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Ross Fitzsimons: 'We couldn't ask for a better goalkeeping coach than Mark Crossley'

Ross Fitzsimons has praised Notts County goalkeeping coach Mark Crossley for helping him develop as a player.
The 23-year-old, who joined the Magpies in the summer, has won plaudits after several impressive displays in between the sticks following the knee injury to Adam Collin.
Fitzsimons replaced Collin in the win over Barnet before starting in the defeat to Crewe Alexandra and in the draw at Carlisle United, where he made a string of great saves to keep the hosts at bay.
"I don't think we could ask for a better keeper coach," Fitzsimons told the official Notts site. "He's played in the biggest games. When coaching tips come from him, it sinks in.
"Every goalkeeping coach has their own style, but he suits my personality down to the ground. He's chilled and gets his message across quickly and effectively. He's been a massive part of my development since coming here.
"The four of us [Crossley, Collin and Branislav Pindroch] are always working together and analysing things – right down to the nitty gritty stuff. That's important for all of us and drives us on.
"[The injury to Collin] can happen to any one of us. That's why we've got three top goalkeepers.
"With us up near the top, it was important for me to slot straight in. That's the nature of the beast. You could be out for six months but, straightaway, it can come thick and fast. It's important to be mentally and physically ready.
"I'm delighted with how I've been playing, and with a point [against Carlisle]. I don't think teams will take a lot of points there so to come away with a draw was brilliant after Tuesday."
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Joe Jones

Match highlights: Carlisle United 1-1 Notts County, Saturday 21 October 2017

Notts County kept up the pressure on League Two leaders Luton Town with a 1-1 draw at Carlisle United on Saturday.
The Magpies struggled in the first half as Hallam Hope edged the Cumbrians ahead in the 24th minute at Brunton Park.
County failed to clear Nicky Adams's cross and Jamie Devitt's ball was bundled home by Hope from close range.
However, Kevin Nolan's side stepped it up a gear in the second half and got their reward.
Terry Hawkridge played in Matt Tootle, whose cut-back was drilled into the net by Yates, and the visitors left with a share of the spoils come the final whistle.
Notts have put up the match highlights on their YouTube channel - here they are for you to relive the game.
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Joe Jones

Keith Curle: 'We knew we couldn't play Notts County at their game'

Carlisle United manager Keith Curle has admitted that he had to change his usual tactics against Notts County because "we knew we couldn't play them at their game".
The Cumbrians took the lead against the Magpies in their League Two encounter on Saturday through Hallam Hope but Kevin Nolan's side left Brunton Park with a point after Ryan Yates struck an equaliser.
Assessing his side's performance after the 1-1 draw, Curle said he expected Notts, boasting height all over the pitch, to be such a handful that he had "to find a way to do things in a different way".
The former Notts manager told the official Carlisle site: “We played through them in the first half with the ball on the ground at a good tempo, and with a patient build-up, and I thought we caused them some good problems.
“Defensively we nullified the big centre forwards and by playing from the back we were able to pull them towards us and play through them. We needed to do that because we knew we couldn’t play them at their game.
“It was the first time we’d zone marked and the players and I thought we did it well. Man-for-man they were bigger in height than we were in almost every area of the pitch, and that means you have to find a way to do things in a different way.
“When we did go long to counter their change in formation we had Hallam Hope making a nuisance of himself, and then somebody there to help him out and land on the second balls. The positive we can all take from it is that they couldn’t get near us with the way we rotated the play.
“The negative is that we didn’t finish them off with the chances we had. I don’t think there’d have been any arguments if we’d gone into half time two or three goals up. Their keeper had made two great saves and we created some other good chances as well.
“We probably didn’t get the ebb and flow to our attacks in the second half and that’s why we made the substitutions. They’d started to play a little bit deeper and there wasn’t the space we’d had between the lines to get our players on the ball as much as we’d enjoyed before the break.
“They’d tried to press us in midfield before the break and we gave them a chasing with the way we pulled them about. That’s why they changed their tactics - out of necessity - and they pulled men back to close that route off."
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Joe Jones

Kevin Nolan happy with point gained at Carlisle United

Notts County boss Kevin Nolan has hailed the "good point" gained at Carlisle United in Saturday's 1-1 draw and admitted that results such as the one at Brunton Park will mean a lot later in the season.
The Cumbrians took the lead through Hallam Hope in the first half but the Magpies rallied round and Ryan Yates struck back in the second half.
The result was a welcome boost after the 2-0 defeat at Crewe Alexandra in midweek and keeps Notts second in League Two with a tally of 30 points from 15 games.
"It was important to come away with something," he told the official Notts website. "The most important thing after a defeat is not to lose the next one.
"It's a good point because they are a good side and we're delighted with it, although it could have been three because we had some good chances in the second half, which we dominated.
"Ross Fitzsimons made some fantastic saves in the first half but I think we showed them a bit too much respect and we didn't get in amongst them.
"It was a great reaction in the second half and we fully deserved to get back into it. Even though we went 1-0 down, the players stuck in there and made it difficult for Carlisle so there are a lot of positives to take.
"We've got to respect the point because these are the ones which will mean a lot if we're going to be in and around it come the end of the season."
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Joe Jones

Match Report: Notts County claim draw at Carlisle United

Notts County have fought back from a goal down to claim a 1-1 draw in Saturday's League Two encounter at Carlisle United.
The Pies came close to getting off the mark early on when Mike Jones sloppily gave away possession in midfield, with Shola Ameobi setting up Ryan Yates on the edge of the area, but Jones was able to charge down the ensuing effort.
Carlisle countered through Tom Miller, who was on hand to rifle a Jamie Devitt cross goalwards from close range, but Notts keeper Ross Fitzsimons pulled off a great two-handed save.
At the other end, a looped delivery from Jon Stead at the back post invited Jorge Grant to shoot, but the loanee sent his volley wide.
Both sides continued to trade chances, with Fitzsimons bailing his side out once again when he parried Hallam Hope's toe-poke then kept out Reggie Lambe's follow-up diving header.
Terry Hawkridge then burst clear and fired an effort against the post which then deflected off keeper Jack Bonham and out to safety.
The opening goal came not long after that chance and it went the way of Carlisle, with Nicky Adams crossing towards the back post, Devitt nodding the ball back to centre and Hope bundling home.
County came close to drawing level just before the break when Matt Tootle's shot was kept out by Bonham, but eventually succeeded in getting their equaliser just before the hour.
Tootle was involved once again, overlapping with Hawkridge and sending a cross into the box which Yates steered into the back of the net.
Notts went close to a second on 73 minutes, when Shola Ameobi headed Grant's cross against the post, while a last-ditch tackle from ex-Magpie Gary Liddle then denied Lewis Alessandra.
Yates then headed over a chance late on as Notts finished the game with a share of the spoils which keeps them second in the League Two table.
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Joe Jones

Keith Curle expects Notts County to be full of confidence

Keith Curle has spoken highly of Notts County as his Carlisle United charges prepare to welcome the Magpies to Brunton Park later today, expecting the visitors to be full of confidence and a dangerous proposition.
The former Notts manager told the official Cumbrians site: “They’re near the top of the table but if you look at the last four games we’ve had you see we’ve been up against very good teams.
“There are no easy games and that’s why our approach to each one is exactly the same. When we do our jobs properly we think we can cause teams problems.
“Notts County are one of the division’s good sides and I’ve played against Kevin [Nolan] a few times. He likes to play a certain way. We’ve reviewed their last three or four games and their approach is based on percentages.
“They like to get the ball forward, keep it alive and get it into good areas quickly. They’re a real threat in the box and they’re reliable, consistent and dependable in what they do. They’re very inventive with set pieces and they’re comfortable in their style. We know what to expect so it’s now down to how we deal with it.
“They’ll be full of confidence even though they were knocked slightly with the result at Crewe the other night. If you isolate that result you see they made a few changes and other players had opportunities to shine. That probably means that their line-up will have a bit more in the way of predictability about it on Saturday.”
Curle also spoke highly of Notts defender Shaun Brisley, formerly of Carlisle, being quoted by the Nottingham Post as saying: “Shaun is a very good player.
“That’s why we brought him here. He has gone and fitted into a club [Notts] very, very well. He is putting in performances and is scoring goals.
"I think he made a lot of friends when he was here because he applied himself very well.
“He was a little bit unfortunate with the injury he first had at the beginning of last season. But you got to say, he is a very good professional, has ability and is applying himself at his new club.”
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Joe Jones

Alan Hardy keen on the idea of safe standing at Meadow Lane

Notts County owner Alan Hardy has spoken out in favour of the introduction a safe standing area at Meadow Lane and is eager to consult the fans on the topic.
His comments come as Shrewsbury Town look set to become the first club in England to have a safe standing area after a crowdfunding campaign raised £65,000 to pay for it at the New Meadow.
“I love the idea of a safe standing area because I genuinely believe it could add to the atmosphere,” Hardy told the Nottingham Post.
“Shrewsbury are obviously in the process of introducing it but I am not sure whether we would do a whole end here.
“The first three or four rows is an option as that would then allow fans sat behind them to see over the top.
“You could do that in the Kop or in the Family Stand.
“There is an increasing argument to have it in the latter so you are standing there with your son or daughter.
“But we need to consult the fans over it as it is going to cost a few quid.
“We don’t want to get it wrong and don’t want the fans to think we are enforcing it upon them.
“If 80 percent of them come back and say they don’t want it, then we won’t do it. It’s about giving the fans the choice.”
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Joe Jones

Stat Attack: Carlisle United vs. Notts County, Saturday 21 October 2017

Carlisle United and Notts County have met 32 times since their first clash back in October 1959, a Fourth Division clash that was won 2-0 by the Cumbrians.
Out of those, the Magpies have won 17 and lost 12, with just 3 draws.
Our last meeting was on 8 April this year in League Two, a 2-1 win at Brunton Park.
Carlisle staged their 'home' fixture against Notts at Preston North End's Deepdale stadium in December 2015 due to floods in Cumbria which impacted on Brunton Park as well.
Carlisle is one of the northernmost clubs in the Football League, just 10 miles from the Scottish border, and one that’s normally mentioned among the most difficult away days – talk of “Carlisle away” is one for the most hardcore fans, especially in midweek (Newcastle United are further north than Carlisle, however).
The Cumbrians have spent a season in the top flight, back in 1974-75, and recorded a double over Everton, as well as home victories over eventual champions Derby County, former titleholders Ipswich Town, Arsenal, Burnley, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers. They were relegated at the end of the season though.
Carlisle is the smallest location, by population, to have had a resident top-flight English football club since 1906. Prior to this, Accrington FC, Darwen, Grimsby Town & Glossop North End were smaller.
Despite their small stature, the club has experienced moderate success with regards to silverware – they have won a Third Division title back in 1965, two fourth-tier championships in 1995 and 2006, and two Football League Trophies, back in 1997 and 2011.
Carlisle are famous for one of the most dramatic Great Escape scenarios in all of English football, when on-loan goalkeeper Jimmy Glass scored in the last 10 seconds of their final game of the 1998-99 season against Plymouth Argyle to keep the Cumbrians in the Football League at the expense of Scarborough.
Team news
Carlisle have defender Danny Grainger back from a one-match suspension.
Steven Rigg came off the bench in the 3-3 draw against Wycombe on Tuesday night and will be eyeing his second full debut after re-signing for the club last week.
Jason Kennedy is also pushing to start after returning from fitness problems but midfielder Kelvin Etuhu remains a doubt.
Striker Shaun Miller has been hit with a two-match ban after being retrospectively punished for diving - the first player in England to suffer this fate.
Ross Fitzsimons is expected to remain in goal for Notts with Adam Collin still ruled out.
Fitzsimons made his first league start in midweek after Collin suffered a knee injury against Barnet and the problem is still being assessed.
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Joe Jones

Scouting Report: Carlisle United vs. Notts County, Saturday 21 October 2017

What goes up must come down, and following Notts County's incredible spell between mid-August and late September, things have taken a bit of a downturn.
The Magpies still remain in the upper reaches of the League Two table, but following three poor performances from the last four games, alarm bells have started ringing just a little.
Up next is the long trip to Cumbria on Saturday, where Carlisle United await us.
Here is Chris's Scouting Report for the game at Brunton Park.
History
Carlisle United and Notts County have met 32 times since their first clash back in October 1959, a Fourth Division clash that was won 2-0 by the Cumbrians.
Out of those, the Magpies have won 17 and lost 12, with just 3 draws.
Our last meeting was on 8 April this year in League Two, a 2-1 win at Brunton Park.
Run-down of their last six features
Saturday 23rd September – Crewe Alexandra 0 Carlisle United 5
Tuesday 26th September – Carlisle United 0 Stevenage 2
Saturday 30th September – Crawley Town 0 Carlisle United 1
Saturday 7th October – Carlisle United 0 Exeter City 1
Saturday 14th October – Colchester United 0 Carlisle United 1
Tuesday 17th October – Carlisle United 3 Wycombe Wanderers 3
The Players – Fact Sheet
Highest Goal Scorers; Reggie Lamb 6, Hallam Hope 4, Danny Grainger 3 and Shaun Miller 2.
Persistent Foulers; Tom Parkes 2 red cards and 2 yellow cards, Richard Bennett 1 red card and 2 yellow cards, Danny Grainger 4 yellow cards and Luke Joyce 3 yellow cards.
The Key Players
Luke Joyce is a player capable of taking any game hands on, and has the ability to instantly turn things around – the midfielder does have a temper but as a creative outlet he offers Carlisle a lot going forward and in terms of defending.
Reggie Lamb is another stand-out player who offers the Cumbrians bags of energy and is menacing in front of goal.
At the back Danny Grainger is an experienced defender who leads by example, yet also has an eye for goal.
Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Carlisle United like to play the game in the right way, their movement at times can be a joy to watch and it’s certainly very clever when it pays off.
They tend to put men behind the ball even when going forward, whilst ensuring space is created - this means the opposition have to both get tighter but also more zonally aware which plays to the Cumbrians' advantage when space opens up at the back.
In procession they’re a very hard working team not afraid to take on teams, however they can be slow in their build-up play which means more time is created to use the ball wisely.
Defensively they can lose focus, whilst allowing teams too much time of their own on the ball.
They tend to mark loosely, inviting teams to continue playing rather than dealing with the threat at the right time – almost eerily similar to Notts.
Likewise, they can show complete control of games expressing some very entertaining football, only to completely allow their hard work to be undone very poorly.
Yet for the most part they are a consistent outlet, and also a noticeable team within League Two who on their day can impress.
Quite rightly so Carlisle manager Keith Curle as pointed out one of his side's biggest weaknesses with his comment on the Magpies' free-kicks: ‘Notts are inventive with set pieces and comfortable in their style’.
Their inability to deal with the opposition with key areas can result in chances coming from set pieces, and as a result is something Notts can take advantage of.
However, provided we pass wisely and match Carlisle United in terms of desire and effort chances will come, it will be down to the strongest team to take them and to kill off the game.
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Chris

Kevin Nolan launches tirade against Notts County online community

Kevin Nolan has launched an astonishing tirade against the Notts County online community and social media, calling on "some people" to "have a reality check".
Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of the Magpies' trip to Carlisle United on Saturday, the manager aired his grievances about what he felt were knee-jerk reactions from fans.
“There’s a lot said about us that is very untrue,” Nolan is quoted by the Nottingham Post as saying. “But I only hear it because I am not on these sites. I only hear it from my staff or the players.
“If they don’t want to see winning football, then don’t come to Notts County because that’s what we are trying to do.
“For people to be complaining how we play given the club has lost one home game in a calendar year, then there’s not much you can do.
“We only won three games in the previous calendar year compared to what we’ve done now so some people have got to have a reality check and look at themselves in the mirror if they are criticising.”
Last week, Pride of Nottingham published photos which were sent in by a fan which appeared to show Liam Noble in training at Basford - Notts subsequently announced that the midfielder had rejoined the club.
Despite the training sessions being open and accessible to supporters, Nolan continued his tirade, criticising the individual who took the photos.
“Let’s take last week for instance,” Nolan said.
“Liam Noble comes and trains with us for the first day and somebody turns up, and the next minute the pictures are on the internet within an hour or two.
“That would never have happened a few years ago. But they didn’t know what was going on yet still wanted to put something out there.
“I couldn’t believe it when I saw it. That person, because we know who it is, will come back to training ground and then want us to respect him and not tell him to go away.
“When he asks the players for selfies what does he expect them to say?
“There has got to be respect for us as much as we have got to have respect for them.
“They will all expect us to say ‘yeah, no problem you can have your photograph’.
“And that’s my biggest issue with social media. People will come and ask for your picture, then they will sit there on Twitter or whatever, type something, and have a rant.
“You only have to look at Arsenal Fan TV to see how it gets millions and millions of viewers.
“It’s crazy. It makes headlines in the papers and it’s just taken over. It’s something as a manager I have to deal with and all I can ask of the fans is to be respectful.
“A lot of my family are on social media so how is it going to feel for them to see something written about me. It’s hurtful for them and that’s what people have got to realise.”
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Joe Jones

Richard Duffy eager to turn Carlisle United clash into "horrible game" for hosts

Richard Duffy has acknowledged that Notts County must raise their game on Saturday at Carlisle United given how opposition teams will do the same against a team high up in the table.
The Magpies have been one of the pace setters over the last two months, twice going top of the League Two standings, and currently sit second going into the weekend's encounter at Brunton Park.
With Carlisle 15th in the standings and having won just one of seven home games, Duffy has spoken of turning it into a "horrible game" for the hosts and cause the crowd to get exasperated with their team.
"The manager has been on to us," Duffy told the official Notts site.
"He's said whoever we play against will be our toughest game of the season because they will raise their game with us being near the top of the table, and that we have to raise our own game even further to combat that.
"We're not stupid enough to think we can win every game or perform to a level which is acceptable every time. Sometimes you will slip below it for whatever reason, but we have to get back on it this Saturday.
"We've just lost at Crewe and it's vitally important we don't follow it up with another defeat.
"When you go away from home you have to try and turn the home crowd against their team because it makes it tough and puts their players under pressure.
"When teams aren't 1-0 up at home after 15-20 minutes and then a pass goes astray you hear a few groans in the crowd and things can get a bit hectic.
"We have to turn it into a horrible game and keep them on the back foot."
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Joe Jones

Alan Hardy: 'Notts County have complained to EFL over fixture list'

Alan Hardy has revealed that Notts County have complained to the Football League over their fixtures this season.
The Magpies have been handed long midweek away trips to Yeovil Town and Exeter City this season, while Boxing Day will bring a trip to Morecambe followed by an away day at Swindon Town.
Notts manager Kevin Nolan has already criticised the schedule as “scandalous” and Magpies owner Hardy has followed up with an official complaint.
“The Football League have got it wrong,” he told the Nottingham Post.
“I think first of all, the long trips such as Exeter, like we have already had this season, should be on a Saturday.
“People will at least make a day or weekend of it. They will set off early in the morning, stop for some lunch, get to the ground early and prepare for the match.
“We’ve already complained to the Football League about it and especially our Christmas fixtures.
“Christmas is dreadful for our fans. Fans shouldn’t be returning home as late as they will when we play Morecambe on Boxing Day.
“They’ve got that one badly wrong. Boxing Day fixtures, in my view, should traditionally be reserved for derbies.
“Could you have imagined playing Mansfield or Lincoln? The gates we have had for those games already this season would have been boosted by another couple of thousand at least.
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Joe Jones

Kevin Nolan hopeful of big improvement by Notts County at Carlisle United

Kevin Nolan has backed his Notts County players to show a big improvement when they travel to Carlisle United for Saturday's League Two fixture.
The Magpies have experienced a downturn in form since the Mansfield Town defeat at the end of September, which was one of two defeats and a draw in their last four games.
Up next comes the long trip to Brunton Park and Nolan admits that his boys will have to get themselves fired up as the Cumbrians will raise their game against the high-flyers.
"It's about getting back to doing what we have been doing," Nolan told the official Notts site.
"We had a lot of the ball at Crewe but our first shot on target wasn't until the 63rd minute, which is not good enough for us.
"But the good thing about this league is that you get an opportunity every few days to put it right.
"We're looking for a big improvement and I hope it will come because the lads have been fantastic since Tuesday.
"Teams are going to raise their game when those at the top come to town.
"As a manager you don't need to motivate your players because they will want to prove to everyone they are better than them on the day.
"My lads have to start finding a way to get themselves motivated. You can't go away from home and expect to be given anything cheaply. You have to earn it.
"We can't worry about anyone else. We need to strip everything back and make sure we are ready for Carlisle, which will be another tough game; they are a good footballing outfit.
"You want to get momentum going again in the next game but there is no need for anyone to panic.
"We are well in control of what we want to do and we are well ahead of where anyone thought we would be."
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Joe Jones

Opposition View: Carlisle United vs. Notts County, Saturday 21 October 2017

What goes up must come down, and following Notts County's incredible spell between mid-August and late September, things have taken a bit of a downturn.
The Magpies still remain in the upper reaches of the League Two table, but following three poor performances from the last four games, alarm bells have started ringing just a little.
Up next is the long trip to Cumbria on Saturday, where Carlisle United await us.
In this Opposition View, Pride of Nottingham speaks to Cumbrians fan Elliott to give us an insight on the weekend's opposition.
About Elliott: 25 years old, fan since 2004, favourite player is Karl Hawley.
1) "Carlisle away" is often considered one of the most dreaded away days due to the distance - how do you feel about this reputation?
It's quite funny really. I mean, if fans dread coming to Carlisle, even if it's just because of distance, then that's half the battle won. But it's only one game out of 46 for away fans. For us, virtually every away game is a trek.
2) Jimmy Glass's injury-time goal in 1999 is the stuff of folklore - what do you make of it?
I'm too young to really remember it but having spoken to older fans, it really seemed an incredible moment. At the time, relegation to the Conference could have easily bankrupted Michael Knighton, the owner at the time, and in turn put an end to Carlisle United. Even just watching it back on YouTube, it sends shivers down my spine. Can't even begin to imagine having been there.
3) Since the turn of the millennium you've been as high as League One and as low as the Conference - where do you feel is your natural level?
Is there such thing as a "natural level" in football? You've got teams like Huddersfield and Bournemouth in the Premier League and the likes of Portsmouth and Blackburn in the third tier. We are where we deserve to be at present. Obviously I'd like to see us back into League One and then go up into the Championship but every club's where it deserves to be.
4) What's your proudest moment as a Carlisle fan?
A single occasion - the 1-0 win over Brentford in the JPT final in 2011. In terms of a spell- the back-to-back promotions from the Conference to League Two and then winning the title to go up into League One.
5) Who are your team's danger men?
Reggie Lambe can't stop scoring at the minute, he's going from strength to strength and it shouldn't be a surprise to see him in double figures before Christmas. And Danny Grainger is also bagging the goals - and a couple of assists too - from left-back.
6) Score and scorer prediction
2-1 Carlisle, Hallam Hope and Reggie Lambe to get our goals.
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Joe Jones

League Two news roundup: 12-19 October 2017

What's been happening in League Two over the last week?
Here is Pride of Nottingham's round-up of the biggest League Two news from the last seven days.
- Carlisle United striker Shaun Miller became the first player to be charged by the FA since simulation laws were introduced in May, the 30-year-old being charged with "successful deception of a match official".
- Grimsby Town announced the signing of former Norwich City defender Reece Hall-Johnson on an initial one-year contract before loaning him to Chester FC.
- Newport County signed 34-year-old striker Paul Hayes, formerly of Wycombe Wanderers, after manager Mike Flynn contacted the player on LinkedIn.
- A pitch invader angrily confronted Coventry City players in their 1-0 home defeat to Forest Green Rovers in their League Two game at the Ricoh Arena on Tuesday.
- Accrington Stanley announced that Jordan Moseley, an academy player in their Under-16 side, sadly passed away.
- Notts County announced the signing of Liam Noble just days after having his contract cancelled by Forest Green Rovers by mutual consent.
All news stories sourced from BBC Sport and Sky Sports.
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Joe Jones

Ryan Yates: 'Liam Noble will push me to become a better player'

Ryan Yates has claimed that Liam Noble's return to Notts County will make him work harder to improve as a player.
Noble departed Forest Green Rovers by mutual consent citing a need to be closer to his family in the North East and has now linked up with his former club.
The 26-year-old will not be able to play for his new club until January, given his registration was with FGR at the closure of the transfer window.
Yates, however, believes that Noble will be an asset to Notts once he becomes available and will give the youngster more impetus to prosper as a footballer, both on loan at Meadow Lane and back at parent club Nottingham Forest.
“Liam is a great player,” Yates told the Nottingham Post. “I’ve heard about him and watched him before.
“I watched him play against Swindon for Forest Green on television a couple of weeks ago.
“He is going to add to the squad and there’s so much healthy competition for places.
“I love it because he’s only going to push me to become a better player for when I go back to Forest and hopefully prove myself.”
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Joe Jones

Kevin Nolan urges Notts County players to raise their levels

Kevin Nolan has urged Notts County to raise their levels as their opponents have been doing the same against them in recent weeks due to their lofty position in the table.
The Magpies put in an impressive run over August - following the Coventry City defeat - and September which saw them soar to the top of League Two.
However, a defeat at Mansfield Town right at the end of last month has given way to a blip, with a win over Barnet sandwiched between a draw with Forest Green Rovers and a defeat at Crewe Alexandra.
The downturn in form has led to Notts slipping off the top of the table, with Nolan stressing that opposition teams are now stepping their game up against a team deemed as contending for promotion.
“I said to the players that teams are giving them the respect they deserve,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post.
“Why that is happening is because of what they have achieved so far.
“But I told them what they have to do now is raise their levels. They have to keep to their standard and go higher again.
“And I keep saying to people that these players have certainly got it in them to do it.”
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Joe Jones

Chris Buckley: 'Notts County must abandon hoofing tactics and play ball on ground'

The performances so far from Notts County during the 2017-18 season haven’t been the ‘most complete’, something which Kevin Nolan has admitted himself.
However every fan should give credit to Nolan for where we are, sitting second in the league after 14 games with 9 of those being wins is very impressive.
Especially after the turmoil of the last few seasons, there will always be a transitional period, and I do honestly feel bad performances are part and parcel of that.
This said I do feel we should abandon the hoof ball tactics, as it invites pressure onto ourselves by being poor in possession.
I feel some of the best performances that have come from Notts during this campaign came by having played the ball on the ground.
Nolan was bemused at the start of the season after his side was labelled ‘a route one football’ team.
He said: "If someone is under pressure, then put it in an area that is going to give our forwards or a winger an opportunity but hurt the opposition in the process. If you are a centre-half what is the ball you hate? It’s not one coming on to your head, it’s one in behind.
"It’s not about putting balls onto Jon Stead’s head because that’s not his game. A lot of people maybe thought his game was that.
"For people to say that’s what we want to do is ludicrous."
The problem is we are more reliant of hoofing it than we are at keeping calm in procession, or against the run of play.
In recent weeks, fans have suggested that the problem stems from the attack, mostly that the strikers aren’t doing their jobs – yet I wholeheartedly disagree with this.
We all know that there’s a limited amount of service to our strike force, especially in games where we struggle, and the route one football has perhaps helped at times – yet it's largely hindering the progression we can truly make.
Nolan has also said that he doesn’t want Notts to pass for the sake of it, something which reinforces the fact that we are reliant on hoofing the ball.
"I’ve never been a manager who likes passing it for passing sake," he said.
"There are managers out there who like to keep it, then look at the possession stats afterwards and say we kept it for 80 percent of the game. But I’ve been involved in matches against United, Arsenal etc and they’ve had the ball 75 percent of the game, but we’ve won 1-0.
"That’s the only stat that matters and that’s because we got it right defensively, and we did the basics right. So in that 25 percent possession, we’ve scored a goal."
In recent weeks I would argue that we aren’t getting the basics right at all, and in this division you can’t rely on the odd goal as a cushion – you have to be clinical and defensively solid.
Passing allows you to grow in confidence, players will naturally get a feel for the game and it largely assists with setting the tempo.
Most teams win games simply because they handled these simple facts, whilst allowing the pressure to be absorbed away from the defence – clearing the ball and attempting to force the play only returns frustration and it really does play into the advantage of the opposition.
I have spoken about the hard work which all the players and staff have put in, and it always seems like going top of the League Two table is the issue – yet we must believe in what we do.
I really hope Nolan finds a way to get the team focusing more on how we proceed with games, rather than just hacking at the ball – if you watch the training highlights released by the club, virtually everything is played on the deck, so why is it different when we go into games?
For me it’s not passing for the ‘sake of it’, it’s a case of ensuring we are doing enough to protect ourselves.
Teams which focus on hoofing it generally fall under those that lack quality, we know Notts have depth and capable players – I also mentioned it earlier about how when we do pass along the floor how much better we look.
Losing to Crewe means very little, it's all about how we respond but we have been stuttering since playing Mansfield Town at Field Mill towards the end of last month.
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Chris

Match highlights: Crewe Alexandra 2-0 Notts County, Tuesday 17 October 2017

No sooner have Notts County got back to winning ways that they suffer another negative result, this time a 2-0 defeat at Crewe Alexandra.
The Magpies were hoping to build on their 2-1 win over Barnet on Saturday with a result that would keep them top of the table at Gresty Road.
However, Notts were not at the races as Michael Raynes rattled home from close range just before half time after Eddie Nolan had headed George Cooper’s free kick across goal.
Crewe's win was sealed when, 66 minutes in, Jordan Bowery ran in behind to latch onto a pass from Cooper - the Notts defence caught napping once again - and steer past goalkeeper Ross Fitzsimons.
Should you wish to see them again, here are the highlights from the game off the official Notts YouTube page.
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Joe Jones

Match Reaction: Crewe Alexandra 2-0 Notts County, Tuesday 17 October 2017

Notts County have been knocked off top spot in League Two following their 2-0 defeat at Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday night.
The Magpies simply were not at the races as goals from Michael Raynes and Jordan Bowery gave the Railwaymen all three points.
The result saw Luton Town leapfrog both Notts and Exeter City, who were hammered by the Hatters, at the top of the table.
Here is the reaction from the Notts manager and the Black and White Army following the disappointing loss at Gresty Road.
Kevin Nolan
“I just thought we didn’t manage situations like we have done this season.
“I warned the lads before the game that Crewe will want to play the best game of their season.
“They certainly did because I’ve watched all the videos of them this season and that’s why they got the result.
“Their fans were up for it because we are top of the league. Their players were going to run that little bit extra, tackle that little bit harder and defend as hard as they can.
“We’ve been doing that this season, but you will get hiccups and this was one of them.”
The fans
Dangerous Sausage: I missed it last night but it did seem a strange decision to play Forte and Alessandro - who both need the ball played to feet - and leave our best ball-playing midfielder on the bench for an hour. If we're going to play the big boot then we might as well play the big men who can win the arial challenges.
I'm a bit concerned that KN has started to believe the hype. We've got some decent players on board but we're not so good that we can afford to drop a player of Grant's quality, especially when his replacement is playing out of position and hasn't really arrived in professional football yet. Although I think it's an attempt at man management, dropping players like that could be interpreted as arrogance by the opposition.
Nigel Nattrass: A very poor display tonight, but I have to say it wasn’t down to any lack of effort on the field. This one is down to Kevin Nolan. Unless the players totally ignored his pre-match instructions and decided to try it their own way, he, as manager, got it totally wrong.
I can well understand the team changes....especially when your first choice strikers are 70 years old between them and incapable of playing two full games in the space of four days.......but whatever your team selection, if you want to succeed with it, you have to play to its strengths. Notts didn’t do that.
Starting with Forte and Alessandra up front,......two players who need the ball at their feet,......Nolans’ game plan seemed to be for us to pass the ball across the back four, until a Crewe player came to close it down, then hoof it up the field in the general direction of our strikers and hope for the best.
That didn’t work in the first half.....so Nolan thought he would carry on that way for another 20 minutes.
The eventual introduction of Stead, Ameobi and Grant ....replacing Walker, Forte and Hawkridge......should’ve added some impetus to our game. But it didn’t. There was no change of tactics and not very much more success up front.
Crewe soon gratefully took advantage as FOUR Notts players......Grant, Milsom, Yates and Dickinson....all stood ball-watching in the middle of Notts’ half, and a simple unchallenged pass let in Jordan Bowery to make it 2-0 and put the game beyond doubt.
To put it bluntly, Notts don’t have enough pace, and enough quality on the ball. On the evidence of the last four matches, January can’t come quick enough so that we can get Noble (a player I wouldn’t have even considered signing) into the midfield, and hopefully bring in a couple of mobile strikers.
Oh......and I’m getting sick of watching hoof-ball. Many Notts fans tonight were calling out for the players to get the ball down and pass it. The crap we are being forced to watch isn’t even effective, it won’t bring success and it certainly won’t bring the crowds in.
Kevin Nolan might’ve had some positives to pick out of this (I haven’t yet heard / read his post-match comments). But he’s clutching at straws if he did. He might say we shouldn’t get too carried away, win or lose. But we have now been very poor for four successive games, picking up just 4 points out of 12, and (only just) deserving 3. It’s worrying.
Steve Brewer: That was absolutely woeful. We didn't even look like scoring. And they were not a good side. 2 terrible examples of defending. When you dick around with the team and not play your strongest side from the start then that is what you get. At least Luton did us a favour. Forget going to Carlisle Sat, we are going to see my mate's team Altrincham at Warrington. Top two clash in the NPL. Lads we have got to play better than that!
Chris Buckley: Just one of those days I'm afraid, we'll bounce back from this - I don't think the tweaking of the line-up helped but it was worth the gamble as I can see what Nolan was trying to do.
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Joe Jones

Tactical Talk: Crewe Alexandra 2-0 Notts County, Tuesday 17 October 2017

Notts County suffered a 2-0 defeat away at Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday night which knocked them off the top of League Two, with Luton Town taking their place.
Putting in one of the worst performances of the season so far, the Magpies fell behind just before half time when Michael Raynes rattled home from close range after Eddie Nolan had headed George Cooper’s free kick across goal.
Crewe's win was sealed when, 66 minutes in, Jordan Bowery ran in behind to latch onto a pass from Cooper - the Notts defence caught napping once again - and steer past goalkeeper Ross Fitzsimons.
Here is the analysis of the game from PON head honcho Chris.
Was the result fair?
No arguments. Notts simply didn’t turn up, which for the most part is the hardest thing because too many players had an off day and the whole game is probably a ‘write off’.
How did Notts play?
Not well at all, they struggled throughout the game and lacked application. Too many players had an off day, yet even after we had injected fresh legs it always seemed a little too late to change the outcome of the game.
How did Crewe play?
Quite well. I would say that they simply wanted it more than us, and you could tell by how they worked. For me Crewe were always capable of getting something from the game, but they played to our weaknesses and it showed on the pitch.
Did our tactics work out?
The line-up was interesting, but we lacked the grit. I have spoken about changes being required, yet against Crewe I honestly wouldn’t have changed much. I think the changes probably added to the nerves, yet there was little sign of any sort of in-game tactics and we struggled for this reason alone.
How did the referee perform?
No complaints from me regarding any of the match officials, the better team simply won for the right reasons and the referee had little to do.
Who do we play next?
Carlisle United – a very offensive team that always seems to know how to play Notts. They enjoy controlling games via their midfield and play a flowing game, which always tends to see much better against us.
How should we play them?
Revert back to basics yet again.
We missed Shaun Brisley who for me is our best defender on the pitch, he’s bright and alert to danger – so it’s important that he returns to the mix.
Notts need to learn how to control games via the centre of the park, for me the midfield has a lot of responsibility but they can avoid the pressure mounting on the defence by being more prepared to keep the ball on the ground.
It’s all about the passing at the end of the day, and our ability to work the ball – if we can spread it around and generally just get a feel for the game (without giving possession a way or attempting to force play) we should do well.
The strikers need to ensure that they can be brought into the game, yet for me it’s mostly about the midfield being prepared and the defence able to stomp out any inconsistencies.
Honestly, I would take a draw and I suspect it might be another hard game to watch but I have faith that we will be fine.
Crewe fan views (Crewe Mad)
Gazan: To be honest, we were good but not fantastic. It was a hard won win. They hardly had a shot. Raynes's was immense. Nolan had another effective game, despite being whacked by a challenge that would have been a red card in the PL. Lowery and Grant worked very well together, the former replaced by a robust in the tackle Walker. Porter had a much better game and upset their defence. Bowery generally looked lost and could not make the right moves - that is until scored a fine goal from an exquisite George pass. He managed to wrap his foot around a high bouncing ball and managed to keep it down. Textbook technique. A good time had by all!
Ruocul: Have to disagree with gazan on two points. First on Bowery who worked his socks off and caused County`s defence no end of bother, plus a superb run to take the goal. Second point that Lowery and Grant worked well together. IMO Lowery is a loose cannon who works with no player. Most disruptive. We only saw how a midfield pair should work when Walker replaced Lowery on the hour. Grant and Walker played as central midfield players should. They protected our defence solidly. They efficiently supported the forwards at every opportunity. The attack for the second goal was started by Walker. We were a far better balanced side when Lowery went off. I really hope that the team continues with Grant and Walker in central midfield
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Chris

ARLukomski's Match Vlog: Crewe Alexandra 2-0 Notts County, Tuesday 17 October 2017

No sooner have Notts County got back to winning ways that they suffer another negative result, this time a 2-0 defeat at Crewe Alexandra.
The Magpies were hoping to build on their 2-1 win over Barnet on Saturday with a result that would keep them top of the table at Gresty Road.
However, Notts were not at the races as Michael Raynes rattled home from close range just before half time after Eddie Nolan had headed George Cooper’s free kick across goal.
Crewe's win was sealed when, 66 minutes in, Jordan Bowery ran in behind to latch onto a pass from Cooper - the Notts defence caught napping once again - and steer past goalkeeper Ross Fitzsimons.
ARLukomski, a Notts vlogger and Pride of Nottingham contributor, discussed the fixture ahead of kickoff, gave his thoughts as the game went on, and talked about the performance and result after the final whistle.
Follow ARLukomski on his YouTube channel by clicking here.
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ARLukomski

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