominated throughout.
"Maybe we deserved more, but you've got to respect the point away. It's a tough place to come, as we found out last year when we lost 3-0.
"Maybe last season we would have lost that game, starting the way we did, but all the lads stuck together.
"We've got a really good group here and got the draw."
Players on social media
 
 
The Notts fans
Nigel Nattrass: A hard-fought point, with Notts showing all the battling qualities and spirit that we’ve come to expect this season. Before the game I would’ve settled for a draw, and I suppose on the balance of things a draw was a fair result. But this was a game that Notts had the lions’ share of in terms of possession and territory, without really being able to open up the oppositions’ defence in the same way they’d done against Newport and Bristol Rovers. Chances for both sides were few and far between, but Notts had the bulk of the half-chances and with a little more incision in and around the box (perhaps with Shola Ameobi available) they may well have come home with all three points.
Stevenage are not by any means the most gifted of teams, but they are hard-working, well-organised, and play to their strengths. They are a physical side, although not exactly the dirty donkeys of a few years ago. But Notts are no shrinking violets of course, so stood up to the physical side and imposed their own game when they could. That meant the game was at times a bit niggly ( I lost count of the yellow cards but I think it was five for Stevenage and three for Notts).
I think for Terry Hawkridge and Ryan Yates this game was a touch too physical. Neither had much impact in the first half, although Hawkridge did shine a bit more after the break, playing a little further forward. In the first half he’d been playing a very rigid role, tucked in to the right of midfield, so wasn’t finding much space on the ball.
Elliot Hewitt's equaliser after about an hour came as a result of a misplaced square pass by a defender. Jorge Grant was fastest to react, collecting the loose ball and playing it inside for the onrushing Hewitt, who coolly picked his spot from just inside the box. The goal gave Notts a big lift and they went on to dominate the last 30 mins.
Grant, Stead, Brisley and Hewitt all went close to putting Notts in front, but couldn’t quite get their efforts on target under pressure from opponents.
We heard the Stevenage manager being interviewed on BBC Three Counties Radio on the way home, and he said he felt it was “a good point” for his team against a good side. No doubt Kevin Nolan is also satisfied with the performance of HIS team.
I am, too... but it's just a shame that we couldn’t turn all that possession into an extra goal. But hey ho....we’re still top of the league and we go again next weekend.
Liampie: Disappointed by the lack of performance in the first half but as Nolan says you got to respect the point. Stevenage it difficult to play for sure and they used their strikers well, I can't help but feel lucky considering their chances.
Chris: I'm also disappointed by the lack of application in the first half, and it did sound like we was considerably lucky at times not be stirring down at a defeat. Though I am delighted with the point which happened through hard work, its just one of those things which we can be thankful for because we still sit in a good position - previously this kind of result would have more concern but I guess we are writing our own luck at the minute. Stevenage clearly did their home work, so I just hope we learn to be quicker to assert our own presence over the opposition and take time to be more alert at the back (as it sounded quite poor at times). This month has some decent fixtures, it's just a shame this result wasn't better for that reason.
Upthepies: It's a good point when you think about the possible outcome. I do understand the frustration mentioned before me, we was poor in the first half but Nolan corrected this within the second half. It just goes to show that the old saying that its a game of two halves bares true. We also had a number of fantastic efforts within the second half, so either team could have won.
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Chris
This week, the biggest sports news company in the world officially backed Notts County to win the League Two title.
The Sky Sports League Two Predictor believes that the Magpies will finish top of the standings ahead of the likes of Luton Town, Coventry City and the other big sides in the division.
My initial reaction was yet again to pinch myself, as the 2017-18 League Two campaign really has been something much different than previous seasons and it’s something which I hope isn’t just the start – I hope it’s the beginning for more to come.
It also seems like Notts might be turning a small corner in the way that people view the club, I actually feel like we have returned to being the family club we've always strived to be and youngsters are seeming to buy into this also.
Being in a good position for promotion from League Two will naturally help, yet I feel we are becoming a fairly trendy side to support and although I would point out that it’s early days, I actually feel much of this is down to the takeover of Alan Hardy, as without him we wouldn’t have the right type of young manager at the helm.
Kevin Nolan certainly adds a lot of interest and I think this is shown even more so by how he’s linked within various clubs managerial positions.
But yeah, seeing the club tipped for promotion by the sports giant Sky – it seems so surreal.
Even seeing the club return back to first place is something that seems different, as usually we don’t have this much luck – in fact the recent draw against Stevenage would have perhaps seen us fall down the table previously.
Yet we have managed to remain top, even after a fairly frustrating dry spell too – so this says a lot about the current ambitions for the club.
I’ve been saying for a while just how much difference the hard work that goes into the club makes, and if we as fans are right – well, being where we are right in November is an excellent place to be.
Quite a few people have said to me that Notts haven’t given up a lead once we reached this point in the season, and I very much hope they’re right.
Christmas will be the spell where we will know more, yet I have faith that we can maintain pressure on promotion this season. Provided we can continue to grind out results, yet improve and move away from the relapses within the starts to games.
I’m not going to dwell on the route-one stuff, as I feel it’s being said more than enough now but we do look very good passing along the turf.
And as I mentioned earlier, I hope that this point is the beginning for more to come.
I honestly feel like the foundations are good and people care passionately about the club – not just in terms of us fans but the people who continue to restore the pride and traditions of this club.
Stability seems like a long time due, and if we continue to see players recognised within the Team of the Week – along with Kevin Nolan in contention for the Manager of the Month award(s), than surely Sky are onto something with their backing.
Although it’s flattering to be tipped for the League Two title, we still have more than half the amount of games left to be played and that’s a long way to go.
I’m just mindful of the expectations and added pressure, I just feel like it doesn’t change what we left to do. Nolan and his players just have to crack on with each game as they come, whilst avoiding disruption.
I’m quite content to enjoy the roller coaster remaining positive with regards to where we might finish, facts like these are nice but play no motivation towards me getting carried away at all.
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Joe Jones
Notts County have remained top of League Two thanks to a 1-1 draw away at Stevenage on Saturday afternoon.
The Magpies fell behind at Broadhall Way through Danny Newton's 38th-minute strike, but levelled through Elliott Hewitt in the second half.
Stevenage then found themselves repelling numerous attacks from the visitors and were lucky to hold out until the final whistle and ensure a share of the spoils.
Combined with Cheltenham Town's 97th-minute equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Luton Town, the draw at Broadhall Way / Lamex Stadium ensures Notts remain at the top of the table.
Relive the key moments from the game with the official Notts YouTube's match highlights.
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Chris
Notts County have been held to a 1-1 draw against Stevenage in Saturday's League Two encounter at Broadhall Way.
Danny Newton gave the hosts the lead seven minutes before the break, but Elliott Hewitt hit back for the Magpies before the hour.
Boro found themselves under pressure and had to dig deep to ensure they could hang on to a point come the final whistle.
In this Article, PON's Chris looks at how both sides played from an analytical and tactical level.
Was the result fair?
I think the result was spot on, both teams could have claimed victory but ultimately each side cancelled the other out. Whilst both clubs have suggested that they are deserving of the win, I think neither side captured the full 90 minutes and this makes the draw very fair in my opinion.
How did Notts play?
Stevenage made it very difficult for Notts within the first half, however our own problems at the back meant we struggled to assert ourselves properly and this played straight into their hands. In the second half Notts were much brighter and the confidence throughout lifted, it’s one of those Jackal type performances which needed better application within the whole game but the second half was pleasing. The draw came through hard-work more than anything, but it was a much improved second half for the Magpies.
How did Stevenage play?
As expected, they allowed their midfield and defence to break the game up. Whilst from a creative point of view their strikers never seemed out of ideas, they threatened throughout the game and had created some very good chances which should have been converted in the first half. That said, Stevenage were very physical and at times quite thuggish but they played well.
Did our tactics work out?
The issues weren’t so much tactical in the first half; it was more of a case of application on behalf of certain players. We invited the play and in turn this added pressure, but tactically we were fine – a few chances during the break on how to improve and more effort meant the tactics worked out well. Notts just needed to figure this out within the first half, as it could have been a different story had we have played how we did in the second half sooner.
How did the referee perform?
I felt he protected Stevenage more so than Notts, however he wasn’t the worst official to referee a League Two game – yet he did seem to have an home team advantage and it was equally frustrating to see fouls on our players ignored only for a softer incident to be awarded to Stevenage.
Who do we play next?
Cheltenham Town – I keep seeing fans mentioning how we have ‘winnable’ games within this month, and yes this game is one I would usually have in favour for Notts but the way I see things is that any game is one we could win. The Robins are like Stevenage, they’ll make it difficult for us and as such we need to be ready to play them and of course work harder on the field.
How should we play them?
I think if we play well the pressure will be off us, as the defenders don’t have a Matty Godden type player to deal with. We have to be confident from the off and practical within our thinking, how Notts attacks the game will be largely make things easier – as in control we will be able to keep the ball on the ground and move it wisely.
This is going to be important again, as likewise with Stevenage – Cheltenham know exactly how to play route on football. Nobody should underestimate their ability to play good football as their recent draw to Luton Town will highlight, yet there is an inconsistency to their performance and as such it’s one of those cases will they be up for it or won’t they?
I would suggest with us being top of the league at this stage it would be enough to say that they will be up for it, in which case Notts needs to be prepared and ready to highlight just how deserving we are to be in this position.
Another draw for me would be disappointing, yet if both teams play well for both halves’ I couldn’t complain – let’s just try to focus on playing solid football.
Stevenage fan views
Danny da Bass: A fair result in the end I think. Good 1st half and resilient 2nd. Smiths error was a blow but would have taken a point against the top team before the game on the back of a dire run. I though King was emence and Pett had a reasonable shift. I was happy with the back 4 line up and thought this was to nullify their physical frontline. TVC is the better CB but perhaps a little inexperienced and not so physical. Wilkes could have cost us a pen. Overall happy.
Tucks: I'd have taken it before the game. On the balance of the play I'd say they edged it but not by much so probably a fair result. Rankles a bit that we conceded from such a silly error. Poor pass back from Smith and Wilko didn't looked very interested in busting a gut to get to the ball (that may be my rose tints because I don't particularly rate Wilko mind). We're still in touching distance of the play-offs and we've taken a point off the side on top of the table at present so it could be worse.
Peanut: Agree that it's a good point but unless putting in a shift means running around looking lost and giving the ball away on the rare occasion you've actually shown for it, then Pett didn't have a good game
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Joe Jones
Elliott Hewitt has acknowledged that Notts County's performance in the first half against Stevenage was not good enough but believes the Magpies deserved more from the game at full time.
The Magpies fell behind to Danny Newton's strike in an unimpressive first half at Broadhall Way but Hewitt drew the visitors level and they could have easily took all three points following a marked improvement.
As it was, the final result was 1-1 and the Welshman insists that, although Notts would have been worthy of a win, the point must be respected given last season's hammering at the hands of Stevenage.
"The first half wasn't good enough today," Hewitt told the official Notts site "But in the second half I thought we dominated throughout.
"Maybe we deserved more, but you've got to respect the point away. It's a tough place to come, as we found out last year when we lost 3-0.
"Maybe last season we would have lost that game, starting the way we did, but all the lads stuck together. We've got a really good group here and got the draw."
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Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan has claimed that Notts County did enough to come away with all three points in their League Two encounter with Stevenage on Saturday.
The Magpies fell behind at Broadhall Way through Danny Newton's 38th-minute strike, but levelled through Elliott Hewitt in the second half.
Stevenage then found themselves repelling numerous attacks from the visitors and were lucky to hold out until the final whistle for a 1-1 final score.
"We could have won it and I don't think people would have been able to argue if we did," Nolan told the official Notts site. "We dominated the second half.
"I was disappointed after the start we made. We were on top in the first 10-15 minutes but took our foot off the pedal a bit and let Stevenage into the game.
"They scored from a third phase from a free-kick which we gave away sloppily so we were disappointed to go in 1-0 down at half-time. We have to stop doing that.
"But we have to respect the point. I'm delighted with the squad. They are where they deserve to be.
"In March (the 3-0 defeat) we capitulated after going 1-0 down and we didn't look like getting back into the game.
"But now we have a mentality whereby we want to work our way back into the game and, once we do, go to win it.
"The players are in a good place at the minute and we have to continue working hard and keep doing what we do.
"You saw a lot of quality from us - I am delighted with some of the play."
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Joe Jones
Notts County have come from behind to claim a 1-1 draw at Stevenage but were unlucky not to get all three points in Saturday's League Two encounter at Broadhall Way.
Having made widescale changes in the midweek defeat to Lincoln City in the EFL Trophy, Kevin Nolan reinstated all but one of the players who took part in the 4-2 win over Bristol Rovers in the FA Cup.
The only change in the starting XI from last Friday's game was Shola Ameobi, who was omitted from the squad altogether, Lewis Alessandra taking his place.
Notts were first to apply the pressure in the game, but the Stevenage defence stood firm as Ryan Yates fired an effort from range that was charged down.
Stevenage countered through Tom Pett, who blasted over from range, and Danny Newton, who saw his looping header crash off the crossbar after a delivery from Joe Martin out wide.
The hosts continued to have the better of proceedings and went on to break the deadlock on 40 minutes when the dangerous Danny Newton fired home from 10 yards out after Notts failed to clear their lines following a free kick.
Jorge Grant came close to levelling on the stroke of half time from a free kick after Ryan Yates was clattered just outside Stevenage's area, but the ball went over after skimming the crossbar.
The restart saw Darren Sarll's side continue to threaten and Ross Fitzsimons had to be alert to keep out an effort at his near post after Newton had been played into the area with a dangerous ball over the top.
However, Notts soon upped their game and weighed in with key chances of their own, Jorge Grant coming close on two occasions in quick succession.
Eventually Kevin Nolan's charges found the equaliser and Grant played a key role, pouncing on a loose ball to charge down the left-hand side before cutting the ball back into the centre, where Elliott Hewitt claimed and slotted home.
From then on it was mostly one-way traffic as Yates, Grant, Jon Stead and Terry Hawkridge all came close to getting that crucial second goal, but ultimately the hosts held on for a share of the spoils.
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Joe Jones
Alan Hardy has revealed how Notts County have already identified "three or four" January transfer targets and admits that Meadow Lane is proving a much sought after destination for players.
The Magpies' season is going from strength to strength with the club sitting top of League Two and in the second round of the FA Cup.
It's a far cry from previous seasons, which have tended to degenerate into relegation struggles, and Hardy says the difference in form and club infrastructure has led to much more interest from agents ahead of the new year.
In his weekly Nottingham Post column, the Notts owner wrote: "It’s no surprise to me the manager’s phone has been red hot with agents asking us if we would like to sign their clients. I think it underlines the amazing progress we have made.
"Our position in the league table has undoubtedly helped. People can see we are building something special here and want to be part of our journey.
"It’s a completely different scenario to what we experienced in the last January window, when we missed out on players because of our perilous league position.
"One player who slipped through our grasp is now playing for our league rivals Mansfield Town.
"Having been made aware of his availability, we were hoping to sign him before Mansfield picked up the phone late on.
"You cannot lay any blame at the player’s door because we were second from bottom.
"We had suffered 10 straight losses and could have been playing non-league football this season, whereas Mansfield were safe.
"I would like to think now, if he was making the same decision, he would choose us.
"That is a prime example of how your league position can affect a player who has a couple of clubs to choose from.
"But now, sitting top of the league, a position we hope to be in come the New Year, we have a great platform to see who is out there.
"We have already identified three or four we would like to bring in and, while it’s alright wanting them, it’s whether their clubs will let us have them."
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Joe Jones
Notts County and Stevenage have only ever met 11 times, the first meeting coming on 17 September 2011 at Broadhall Way (known as the Lamex Stadium) - the result on that day was 2-0 to the Magpies.
Our last meeting was on 4 March last season, and it proved a humbling day as Stevenage claimed a 3-0 win at Broadhall Way.
Our head-to-head record is five wins for Notts, five for Stevenage, and one draw. On a knife's edge then.
Stevenage in their current form have only been in existence since 1976, but there have been numerous incarnations of the club that stretch back over a century.
A club called Stevenage FC was formed in 1894, but they soon adopted the name Stevenage Town.
In 1951 the club were founder members of the Delphian League. In 1956 they merged with Stevenage Rangers to form Stevenage FC, before reverting to Stevenage Town four years later.
They had some success in the Southern League but folded in 1967, after which Stevenage Athletic were created in their place a year later. This incarnation again knocked about in the Southern League but went bankrupt in 1976.
Stevenage Borough, formed shortly after Athletic's demise, managed to prosper and work their way up the leagues until finally reaching the Football League in 2010, at which point they took the whole thing full circle by dropping the Borough from their name and becoming Stevenage FC.
Despite their relatively short history, Stevenage have won a number of trophies and competitions, including two FA Trophy cups in 2007 and 2009.
Broadhall Way holds 6,722 people, 3,142 of which can be seated. To put it into perspective, three full houses at Stevenage could fit into the Meadow Lane stands with 45 seats to spare.
The highest attendance recorded at the stadium was 8,040 for a match against Newcastle United in the FA Cup fourth round on 25 January 1998.
On that day a temporary stand was erected behind the away end to increase the stadium capacity to 8,100, enough to satisfy FA requirements.
Two films were set in and around Stevenage: "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush" and "Boston Kickout".
"Spy Game", meanwhile, was partly filmed in Stevenage but set in Washington DC.
A number of famous sporting figures were born in Stevenage, the most notable of which are Lewis Hamilton, Jack Wilshere, Ashley Young, Ian Poulter, Kevin Phillips and Jason Shackell.
Team news
Joe Fryer, Jack King and Jonathan Smith all missed training on Thursday and are likely to face fitness tests.
Defender Kevin Toner is suspended following his sending off at Yeovil Town, while forward Ben Kennedy is out following knee surgery.
Adam Collin remains sidelined so Ross Fitzsimons is likely to continue in goal behind Nolan's preferred back four of Matt Tootle, Richard Duffy, Shaun Brisley and Carl Dickinson.
Jon Stead and Shola Ameobi will probably start up front while Terry Hawkridge, Ryan Yates, Elliott Hewitt and Jorge Grant are the likeliest midfield four.
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Chris
So after the diversions of the FA Cup (a 4-2 win over Bristol Rovers) and the EFL Trophy (a 2-1 defeat at Lincoln City), Notts County get back to the main task of league football.
The Magpies proudly sit atop League Two and will be hoping to maintain their spot at the summit on Saturday when they take on Stevenage away.
Chris has written up a scouting report for the game and discusses how Notts should line up and approach their opponents at Broadhall Way.
History
Notts County and Stevenage have only ever met 11 times, the first meeting coming on 17 September 2011 at Broadhall Way (known as the Lamex Stadium) - the result on that day was 2-0 to the Magpies.
Our last meeting was on 4 March last season, and it proved a humbling day as Stevenage claimed a 3-0 win at Broadhall Way.
Our head-to-head record is five wins for Notts, five for Stevenage, and one draw. On a knife's edge then.
Run-down of their last six features
Saturday 30th September – Stevenage 2 Port Vale 0
Saturday 7th October – Crewe Alexandra 1 Stevenage 0
Saturday 14th October – Luton Town 7 Stevenage 1
Tuesday 17th October – Stevenage 3 Accrington Stanley 2
Saturday 21st October – Stevenage 1 Forest Green Rovers 2
Saturday 28th October – Yeovil Town 3 Stevenage 0
The Players – Fact Sheet
Highest Goal Scorers: Matt Godden 8, Danny Newton 6, Jonathan Smith 4 and Ben Kennedy 4.
Persistent Foulers: Jonathan Smith 5 yellow cards, Dale Gorman 3 yellow cards and 1 red card, Luke Wilkinson 2 yellow cards and 1 red card and Joe Martin 2 yellow cards.
The Key Players
Matt Godden is a very confident striker at this level, he enjoys working off the opposition defence and has the ability to find time within key areas due to his exceptions understanding of the game. His ability to read the game is what makes him stand out along with his natural shooting ability.
His strike partner Danny Newton is also a threat due to his knack of shooting from distance. He’s more of a standard player, yet his non-league days have aided his work-rate as he is a very hard worker both on and off the ball.
Joe Martin and Thomas Pett provide the creativity within midfield, they have goals within themselves but also are key to Stevenage’s attacks.
Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Stevenage build using simple passing which allows them to build whilst having options to pack out in order to cause difficulty in terms of defending from an opposition point of view.
They play the ball quite well on the ground when allowed, however they can revert to route-one football and look a very capable side within the same process.
Attacking-wise they have a real time spirit, which allows them to have a good understanding on how best to use the ball.
On the ball their organisation is quite good, but when pressured at the back, the defence tends to create their own problems.
At the back they are a very physical team which can draw fouls, however they allow their midfield to be the creative side and as such defensively they are quite reliable.
I do feel that drawing free-kicks from their defenders will be a way whereby Notts can get the ball into effective areas, whilst any player confident to have a go at goal will surely have them being mindful.
Notts simply have to play the ball on the ground, move within space and just overload their back line with our pace and aerial ability.
Hoofing the ball will only play into their hands, which will allow them to dictate the tempo and take hold of the game – so we must be confident within possession and understand that they will get wary when pressure is asserted onto them from a defensive point of view.
Playing with an attacking mind will take the edge of the game and allow it to open up, so let’s hope that players such as Jorge Grant, Shola Ameobi and Matt Tootle can find the space to influence the game.
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Joe Jones
Notts County assistant manager Richard Thomas has stressed that the club's players and staff have not forgotten last season's hammering at Stevenage and will be eager to put things right tomorrow.
On 4 March 2017, the Magpies travelled to Broadhall way and were beaten 3-0, with Matt Godden bagging a brace in a result that kept the visitors just five points from the drop zone.
Notts are an entirely different proposition this season, currently sitting top of the table, but Thomas insists the heavy beating there has not been forgotten and hopes his players will put in a performance to make up for it.
"We were walloped 3-0 down there last season and we've not forgotten that," Thomas told the Nottingham Post. "We want to get a bit closer to them this time around.
"I know Darren Sarll well, we've been friends for a long time. He will want to combine unbelievable hard work with good football, which is not a good combination to come up against.
"We've watched plenty of footage and I know they're a good side with plenty of threats."
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Joe Jones
Stevenage manager Darren Sarrl has claimed that his side's League Two encounter against Notts County at Broadhall Way will be a tight affair.
The hosts currently sit 11th in the table but with things as tight as they are they are just three points off the playoffs.
Notts, meanwhile, top the standings and will be eager to build on their impressive wins over Newport County and Bristol Rovers.
“Notts County are a very decent side in League Two," Sarll told the official Stevenage site. "It will be a tough game and they will have a strength about their play, just like I hope Kevin has identified a strength about our play.
"On the day if we are as good and enthused as we were on Tuesday night, we will have no problems. I still state we are a very good side in this league and we are playing against another.
"These games should be quite tight with very few opportunities. It is very much like that and there has obviously been a big improvemnt at their football club and their stability under new ownership that makes them very competitive."
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Joe Jones
Terry Hawkridge has claimed that Notts County will need to be smart and strong to remain top of League Two, while every player, from the indispendables to the back-ups, must play their part.
The Magpies' league campaign was put on hold as the team competed in the FA Cup and EFL Trophy, but on Saturday it resumes with a trip to Stevenage.
“We just have to be smart,” Hawkridge told the Nottingham Post. “We know teams are going to want to beat us just because we are top of the league.
“It’s all about being professional in your job and taking each game as it comes. We have to do our own thing and be strong.
“Obviously I have been there with Lincoln and we dealt with it really well.
“The manager there told us we were only as good as our last game. And I just think the squad here is going to have a major part to play.
“You need to be able to rotate and we’ve got that. We’ve had players coming off the bench scoring winners and I think the squad is big enough to do the job.”
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Joe Jones
Notts County loanee Ryan Yates has claimed that scoring four goals in his last five games has been beyond his wildest expectations and is hoping to weigh in with more contributions.
The 19-year-old's brace was crucial in the FA Cup first-round turnaround against Bristol Rovers and also chipped in with goals against Barnet and Carlisle United in November.
"Since the start of the season I've been telling Mark Crossley, who organises our set-pieces, to get me in the box!" Yates, speaking to the Notts official site, joked.
"My role is about keeping things simple but I'm still young, raw and learning. I would like to add goals to my game and keep chipping in with them.
"To get four goals in five games has been beyond my wildest expectations but I just have to keep having the knack of being in the right place at the right time.
"I have to give credit to the balls being put into the box. They're unbelievable. I've never known a team to be so good at set-pieces - we've scored so many goals from them already this season.
"When Carl Dickinson is standing over a free-kick I know it's going to be worrying for the goalkeeper but there are six or seven of the lads who put them in the top corner on a regular basis in training. It's unbelievable."
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Pride of Nottingham is an independent fansite devoted to Notts County, the world’s oldest professional football club. Created in 2013, it has served as a source of Magpie news, features, match previews, reports, analysis and interviews for more than three years.

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