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Joe Jones
Portsmouth maintained their unbeaten start to their League Two season after Jayden Stockley scored a 95th-minute equaliser against Morecambe, despite being a man down.
The Shrimps dismantled Pompey in an impressive first-half display, as Tom Barkhuizen, Alan Goodall and Andrew Fleming all scored for the away side.
Morecambe led 3-1 before the break, with Gary Roberts clawing a goal back for the hosts minutes before half-time.
Roberts scored again in the second half before Enda Stevens received a second yellow in the 72nd minute, seemingly dooming his team to an unassailable task, but Stockley snatched a draw for his side moments before the final whistle.
 
Leyton Orient continue to lead the fourth tier table, with a 3-2 win over Newport County, but Plymouth Argyle remain hot on their heels after seeing off Northampton Town 2-0.
Yeovil Town pulled off an impressive comeback from two goals down with a 3-2 win over Luton Town, Ryan Bird's second-half brace helping the hosts to all three points.
Aaron Pierre netted a 95th minute equaliser for Wycombe Wanderers against Dagenham & Redbridge in a 1-1 draw, after their goalscorer Matt McClure was sent off for picking up two yellows.
Teddy Sheringham picked up his first win as Stevenage manager in a 2-0 win over Hartlepool United, Fraser Franks and Brett Williams grabbing the goals to end the visitors’ winning start to the season.
Bristol Rovers continue to climb the table as Lee Brown, Matt Taylor and Jermaine Easter's goals helped the Pirates to an impressive 3-1 win against Barnet.
Roarie Deacon's brace was enough for Crawley Town to see off Cambridge United, the 23-year-old’s first goals for the club adding to Gwion Edwards’s late tap-in for a heavy 3-0 win.
Jabo Ibehre’s goalscoring run continues as his 67th-minute equaliser rescued a point for Carlisle United against AFC Wimbledon, Andy Barcham’s goal nine minutes before the break not proving enouth.
Kemar Roofe's second-half penalty gave Oxford United a share of the spoils in their 1-1 draw against Mansfield Town, with ex-Notts man Craig Westcarr giving the Stags an early lead against the U’s.
Finally, Exeter City and York City played out the only goalless game in this weekend's round of League Two fixtures.
 
Results in full:
Bristol Rovers 3-1 Barnet
Cambridge Utd 0-3 Crawley
Carlisle 1-1 AFC Wimbledon
Exeter 0-0 York
Mansfield 1-1 Oxford Utd
Newport 2-3 Leyton Orient
Northampton 0-2 Plymouth
Notts County 1-1 Accrington
Portsmouth 3-3 Morecambe
Stevenage 2-0 Hartlepool
Wycombe 1-1 Dagenham & Redbridge
Yeovil 3-2 Luton
 
The table is as follows:
 

 
As previously mentioned, Leyton Orient lead the table with four wins out of four, with Wycombe two points behind them in second. With it being early days, there's a lot of movers all over the place, as Plymouth edge themselves into third place and Bristol Rovers rise to fourth, while Hartlepool, Portsmouth and Cambridge all slip. Notts drop to 16th while, at the foot of the table, Newport slip to 23rd, with Dagenham & Redbridge propping up the table in 24th.
To discuss all the happenings in League Two and across the other leagues in the country, visit the Pride of Nottingham English Leagues section and join the conversation.
Joe Jones
Notts County’s wait for a home win this season continues after Accrington Stanley showed Meadow Lane exactly who they are when they scored a 90th-minute equaliser to nick a 1-1 draw.
The Magpies started off well with Jon Stead having two early efforts blocked while Seamus Conneely had a looping strike deflected wide for Stanley all in the opening two minutes.
Ricardo Moniz’s charges almost opened the scoring in the 18th minute when lively Graham Burke’s long-range strike cannoned off the crossbar and fell to Genaro Snijders, who sliced the rebound over the bar.
Josh Windass then fired a 20-yard free kick straight to Roy Carroll, while Stanley Aborah’s tackle on Matt Crooks 35 minutes in led to the Ghanaian-Belgian being shown a yellow card.
 
The visitors came close to breaking the deadlock on the stroke of half time when Piero Mingoia raced clean through on goal, but Carroll denied him with his legs. At the other end, Noble’s effort on the stroke of half time was tipped over by goalkeeper Jason Mooney.
Following the restart, the Stanley stopper denied Campbell with his legs after the winger latched onto a looping ball over the top on 49 minutes, while on the hour, Snijders raced through on goal but was also thwarted.
Notts kept the pressure on and came close midway through the second half through Burke’s troubling cross, which was punched away, and Noble’s 20-yard free kick, which flew just wide.
In the 76th minute it looked like the hosts had done enough when a cross from Noble was emphatically headed home by Burke from just a few yards out.
Sadly it wasn’t to be, as Noble was dismissed with three minutes left for a challenge on Windass that took the player out and was deemed to have an intent to stamp.
In the 90th minute Stanley clawed back their equaliser when Sean McConville’s corner bobbled around the area before being finished off by Matt Crooks.
It could have been worse for Notts as Terry Gornell and Mingoia came close in injury-time for the visitors, but ultimately the final whistle signalled a sharing of the spoils, with Notts having to take yet another red card and subsequent match suspension into account as well as a loss of two points and a poor patch of form.
To voice your opinions on this game, visit the dedicated Pride of Nottingham forum thread and join the conversation.
Joe Jones
Notts County have signed striker Izale McLeod from Crawley Town for an undisclosed six-figure fee.
The 30-year-old, who scored 21 goals last season as the Red Devils were relegated from League One, has put pen to paper on a two-year deal at Meadow Lane.
McLeod was unveiled to a warm reception at half time during the Magpies' league game against Accrington Stanley, which finished 1-1.
Chairman Ray Trew told the club's official site: “We’ve been trying to sign Izale for the last month and eventually we were able to strike a deal with Crawley which we’re very happy with.
 
“Obviously we still have a few issues with the team which we’re addressing. Ricardo wants a proven goal scorer and we’ve got that for this level. At Huddersfield we played exceptionally well but we’re always searching for players who are going to improve the playing squad .”
McLeod has plenty of experience in English football and can count Charlton Athletic, Derby County and Portsmouth among his former clubs.
To discuss the signing of Izale McLeod and voice your opinions, visit the dedicated Pride of Nottingham player thread and join the conversation.
Joe Jones
Notts County have only played Accrington Stanley 13 times in their history. The first fixtures were in August and December 1958, when both sides played in Division Three. The Magpies drew 1-1 in the first match, before losing 3-0 in the second.
A hiatus of 48 years followed before the teams met again in the fourth tier, now called League Two, on 9 September 2006. The result was a 3-2 win to Notts.
 
The last time the two met was on 18 November 2014, an FA Cup first round replay which ended 2-1 to Stanley.
The original town's team, Accrington, were amongst the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888, before resigning from the league after just five years.
A team called Stanley Villa already existed at the time, named as such because they were based at the Stanley Arms on Stanley Street in Accrington. With the demise of Accrington, Stanley Villa took the town name to become Accrington Stanley.
The club re-formed after World War I and entered the League in 1921 with the formation of the old Third Division North, along with the other top northern non-League clubs.
 
This original incarnation was dissolved in 1966, before re-emerging two years later. In 2005–06, Stanley won the Football Conference and were promoted to League Two.
Ironically, Oxford United, the team they switched places with, was the team that had been elected to replace the former Accrington Stanley as members of the Football League in 1962 when they were struggling with debt.
Accrington Stanley is perhaps most well known for being discussed in a late 1980s advert by the Milk Marketing Board (for all you younger readers, Ian Rush was one of the greatest strikers of his day, and Liverpool's all-time leading goalscorer).
 
Famous people from Accrington include Vicky Entwhistle and Julie Hesmondhalgh from Coronation Street, Yes singer Jon Anderson, cricketer Mike Atherton, Diana Vickers from The X Factor, and Mystic Meg.
---
Jimmy Spencer's leg fracture has added to Notts County's injury woes ahead of the visit of Accrington.
Spencer suffered a small crack to the tibia during the defeat to Mansfield last weekend and the striker, who subsequently missed the loss at Oxford on Tuesday night, is expected to be out for around a month.
He joins defender Civard Sprockel and midfielder Curtis Thompson in the treatment room while Ronan Murray and Taylor McKenzie remain long-term absentees.
However, Ricardo Moniz is boosted by the return of defender Mawouna Amevor from a three-match suspension.
Accrington have a fully fit squad going into the clash, with forward Shay McCartan back from a broken wrist.
McCartan, who has been selected for the Under 21's Northern Ireland squad, sustained the injury in a freak training ground incident and has missed the opening fortnight of the season.
Terry Gornell will be pushing for a start after he was restricted to the bench in Tuesday's 1-0 win over Mansfield after an ankle problem.
PON_News
Just four times this season Notts players and fans will head to away games for venues which will be new to all of us. In chronological order they are Morecambe’s Globe Arena; Wimbledon’s Kingsmeadow; Barnet’s Hive Stadium; and Newport’s Rodney Parade.
I write my first contribution to these pages shortly before driving to Morecambe for the match on August Bank Holiday Saturday. It isn’t going to be the first time that Notts have played there but the two previous visits were to Christie Park, before the move to the Globe Arena in 2010.
Who can ever forget the last visit, on 19 September 2009? Not because of the result, the Shrimps winning 2-1, but because it marked the one and only appearance in the famous Black and White of Sol Campbell who had won 73 caps – and been a rock in England’s defence – in a glittering career, chiefly with Arsenal and Spurs.
 
I wonder how many Notts fans can truly say “I was there”? I first met Campbell on the day he signed, interviewing him in the Meadow Lane boardroom but spending much longer enjoying a fascinating private conversation. After his 90 minutes at Morecambe I asked for a second interview.
The truth of the matter was that, though he’d used the time between signing and making his debut seeking to get fit, he by no means contributed an impressive debut display, which probably accounted for his reluctance to be interviewed. Eventually he agreed but seemed ill-at-ease and didn’t have much of interest to say.
Three days later Campbell walked out of Meadow Lane and before the end of September his contract was cancelled by mutual consent. And a few days later he returned to Arsenal. I’ve often wondered since whether I should have read more into his post-match demeanor – did it signify he’d already made his decision to pack his bags?
Campbell never made any secret about the fact that he’d largely been persuaded to sign by the Notts director of football, Sven-Goran Eriksson, the two of them having got close during their time together with England. Sven could never be drawn into discussing Campbell’s abrupt departure.
 
In the match, Morecambe scored either side of half time with Jim Bentley getting the first in 36 minutes and Paul Mullin the second on 52 minutes. Not until the 71st minute did Ben Davies reduce the arrears but Notts failed to find an equaliser.
It’s worth pointing out that the defeat put Notts eighth in League Two, with no hint they were going to storm to the title at the end of April with a brilliant 5-0 rout of Darlington at their Arena.
So it was by no stretch of imagination a wholly convincing start to the 2009-10 campaign, though expectations were high after a spate of summer signings.
Doesn’t that resonate with what’s happening right now, in the early days of 2015-16?
 
Between 2009 and now the wheel has turned full circle for Jim Bentley. Then he scored.
Now 39, he’s Morecambe’s manager, having been appointed in 2011.
This article was written By Colin Slater, BBC Radio Nottingham, Notts County Correspondent.
Colin Slater is our guest columnist on Pride of Nottingham, this is an exclusive piece. To discuss his article, visit the PON Forum by clicking here.
Joe Jones
Just one week ago we were celebrating Notts County's tremendous start to the season. But "Stevenage" and "Huddersfield" are words long cast out of the Magpie lexicon, replaced with "Mansfield" and now "Oxford" as words laden with negativity and doubt.
Notts had the chance to redeem their horrendous home defeat to Mansfield with a trip to Oxford United, but all that was achieved was another inadequate performance, another defeat and an increased level of despair that has left the Black and White Army positively dreading the rest of the season.
The Magpies didn't exactly get off to the best start as the U's weighed in with a number of chances, but the visitors managed to break the deadlock in the 21st minute when Thierry Audel nodded in Graham Burke's inswinging free-kick at the back post.
 
Jon Stead also cracked a shot from long range just over Sam Slocombe's crossbar, prompting Oxford manager Michael Appleton to replace Patrick Hoban with Callum O'Dowda just after the half-hour mark.
It proved an inspired change and within four minutes the substitute snuck in at the back post to nudge the ball past Roy Carroll from eight yards to level the scores.
Four minutes into the second half he would once again have an effect on the game as his low cross was completely miscued by Scot Bennett, leaving Kemar Roofe to slam the ball into the net.
From then on it was all Oxford, who threatened time and time again, and in the 57th minute they had a chance to put the game beyond their opponents when Danny Hylton was brought down in the area for a penalty.
 
Carroll then gave the travelling fans cause for cheer when he dived low to save from Alex MacDonald's spot kick, keeping the Magpies in the game.
This would only turn out to be a temporary reprieve, however, and by 78th minute it was all over for Notts.
Hylton dribbled all of 50 yards to present himself with a chance at goal, and even though Carroll saved the initial effort, the striker converted on the rebound.
After three games Notts find themselves 14th in the table, with one win and two defeats. The way things are going, and with the football we're playing, many fans will happily take that come the final whistle of the 46th league game.
Join the conversation, voice your opinions on the game and find out what fellow Notts fans think with Pride of Nottingham's dedicated matchday forum.
 
Credit to Dan Westwell for the match photo.
Chris
League Two is starting to form shape, with teams eager to maintain a level of consistency. Right now, anyone can beat anyone and Tuesday night should make for an interesting encounter throughout the games scheduled to take place.
The prize for Notts is not just the ability to take home 3 points but to ensure the County faithful, that last Friday was just a small blip.
This game is likely to go down to whomever scores first and I feel that Oxford will have to keep tidy at the back, in order to prevent Notts from scoring. A lively striker who can gain support will be required if the Magpies are to win this game.
 
Key Fixtures
Tuesday 18th August 2015
Crawley v Portsmouth
Luton v Bristol Rovers
Plymouth v Carlisle
 
Prediction
For me, Oxford appears to be a team for the taking. I have to admit they go forward very well and look comfortable on the ball. Yet they do not seem organised at the back, with Luton and Crawley seeing their defence pretty shaken when attacked. I predict a narrow 1-0 win to the Magpies, hopefully all 3 points will come back to Nottingham.
 
Match Odds
Oxford United to win 23/20 – Draw 23/10 – Notts County to win 12/5
 
Head to Head
Oxford United – United currently have 2 points after back-to-back draws. Another would put them in or around the same area, whereas a loss could see them dip towards the bottom of League Two. If they managed to grab themselves a home win, they could go as far as 9th themselves.
Notts County – A win would place Notts County quite comfortably back within a play-off place, with a draw seeing them potentially drop to somewhere roughly around 12th. A defeat would see the club fall towards mid table if teams beneath pick up points, so Notts must ensure themselves at least a point, 3 preferably.
 
Key Man
Oxford United; Danny Rose – He will be vital within their procession and attacking play, I feel he will offer the most outlet for Oxford and Notts must keep him quiet throughout the game.
Notts County; Curtis Thompson – I genuinely believe Notts missed him after he was replaced for Jimmy Spencer against Mansfield Town. We need someone who can mix play, by both defending and offering assistance with advanced play. For me, an eager Curtis Thompson is exactly what we need.
 
League Table
 
The teams to watch are the current five undefeated teams within League Two, I feel 2 of the 5 may end up drawing or even losing.
It’s at this stage we will start to see some form of idea on who is to be taken seriously, however form is a funny thing and until the 7th game nobody will know for sure. Yet, this is the perfect time for Notts to strike back before the weekends game against Accrington Stanley.
I believe Portsmouth may go top of the division, with Hartlepool and Wycombe in places right behind them.
As I mentioned previously it’s a slow transition and all teams will still be learning about the true depth of their squads. The table should in truth be quite different compared to how it will be featured here, with teams trading positions and others establishing themselves as front-runners for promotion. It leaves me wondering how many of the favourites within this league will fall victim to teams currently being dismissed as capable of gaining promotion candidates.
Tom Walters
Local derbies are nothing unfamiliar for me. As a kid growing up I saw Notts County take on Mansfield countless times when we were in the old Division 2 and in League 2.
My most vivid memory comes from November 2002 at Meadow Lane. In those days we were watching names such as Mark Stallard, Paul Heffernan, Darren Caskey and Kevin Nicholson take to the Meadow Lane pitch in the hope that bragging rights would be theirs.
For anyone who was there on that cold November night, watching Darren Caskey curl a free-kick into the corner of the family stand net has to be one of the greatest moments Meadow Lane has ever witnessed – it’s certainly one I cherish. As a young lad of 12, it was the stuff dreams were made of when you practiced free-kicks on the school playground. These players shaped my love for the club with their drive and ambition. There wasn’t an abundance of glamour or style in our performances; it was doggid - with plenty of graft, passion and the occasional moment of magic.
So in 2015 on a decidedly warmer August evening, I returned to Meadow Lane with my Dad for yet another derby with Mansfield. My expectations for this one differed – partly because I’m older, without the same childish optimism or unrealistic expectations and also, because the team taking to the field under Ricardo Moniz is of a different breed and style to the one from 2002.
It’s apparent to all Notts fans that Moniz is trying to eradicate the days of long ball football and I for one am delighted with that. This new Notts team have been easier on the eye in their opening games against Stevenage and Huddersfield and have ability in abundance. One player who has caught my eye has to be Stanley Aborah, simply because he has confidence on the ball and the ability to change a game in seconds with flair and a killer pass.
So, would the current crop deliver against Mansfield this time around?
The simple answer was no. The feeling around Meadow Lane before kick-off was excitement and optimism and I have to credit every supporter who turned up on the night – the atmosphere was electric and Meadow Lane was bouncing. Sadly, the performance from the Notts players didn’t live up to the hype and expectation. Mansfield controlled the game from start to finish with Notts looking nervy and rusty throughout. Chances were at a premium, with tiny glimmers from Jenner and Burke but nothing to trouble Mansfield.
I have to congratulate Mansfield on their approach to the match. They were sharper, quicker and in my opinion, hungrier for the three points. Every time there was a 50/50 ball, you always felt Mansfield would win it. Their goals were nothing special however and were avoidable from a Notts perspective – undone by an Chris Clements strike and a soft headed goal from a set piece late on by Tafazolli. Sadly from the stands it was the same old problems – sloppy goals conceded and not enough potency up-front – something that Moniz is only too aware of. Also, it was another poor performance at home – all too familiar from last season. One criticism I have of Moniz is his apparent reliance on 4-3-3 – it simply doesn’t work in League 2 against physical sides like Mansfield.
We were outnumbered in midfield countless times which resorted to us playing long balls from back to front and surrendering possession. Had we played a simpler 4-4-2, I feel we could have competed far better than we did.
I am however, confident that we have a great squad on which to build and we only need one or two more names to make it stronger. Easier said than done, but we need that 20 goal a season striker Moniz is searching for, and we need another commanding centre back. All I can hope for is that the return leg at Field Mill sees a turn in fortunes and we return to winning ways against Oxford on Tuesday.
 
Onwards and upwards!
Son of Berti

Noisy Neighbours

By Son of Berti, in News,

Anyone who kept an eye on League Two last season will have deduced that it is almost impossible for a Club to sustain a high performance level allied to a top league position for the duration of a long exhausting 46 match season in a league which takes no prisoners.
Chairmen and Managers who make the strategic decision to invest heavily in a compact squad of just 16 or so (relatively) costly players may well see their Club jockeying for a top seven position up until Christmas only to find that injuries, suspensions and heavy pitches begin to take their toll in January.
As a consequence they are forced to bring both youth team players through the ranks quicker than is wise and loan players in what turns out to be more often than not a desperate but vain attempt to maintain league position. They watch their hopes of promotion fade quicker than the February sun.
And in their position, you have to ask yourself whether you really want to further jeopardise your chances of promotion by increasing the risk of injury or suspension, by committing your top players to FA Cup, Carling Cup, and Johnson’s Paint Trophy games on top of the 46-game gruelling league campaign.
When Big Sam Allardyce managed Notts County, he made no secret of the fact that he had absolutely no interest in Cup competitions, as his focus was solely on achieving promotion. At least his honesty saved fans a few quid as only the die-hards were willing to part with their hard-earned cash to watch a half-hearted effort on the pitch.
As I write this article on the coach travelling to Huddersfield for our Carling Cup match, I have to confess that I don’t have any idea what Ricardo Moniz’ cup ‘policy’ is going to be.
Will he want to give his ideal starting eleven another competitive 90 plus minutes to continue the gelling process?
Will he want to give those ‘fringe’ players who are knocking on the door a chance to impress him that they should be in the starting eleven for the next league game?
Will he want to give those players who have been injured some valuable rehab game minutes?
Or will he send out a blend of youth players, second-stringers, and those he wants to put in the shop window in the hope that a watching scout will see a potential loan target and reduce our wage bill by a few pennies?
 
(See after-game comment at the end of this article.)
 
Neither the Carling Cup (in its early rounds at least) and certainly not the JP Trophy games will attract large enough crowds to swell Clubs’ income levels significantly. Many season ticket holders stay away from these matches on principle, not understanding why their outlay at the beginning of the season shouldn’t include Cup games.
And the FA Cup matches won’t generate a dream, money-spinning, tie against Premiership opposition until the third round, at the very earliest.
So all that is left to generate any big interest in the early rounds of all three cup competitions is the prospect of a tasty local derby to draw in crowds looking to savour a crunch game.
Which brings us to this year’s opening round of the Johnsons Paintdrying Trophy, when Notts host their noisy neighbours, Mansfield Town. When I first heard news of the draw, I just thought: What a pity. The two teams will have already played each other earlier in the month in a league match and Mansfield are hardly a ‘glamour’ team.
But, thinking on, I realised that this tie actually has the prospect of generating added commitment on the pitch as well as enthusiasm in the stands because, unless the league game results in a draw, the losing side and its fans will be out for revenge and, quite possibly, there will be one or two individual scores to be settled on the pitch as well.
So what at first seemed (to Notts fans, at least) a disappointing 1st round JPT draw, may well turn out to be quite a feisty confrontation.
I, for one, am looking forward to it!
(After-game comment: As we all now know, RM sent out his strongest team at Huddersfield and what a brilliant display of commitment, vision, and ability we were treated to! I consider myself privileged to have been there to witness it.)
Chris

Oxford - Scouting Report

By Chris, in News,

The Magpies will have to put the disappointment behind themselves, after their recent game against Mansfield. All focus must be on the task at hand, whilst of course pushing for all three points.
Oxford United will most likely allow Notts to play, so it should make for an entertaining game within the lower tier.
It’s important neither side sit back, as both teams are prone to making their own mistakes.
 
Run down of their recent games.
Saturday 8th August – Oxford 1 Crawley 1
Tuesday 11th August – Brentford 0 Oxford 4 (League Cup)
Saturday 15th August – Luton 2 Oxford 2
 
The Players – Fact Sheet
Highest Goal Scorers; Danny Hylton 2, Kemar Roofe 2, Johnny Mullins 1 and Liam Sercombe 1.
Persistent Foulers; Alex MacDonald 2 Yellow Cards, Liam Sercombe 1 Yellow Card and Ryan Taylor 1 Yellow Card.
 
The Key Players.
Danny Hylton, Danny Rose, Kemar Roofe, Liam Sercombe and Jake Wright.
Danny Hylton is a lively striker, who has the ability to get quick chances off and generally causes his opposition trouble.
Danny Rose is Oxford's creative player, he likes to be direct and isn't afraid to get into challenges or avoid passes when he is being marked. Likewise, Kemar Roofe and Liam Sercombe like to be direct themselves, with a natural ability on the ball the pair team up well and offer United quite a lot of width.
Jake Wright is their anchor within defence, he tries to keep the game simple but tackles well.
 
Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses.
Oxford United appear to be your typical lower league team, they try to counter breaks after their opposition have thrown men forward. They’re patient and slow at building, yet can inject pace when the need is required. However, to a degree their approach is somewhat scrappy.
The main strength is from their creative players, they look for alternative options when their game plan does not seem to work. They invite play onto themselves, so that they can then hit back with their own attacks and generally try to frustrate their opposition.
With regards to weaknesses, for me it’s all about their scrappy play. Good teams will be able to flood their back line, which would put pressure onto themselves.
Their keeper Sam Slocombe didn’t really impress me within their highlights, he seems to be a risk for me as he didn’t control his area well and when he came to making basic saves – He tended to drop the ball and generally created tension within his own defensive, which lead to Luton Town scoring against them.
If Notts can penetrate through the centre of the box, allowing players to shoot from the edge of the box – Potential tap ins may occur, but crosses is another area whereby the Magpies can exploit.
Joe Jones
Notts have met Oxford United just 26 times in their history, the first meeting coming on 17 October 1964 when a goalless draw at Meadow Lane was the result.
The U's have the upper edge - but only just, with nine wins, nine draws and eight defeats
The last meeting between the two was on 18 March 2006, again a goalless draw at Meadow Lane.
Oxford United were formed as Headington in 1893, adding the suffix United in 1911 after merging with Headington Quarry.
 
In 1950, Headington United became the first professional club in Britain to install floodlights, and used them on 18 December against Banbury Spencer.
They initially played in orange and blue shirts, but changed to yellow home shirts for the 1957–58 season. The reason for the change is unknown.
In 1960, Headington United was renamed Oxford United, to give the club a higher profile.
Oxford won the League Cup in 1986 - then known as the Milk Cup - after beating Queens Park Rangers 3-0 in the final at Wembley.
 
In 2001, Bishop of Oxford Richard Harries conducted an exorcism after the feeling of a malicious force and the team's loss of thirteen of their first seventeen games at the new stadium was blamed on a gypsy curse placed on the club by a Roma man who had been evicted from the site during construction.
The city is known worldwide as the home of the University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking world.
University College (in full The Master and Fellows of the College of the Great Hall of the University of Oxford) dates back to 1249. To put it into context, the Magna Carta had only been signed 34 years prior.
Buildings in Oxford are said to demonstrate examples of every English architectural period since the arrival of the Saxons.
---
Oxford manager Michael Appleton may rest Liam Sercombe and Ryan Taylor, as they started Saturday's 2-2 draw at Luton despite nursing pre-season knocks prior to the game.
Patrick Hoban could start after coming off the bench and scoring an injury-time equaliser on the weekend.
New signing John Lundstram is pushing to make his full league debut despite lacking match fitness.
Notts will check on Civard Sprockel after the Dutch defender came off injured for the second time this season against Mansfield last Friday.
Gill Swerts comes back into the reckoning after missing the defeat through suspension but Mawouna Amevor is still banned - he will complete his three-match absence on Tuesday night.
Ricardo Moniz may make changes following the Stags loss and with a squad of some 30 players to choose from he will not be short of options.
Rob Milsom continues to nurse a knee problem while Ronan Murray and Taylor McKenzie are not yet ready to be considered either.
 
Credit to Dan Westwell for the image.
super_ram
Blair Adams made his first Notts County appearance this season, returning from injury in Friday nights 2-0 defeat by Mansfield and says Notts players must put their bodies on the line when defending in dead ball situations. Notts have conceded from set ball deliveries in the opening games this season and also at the end of last season.
He says "It's something we have to work on. You've got to want to head the ball away for the team, put your face in where it hurts. It's something we need more of."Commenting on his return injury Blair added that although being a bit rusty he will improve and feels he can form a successful defensive partnership with half time substitute Graham Burke.
 
He added "I'm pleased to get 90 minutes. I've had a couple of setbacks. I'm looking to get my fitness back now".
"I'll be up and down the wing and hopefully chipping in with a few assists".
"When Graham came on I thought we linked up quite well. It's promising. The quality of his crosses are a huge asset."
"You saw when he came on he put three or four unbelievable balls in."
"It was a shame we started lethargically. They got out the traps quicker and that should have woken us up a bit".
"We weren't at our best but we've got a good chance to put it right this week".
Chris

The Match Officials

By Chris, in News,

Tuesday 18th August, Notts County travel to the Kassam Stadium to play Oxford United. Notts go into the game after losing our local derby against Mansfield 2-0.
The U's come into the game having enjoyed their own cup success away from home against Brentford where they won 4-0, they also battled bravely against Luton Town to get a share of the points.
Both teams will be eager to acquire the maximum points available, so that they kick start their season.
The Match Officials for the game against Oxford United will be Rob Lewis, with his two assistants Richard Hulme and Nick Hobbis. The fourth official will be Timothy Wood.
Due to the fact we are at the start of the season, it seems pointless to mention stats and so, I will include some details about the officials.
 
Match Officials
Referee; Rob Lewis
From – Shropshire
After looking at previous games whereby Rob Lewis has featured as a referee, it would suggest that he is a very adequate match official. In fact, last season he only issued 2 red cards and several match reports highlight his control and decisions through the game as being generally spot on.
 
Assistant Referee; Richard Hulme
From – Somerset
Sadly yet again, there is very little information regarding Hulme as an assistant referee.
 
Assistant Referee; Nick Hobbis
From – West Midlands
Nick was born in Birmingham and has spent numerous seasons officiating games as an assistant referee.
 
Fourth Official; Timothy Wood
From – Gloucestershire
Do you have an opinion on the game? - Match Thread
super_ram
The Lady Pies beat Bristol Academy 1-0 in FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup competition last Sunday.
Notts Ladies had previously lost to Chelsea in the Womens FA cup final at Wembley and again to them, rather surprisingly as they are currently bottom of the league, in FA WSL 1 league the following week.
Rachel Williams first half goal was enough to win the match.
Ellen White also had a couple of chances go wide and Jess Clarke had a goal disallowed for being offside.
Lady Pies manager Rick Passmoor said "this win will have helped restore confidence".
“We’ve had a bit of a tough time, but we had ten days to recharge the batteries” he said.
“We then sat down and had a real big heart-to-heart about what can we do and where we can get better and a lot of it is just about confidence and hopefully today will go towards that."
“We needed to get the belief back. We can’t turn into bad players and a bad team overnight."
“We have to look at the mentality of the lead up to the FA Cup and how much it took out of them, and then reassuring them and showing them lots of evidence about how they played in the first half of the season."
“Today was about getting that win, getting the confidence back. We had the chances and hopefully there is a bag full of goals coming.”
Bristol didn't create many chances and substitute, Frankie Fantom-Brown was stretchered off with 20 minutes remaining leaving them to play with 10 players but their manager, Willie Kirk, accepted that the better team on the day had won.
Attendance - 490.
Chris

League Two Preview

By Chris, in News,

Another late Tuesday night is calling for football fans to encourage their sides onto victory; Pride of Nottingham is taking a look into the fixtures set to play-out on the 18th of August – as Notts prepare themselves for Oxford away from home.
Meanwhile a host of teams will be hoping to lead the League Two table come the end of the night, as several top teams feature against difficult teams.
Five teams start the night with perfect records, having all won their opening two games.
 
* Important Game – ** Key Game
Tuesday 18th August 2015
Accrington v Mansfield – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (0-1)
AFC Wimbledon v Cambridge – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (1-2)
Barnet v Northampton – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (1-1)
**Crawley v Portsmouth – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (2-3)
Dagenham & Redbridge v Exeter – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (0-2)
Hartlepool v Newport – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (1-0)
Leyton Orient v Stevenage – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (2-2)
*Luton v Bristol Rovers – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (2-0)
Morecambe v Wycombe – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (0-1)
*Oxford v Notts County – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (0-1)
**Plymouth v Carlisle – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (2-1)
York v Yeovil – Kick Off 7:45pm – Score Prediction (1-0)
 
My Stand-Out Games
Crawley v Portsmouth
Luton v Bristol Rovers
Plymouth v Carlisle
 
Crawley will be hoping to get their first win of the season against promotion chasing Portsmouth, it will be potentially high scoring with the home side looking to capitalise on the return of out of favour striker Izale McLeod. The former Pompey star will be hoping to establish himself back within the Red Devils and encouraging a win may see him gain his wish. Despite predicting the score in favour of Portsmouth, I don’t think they will have it all plain sailing.
At the start of the season Luton were tipped as one of the front-runners for promotion; however, their League Two campaign has been nothing but easy. Whilst Bristol Rovers will be hoping for back to back wins on the road after beating Yeovil Town 1-0.
Plymouth Argyle will have a tough home game against Carlisle, as both sides will be hoping to avoid defeat. On paper, advantage seems to favour the home side who are in some decent form but have been struggling to iron out defensive woe’s, which has prevented them from retraining a perfect start to the season. Carlisle has the ability to push sides, which they will be hoping to make the most of on Tuesday.
 
Thoughts on Oxford United vs. Notts County
Despite the performance strung together at home on Friday night, I think Notts will be eager to make amends and will no doubt be a very good side away from home.
Notts will have problems within their squad selection and potentially will lead a completely new line-up at the front, with Jon Stead likely to miss the game. Jimmy Spencer is most likely to start, with the issues continuing at the back due to key players being missing.
Oxford has collected two very hard fought draws, with them highlighting their ability to score in previous games.
Comparing the sides head to head, Notts narrowly lead with 9 wins but also share 9 draws, whilst Oxford have won 8 of the ties themselves.
Much like the Stevenage game, I suspect the difference will be down to who scores first and yet, if the Magpies show a little bit of their cup spirit away from home against Huddersfield Town. Then perhaps I cannot write them off so easily, if Oxford United do open the account within our game first. Let’s hope it proves to be a bright display and no matter what, both sets of fans go home happy and entertained.

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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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