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Joe Jones
Notts County secured League Two safety despite falling to a 3-1 defeat to Portsmouth at Meadow Lane on Monday.
Gareth Evans put Paul Cook's side ahead from the spot after a foul on Kai Naismith by Richard Duffy.
The Magpies drew level in the second half, however, when Jorge Grant found the corner from Elliott Hewitt's pass.
Jamal Lowe restored Pompey's lead with an angled shot in the second half and made sure of victory - and eventual promotion - with a second in the 90th minute.
The official Notts site has published the game highlights - see how the game panned out for yourself.
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Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan has attributed Notts County's 3-1 home defeat to Portsmouth as an off day but insists that his side will learn from it.
The Magpies fell behind to Gareth Evans's goal from the spot against after a foul on Kai Naismith by Richard Duffy before Jorge Grant found the corner from Elliott Hewitt's pass.
Jamal Lowe's double made sure of the points for Pompey, and with Luton Town drawing at Mansfield Town, the results gave the South Coast side promotion from League Two and set off celebrations among the away contingent at Meadow Lane.
"I am delighted for (Paul Cook) and (assistant) Leam Richardson, who is a good mate of mine," Nolan told the Nottingham Post. "I am delighted they have achieved what they set out for this year and wish them all the best going forward.
"I was just a bit disappointed in the way we managed the game. We just didn't do it as well as we have done in the past. Maybe we got caught up in the occasion a bit. But these lads have been fantastic since I walked in the door in January.
"We are going to have off days and today was one of them. But it's a learning curve and we will learn from it.
"Portsmouth are at the top of the league for a reason and they have been there all season. I thought for the majority of the game we matched them in bits and bobs, just not as consistent as we have been over the last five games."
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Joe Jones
Notts County's League Two status has been mathematically assured despite falling to a 3-1 defeat against Portsmouth in Monday's fixture at Meadow Lane.
The visitors took the lead in the 14th minute when Kal Naismith was brought down by Richard Duffy in the box and Gareth Evans stepped up to send Adam Collin the wrong way.
Kevin Nolan's charges, eager to force the visitors to put their promotion champagne on ice, stepped up a gear and Adam Campbell's cross in the Pompey box was threatening, but Jon Stead's connection was tame and David Forde caught with ease.
There was more trouble for the Magpies on the stroke of half time when Michael O'Connor had to be carried off on a stretcher having been clattered when he turned the ball back into the box.
However, the Magpies continued to look lively after the break and Matt Tootle found Campbell unmarked in the box, only for the forward to volley over the bar.
Indeed, Notts drew level in the 51st minute when Elliott Hewitt sent a lofted pass into the area and Jorge Grant met it to send a fine curling finish past Forde’s grasp and into the net.
However, the visitors were intent on getting the job done and, 12 minutes from time, Jamal Lowe picked the ball up outside the area, cut onto his right foot and drilled home past the diving Collin.
Notts fans thought they should have had a penalty soon after when Mark Yeates’s cross appeared to strike the hand of Christian Burgess, but it wasn't given.
Eventually the game was put beyond the hosts' reach when Lowe chipped Collin in the final minutes of the game to seal victory and, due to Luton Town's draw with Mansfield Town, confirmed their ascent to League One.
Despite the defeat and Nolan's first home defeat as Notts boss, however, second-from-bottom Newport County's revival was stunted with a 6-1 defeat at Plymouth Argyle which means that the Magpies would finish the day 11 points clear of them with just nine left to play for.
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Joe Jones
Notts County and Portsmouth have met a total of 29 times over the years, the first meeting coming on the 20th November 1926, which the Magpies lost 3-2 at Meadow Lane.
We have beaten Pompey 13 times and played out six draws, with the South Coast side winning on 10 occasions.
Between December 1992 and December 1994 the two teams played each other six times, with Notts failing to get a win in a run that saw three draws and three defeats.
Portsmouth have been champions of England twice, in 1949 and 1950. The club has also won the FA Cup on two occasions, in 1939 and most recently in 2008, and also reached the final of the competition in 2010.
Portsmouth were moderately successful in the 2000s, especially during the 2007–08 Premier League season, when they won the FA Cup, beating Cardiff City 1-0 in the final.
They subsequently qualified for the 2008–09 UEFA Cup competing against European heavyweights such as seven-times European Cup winners AC Milan.
During this period, Portsmouth were recognised to have a large number of international footballers, including England players Glen Johnson and Jermain Defoe, as well as Peter Crouch, David James and Sol Campbell.
However, financial problems soon set in and Portsmouth were relegated to the Championship in 2010.
In 2012 they were again relegated, to League One, and again, in 2013, to League Two.
They began the 2013–14 season in the fourth tier of the English football league system for the first time since the late 1970s.
Portsmouth became the largest fan-owned football club in England, after the Pompey Supporters Trust (PST) successfully gained possession of Fratton Park in April 2013.
Team news
Kevin Nolan has no new injury or suspension worries for Monday's game.
Michael O'Connor returned as captain and was on the scoresheet in the Magpies' 2-2 draw at Crewe Alexandra on Good Friday and is expected to keep his place.
Mark Yeates impressed as a substitute in that game and will hope to feature against Pompey
Likewise, Portsmouth have no fresh injury concerns ahead of their visit of Meadow Lane.
Noel Hunt is still missing so Gary Roberts, who scored on Friday against Plymouth, will retain his place up front.
Conor Chaplin is vying for a place in the starting line-up after coming off the bench in the draw with the Pilgrims.
Forwards Eoin Doyle and Curtis Main remain sidelined for the rest of the campaign.
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TheCalFoster
Haydn Hollis is a name that divides opinion amongst Notts fans.
The centre-back is a 6ft3, athletically built product of our youth system, who oozes professionalism and is an all-round nice guy.
Ever since breaking into the first team Hollis has shown signs of becoming a great strong solid lower-league centre back but the inconsistency and the bad spells he goes through have split the fan base's opinion of him.
He played a great part in the great escape of 2013/14 and for the first half of the 2014/15 - Hollis and a combination of Haydn Mullins / Louis Laing was excellent.
Hollis was producing the best form of his Notts career but the return of Mullins, plus Laing leaving, led to a poor ending of the season and resulted in relegation.
Then we had the "we'll score one more goal than them" approach of Ricardo Moniz which destroyed the defence and in turn made Hollis a scapegoat for the poor results which followed until the end of the season.
Under John Sheridan, Hollis lost just about every bit of confidence he had and his performances on the pitch suffered because of it.
Ever since Kevin Nolan arrived Hollis has been reborn, rebuilt, he’s sticking to what he knows - head it, boot it away, win the tackles, simple passes and been an attacking threat from set pieces.
The harshest Hollis critics can’t say that he hasn’t deserved his place in the starting line up. Nolan has worked wonders with the squad, players like Hollis just needed a bit of confidence, praise and guidance.
You can’t fault Hollis’ commitment and attitude, even slotting in at left-back for one game. The partnership between Hollis and Duffy it may not be the strongest but together they know their roles and with each game that passes by the signs of a solid foundation for next season are starting to appear.
I’m not saying Hollis is going to be the best defender in League Two, he’s still prone to the odd mistake here and there such as against Crewe on Friday but if he wasn’t he would be further up the footballing pyramid - but he is starting to show signs of maturity for a 24 year old defender who has played 140 games, 128 of them for Notts chipping in with 7 goals for us.
I hope Nolan and Hardy do offer Hollis, Richard Duffy and Thierry Audel new deals. Yes, they have their flaws and yes, we will need another proven centre-back to offer competition and take over should any of the three mentioned let their standards slip.
Should Hollis continue improving and learning from the mistakes he makes along the way, there’s no reason why he won’t earn a new deal and extend his five-year spell in and around the first team.
Love him or loathe him, he is one of our own, let’s start treating him like that. Now is the time for Haydn to reach the potential he has have, prove the doubters wrong and show us he can be consistent and deserves to be in this team for next season.
Haydn Hollis, he’s one of our own...
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Joe Jones
Matt Tootle is looking forward to Monday's "massive" League Two home game against Portsmouth, claiming that the anticipated record crowd and buzzing atmosphere is a sign of "how far the club's come and where it's going".
The Magpies will be welcoming to Meadow Lane a Pompey side which could seal promotion out of the fourth tier, where they have been languishing since 2013 following catastrophic financial hardship which is now behind them.
Notts are also smiling after their own off-the-pitch problems came to an end when Alan Hardy took over the club this year, with manager Kevin Nolan all but guiding the side out of relegation danger and the future looking much rosier for the previously beleagured NG2 side.
Tootle is relishing not only the prospect of a big crowd and atmosphere, but also the opportunity for the team to test themselves against high-flying opposition.
The defender told the official Notts site: "It's a massive game, Monday. It will be a really good day for everyone and it will show how far the club's come, and where it's going.
"It's a good test for us. We beat Plymouth a few months ago, we beat Portsmouth away and we'll show on Monday that we're just as good, if not better than them.
"This should really be a top-of-the-table clash. It will be a great game and a great crowd - and I can't wait."
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Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan has claimed that while he has fond memories of being promoted at an away game, he does not want Portsmouth to be enjoying a promotion party of their own at Meadow Lane on Monday.
Pompey face Notts County in Nottingham in two days' time and, should they beat the Magpies and Luton Town drop points, they will be promoted to League One.
Nolan enjoyed a promotion party at Plymouth Argyle seven years ago as part of the Newcastle United squad, and remembers how the Pilgrims allowed them to celebrate at Home Park.
"We went to Plymouth and what happened there was fantastic," Nolan told the Nottingham Post.
"They got relegated on the same night we won the title, but they were brilliant to us as a club. They allowed the celebrations and put all the songs on for us and things like that. It was a first class attitude from them.
"If Portsmouth do get promotion then they will get a shake of the hand from me. We will maybe have a glass of champagne on their behalf, but we don't want that scenario to happen.
"I told the lads I don't want the party at our place. We've just got to make sure we keep the run going.
"The last I heard was they (Portsmouth) had sold nearly 5,000 tickets. It's going to be a good day, but what we have to do is make sure we don't get carried away with everything that's going on around the game.
"We have to make sure we do what we have been doing at home which is making it difficult for Portsmouth and deliver the kind of performances we have been producing of late.
"It's another one for the lads to put a statement out there which says I am ready for next year."
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Joe Jones
Notts County were denied a clear penalty in Friday's 2-2 draw with Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road.
Chris Dagnall cancelled out Adam Campbell's early opener for the Magpies, before captain Michael O'Connor restored the visitors' lead with a second-half finish against his former club.
However, County's hopes of recording a fifth straight win were dashed when James Jones made amends for gifting the visitors their early lead.
Kevin Nolan's charges should have had a penalty late on when Shola Ameobi was brought down by goalkeeper Ben Garratt in the box, but referee Gavin Ward ended up penalising the Newcastle striker instead.
See all the goals and the penalty shout for yourself with Notts County's official match highlights.
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Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan has hailed the Notts County fans for turning out in their numbers at Crewe Alexandra and giving them incredible support all through the game.
A total of 1,069 Magpies fans went through the Gresty Road turnstiles to see their team play out a 2-2 draw which puts them just two points from mathematical safety.
After the game, Nolan told the official Notts site: "I thought our fans were incredible all through the game. I thank them all for their support - the lads and I really appreciate it.
"If you get those numbers travelling with you you're going to start sneaking up that table and things start looking positive for next year.
"We gifted them two goals today and if we had eradicated those mistakes we would have had a relatively easy day, I think.
"Some of our play was really good today in difficult conditions - it was a bit windy out there - and I thought we were very worthy of a win.
"We're absolutely gutted it's a 2-2 draw but how good is it that we're talking like that now, instead of coming away thinking 'we've had another loss and we've got a lot of work to do'?"
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Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan has expressed his bewilderment with referee Gavin Ward's decision not to award Shola Ameobi a penalty late on in Notts County's 2-2 draw at Crewe Alexandra.
With the League Two clash at Gresty Road delicately poised, the veteran striker was brought down by Crewe goalkeeper Ben Garratt, but instead the referee gave the hosts a free kick and booked Ameobi for diving.
Nolan could barely contain his frustration after the game, and the Nottingham Post quotes him as saying: "Your guess is as good as mine as to why the ref didn't give it.
"Whether we would have scored I don't know because our recent record of penalties isn't great.
"I am bewildered. I think the ref and his staff know it is the wrong decision. The fourth official has to help the referee. He could see it, we could see it, and everyone in the stadium could see it.
"It's so annoying because the officials are supposed to be a team and work together.
"This is another thing about that decision, they have to know the player. Shola is an honest player and plays the game in the right way.
"I don't think he's been sent off and he very rarely gets yellow cards. He's not a cheat so I don't know really what to say because I don't want to get into too much trouble."
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Joe Jones
Notts County were denied a clear penalty as they played out a 2-2 draw in Good Friday's League Two fixture at Crewe Alexandra.
The opener came in the ninth minute as the Magpies made the most of a howler in the hosts' defence.
James Jones's misplaced pass on the edge of the box was intercepted by Adam Campbell, who bore forward and slotted past goalkeeper Ben Garratt.
However, a defensive gaffe from Notts was responsible for the Railwaymen drawing level, as Haydn Hollis gave the ball away and George Cooper quickly spotted the run of Chris Dagnall.
The striker raced forward, almost half the length of the pitch, and slipped the ball under advancing keeper Adam Collin.
On 51 minutes Notts were back ahead when Garratt drilled a ball in Callum Cooke’s direction and the ball bounced off the loanee, setting Michael O’Connor behind the defence to bear down on goal and fire into the net.
The lead wasn't to last though as, 66 minutes in, Notts surrendered the ball in midfield, allowing Dagnall the space to have a go, and his deflection rebounded into the path of Jones, whose effort hit Collin and bounced over the line.
There was controversy in injury time when Shola Ameobi got through and looked to have been brought down in the box by Garratt.
As the Notts fans cried out for a penalty, referee Gavin Ward awarded a free kick to Crewe and booked the striker for diving as the game eventually finished all square.
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Joe Jones
Notts County’s head-to-head history with Crewe Alexandra dates back to September 1893, when the Magpies faced the Railwaymen at the Alexandra Recreation Ground. The result was a 2-0 win for Notts.
After several further meetings in the late 1890s, the fixture would experience a hiatus of 63 years; between 1896 and 1959, the two teams didn't play each other.
Despite our shared history going back so far, there have only been 42 meetings between the two sides. Notts have the upper hand with 21 wins to 13 defeats, and eight draws have taken place.
The Alex have been on the receiving end of several thumpings at the hands of the Magpies – in 1894, we beat them 9-1 and 5-1, in 1896 we won 6-0, in 1959 we recorded a 4-1 victory, 1970 brought a 5-1 victory, while in 2013, a 4-0 scoreline at Meadow Lane brought some light to a gloomy first half of the campaign.
The origins of the “Alexandra” moniker in the club name aren’t fully known. Whether they took the name from a hotel, patronised by those connected with the railway works and where they held their meetings, or whether it was after Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who married Queen Victoria’s eldest son, later King Edward VII, is open to speculation.
In 2013, the club won its first-ever major silverware after beating Southend United 2-0 in the Johnstones Paint Trophy final at Wembley.
Crewe are known as the Railwaymen because of the town’s links to the British train network. Crewe station was completed in 1837 and is one of the most historic railway stations in the world. Nowadays, as well as serving the town of Crewe that has grown near it, it still operates as a major junction on the West Coast Main Line (WCML). It also serves as a major station on the WCML and as a major rail gateway for the North West.
The town of Crewe has an interesting roll call of local legends, including rugby player Mark Cueto, professional BMX racer Shanaze Reade, 1990s heartthrob Adam Rickitt (ask a female friend or relative between the ages of 30 and 40), Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle, and Jimmy MacDonald, also known as the voice of Mickey Mouse.
Team news
Danny Hollands is set to miss the rest of the season for Crewe with a hamstring injury.
Forward Alex Kiwomya could be in contention to start, but Jon Guthrie's ongoing hernia problems mean he will remain on the sidelines.
Crewe are currently 17th in the table and will be looking to respond after back-to-back league defeats.
Notts, meanwhile, welcome back midfielder Mark Yeates after the winger completed a three-match ban.
Yeates is likely to return to the matchday squad, meaning Kevin Nolan will make a decision on whether Adam Campbell or Yeates will start.
Michael O'Connor is pushing for a starting place after impressing off the bench during their win over Carlisle last weekend, while Marc Bola is fit after recovering from a hamstring injury.
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Joe Jones
Alan Hardy is looking forward to Easter Monday's Meadow Lane clash between Notts County and Portsmouth and hopes that more people go through the turnstiles than for the Mansfield Town game.
Pompey are gunning for automatic promotion from League Two this season, sitting third on 74 points - eight ahead of Luton Town with just five games left, and have a chance to confirm their ascent into League One in Nottingham.
The Notts owner is relishing the chance to see a top-three side try their luck at "our fortress", in what he expects will be a game with brilliant atmosphere.
Hardy wrote in the Nottingham Post: "[The win over Carlisle] set us up very nicely for the games over the Easter weekend which is a great time of the year for any football fan given the amount of fixtures.
"First we travel to Crewe on Good Friday where we hope to continue our momentum ahead of the Portsmouth game on Bank Holiday Monday.
"That game has got so many people talking around the city, not least because Portsmouth fans are travelling in their thousands as they look to win promotion to League One.
"Ticket sales have been magnificent and I am hoping that we will surpass our biggest attendance of the season so far which was against Mansfield Town back in January.
"More than 11,000 fans came through the gates for that derby, but I am expecting us to eclipse that total and I cannot wait to experience the atmosphere.
"For some time now, I have been longing to see a top-three team at our fortress because that's what Meadow Lane has become.
"We are unbeaten at home in 2017 and I don't think there will be too many teams across the divisions who can boast that kind of record."
To read Alan Hardy's latest Nottingham Post column in full, click here.
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Joe Jones
Kevin Nolan wants the Notts County players who are out of contract at the end of the season to be exemplary off the pitch as well as on it.
With the exception of Adam Collin, Mark Yeates, Carl Dickinson, Michael O'Connor and Matt Tootle, every other player will see their current deals expire this summer.
Nolan is hoping to reward those players who have made themselves count over the last few months, but will also look at their attitude as a whole in training and during downtime.
"It's not just about a Saturday, it's about how you react to them, whether you are in the team or out of the team and whether you are in the squad or out of it," he told the Nottingham Post.
"All those type of things - including how they act around the club - will be monitored.
"That will all be taken into consideration when we are deciding if we want to keep players for another season or whether we will be saying thank you for their services and wishing them luck in their career.
"But we haven't got there yet. I am really pleased with what I have got and there are some tough decisions to be made."
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Joe Jones
Shola Ameobi has dropped a massive hint towards extending his Notts County contract beyond the end of the season after admitting it's "the place I am supposed to be".
The former Newcastle United striker penned a short-term deal in February, with ex-teammate and friend Kevin Nolan at the help of the Magpies.
Since then, he has won plaudits from both fans and pundits with four goals in 13 appearances, even prompting some Newcastle fans to joke about signing him back.
Speaking of his time at Notts, Ameobi told the Nottingham Post: "I am loving every minute of it and the big thing for me is that I've been able to come in and feel at home straight away.
"I can hear the love from the fans and it means a lot, not just for me but for the team because they are really behind us.
"It makes me feel that this is the place I am supposed to be. So as long as my body allows it, then (a contract renewal) is something I am hoping that can happen."
Earlier in the day, Nolan had dropped a hint of his own about hoping to renew Ameobi's contract at Meadow Lane.
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