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Kevin Nolan tips Notts County to overcome Crewe Alexandra "hiccup"

Kevin Nolan has described Notts County's 2-0 defeat at Crewe Alexandra as a "hiccup" and has tipped his players to bounce back this weekend.
The Magpies were simply not at the races at Gresty Road as goals from Michael Raynes and Jordan Bowery saw the Railwaymen claim all three points in Tuesday night's League Two encounter.
"It's a lesson," Nolan told the official Notts site. "I am not one to shout and bawl.
"I just try to encourage my players and give them the best advice I possibly can to do the right things.
"The players don't deserve a rollicking. They have been magnificent this season and that's why they are where they are in the table.
"What they need is someone to tell them where they went wrong and that's what I've done.
"I've been delighted with the lads but they have not hit their standards tonight, which happens sometimes.
"We're all disappointed but collectively we will work harder and get better from this.
"It just didn't happen for us but it was not because of the changes I made.
"We can't use it as an excuse because we have done it at other points this season and it's worked.
"We didn't manage situations as well as we have done this season and we didn't do what we normally do in playing to our tempo and controlling the game.
"Tonight is a hiccup and hopefully that's all it is. Now it's about reacting and making sure we are ready for Carlisle on Saturday."
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Joe Jones

Match Report: Notts County put to the sword by Crewe Alexandra

Notts County have suffered a 2-0 defeat away at Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday night which knocked them off the top of League Two.
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.
Kevin Nolan's rotated charges were on top for the opening exchanges but didn’t create any clear-cut chances - indeed it was the Alex who had the first true sight of goal on 14 minutes when Tom Lowery’s delivery was met by Raynes, but his header was well held by Fitzsimons.
The hosts began upping the ante as Cooper saw a long-range effort blocked by Carl Dickinson, while on the half-hour mark, Chris Porter raced onto a Bowery flick and lifted the ball over the keeper only for Elliott Hewitt to get back and clear the striker’s second effort off the line.
County's bid to get back into the changing rooms on level pegging suffered a blow in the 44th minute when Cooper’s free kick from deep was headed back by Raynes and Porter got a touch as the ball found its way back to the Alex captain, who fired home from close range.
Dickinson did come close to netting an equaliser early after the restart after Ryan Yates was brought down for a free kick around 30 yards out, but the 30-year-old's curling effort was tipped narrowly wide of the post by Crewe keeper Dave Richards.
On 57 minutes, the ignominious triple substitution was called upon by Nolan, with Jorge Grant, Jon Stead and Shola Ameobi replacing Jonathan Forte, Liam Walker and Terry Hawkridge on the Gresty Road pitch.
It made little difference, however, as nine minutes later, Crewe had doubled their lead through Bowery, whose run was spotted by Cooper, met with a through ball which sliced the Notts defence open, and the striker held off his marker and steered a volleyed finish past the onrushing Fitzsimons.
Notts attempted to find a way back but for all their efforts were unable to trouble Richards as the Railwaymen saw the game out with little difficulty and left the visitors heading back to the East Midlands empty-handed.
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Joe Jones

Pride of Nottingham's PONcast: Episode 29

Hello and welcome to episode 29 of the Pride of Nottingham PONcast, presented as always by hosts Chris and JJ.
In this week's episode we assess Notts County's 2-1 win over Barnet and subsequent return to the top of League Two.
We also look ahead to tonight's encounter with Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road, giving our opinions on how the Magpies should line up and play.
Liam Noble's controversial return to Meadow Lane is also put under our meticulous spotlight following his even more controversial departure from Forest Green Rovers.
Other topics we brush upon include who should take over in goal from the sidelined Adam Collin, and the FA Cup first-round draw.
All this and more only in episode 29 of the Pride of Nottingham PONcast!
Share your thoughts about this week's PONcast by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans.
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Joe Jones

Liam Noble: 'I am more experienced and mature'

Notts County midfielder Liam Noble has stressed that he is more experienced and mature compared to his last spell at Meadow Lane and is eager to repay Kevin Nolan and Alan Hardy's faith in re-signing him.
The 26-year-old left Notts in 2016 to join Mark Cooper's Forest Green Rovers and helped the Green Devils to promotion from the National League, as well as earning himself the captain's armband.
Noble's spell at the New Lawn ended somewhat acrimoniously, however, as he was ruled out indefinitely due to a medical condition before being released by mutual consent, citing a desire to be closer to his family in the North-East.
Now re-signed by Notts, Noble insists he is a "fresh" new player and a different proposition to the card-happy, temperamental footballer he once was.
"I'm buzzing to be back," he told the official Notts site. "I had a good chat with the manager and his staff to make sure I was willing to work to the high standards they set every day, which I was always going to do.
"I looked up to the manager when he played for Newcastle. He was a top-class midfielder so I knew his standards were always going to be high and you can see that in training.
"The lads know when to have a laugh but once we cross the white line for a match or training, we are switched on and giving 100% day in, day out.
"It's a good place to come to work every day. Not much is similar to when I was last here. It's become a totally different club in the time I've been away.
"I need to repay the faith of the manager and the chairman for bringing me back because some people will question the move. But it'a fresh club and a fresh Liam Noble.
"I dropped down to the National League, which was a hard league to get out of, and I had a different mentality going into games.
"I was in a good place and played a lot. I only got booked seven times and didn't get sent off.
"I'm more experienced and mature now. I'm 26 years old so I need to get my head screwed on.
"Come January it's my time to shine and help the rest of the squad keep us up where we want to be."
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Joe Jones

Kevin Nolan eager for Notts County to shut out Crewe Alexandra

Kevin Nolan has urged Notts County to shut out Crewe Alexandra and believes his players are "up for the fight" on Tuesday night.
The Magpies have returned to the top of League Two following their 2-1 win over Barnet at the weekend, leapfrogging Exeter City back into top spot.
However Nolan, who will be without the injured Adam Collin for the trip to Gresty Road, has warned his players about the quality within the Railwaymen's squad.
"Crewe have a lot of good young players who will be hungry to prove themselves and David Artell is a good manager," he told the official Notts site.
"We'll be going there to try and shut them out because they have some good individuals. They play really well and want to do things the right way.
"If we go there and let them play, they will hurt us.  We have to be up for the fight - but I'm sure they will be too.
"When you're winning games, you want the next one to come along as quickly as possible and that's the mentality our lads need to have."
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Joe Jones

Notts County to face Bristol Rovers at Meadow Lane in FA Cup first round

Notts County have been handed a home draw against Bristol Rovers in the first round of the FA Cup.
The draw was made on Monday night at 7pm, with the ties to be played on the weekend of November 4.
It's a tricky draw for the Magpies, who will face a mid-table League One team, though Kevin Nolan's team at least has home advantage.
It will be the first time that the two sides have met since facing each other in League Two in March 2016, with the Gas claiming a 2-0 win at Meadow Lane on that day.
Last season Notts made it to the second round of the competition after needing a replay to overcome non-league Boreham Wood.
In the following round, League One side Peterborough United were also taken to a replay but Notts succumbed to a 2-0 defeat in the second game.
 
Full draw:
Stevenage vs Nantwich/Kettering
Bradford City vs Chesterfield
Port Vale vs Oxford United
Newport County vs Walsall
Morecambe vs Hartlepool
Yeovil Town vs Southend United
Peterborough United vs Tranmere Rovers
Cambridge United vs Sutton United
Forest Green Rovers vs Macclesfield Town
AFC Fylde vs Kidderminster Harriers
Luton Town vs Portsmouth
Shrewsbury Town vs Aldershot Town
Hereford vs AFC Telford
Guiseley vs Accrington Stanley
Blackburn Rovers vs Barnet
East Thurrock/Ebbsfleet vs Doncaster Rovers
Leatherhead vs Brackley/Billericay
Boreham Wood vs Blackpool
Shaw Lane vs Mansfield Town
Colchester United vs Oxford City
Plymouth Argyle vs Grimsby Town
AFC Wimbledon vs Lincoln City
Rochdale vs Dover/Bromley
Coventry City vs Maidenhead United
Chorley/Boston United vs Fleetwood Town
Carlisle United vs Oldham Athletic
Notts County vs Bristol Rovers
Dartford vs Swindon Town
Cheltenham Town vs Maidstone United/Enfield Town
Woking/Concord Rangers vs Bury
Crewe Alexandra vs Rotherham United
Gillingham vs Dagenham and Redbridge/Leyton Orient
Hyde United vs MK Dons
Gainsborough Trinity vs Slough Town
Solihull/Ossett vs Wycombe
Northampton vs Scunthorpe
Charlton Athletic vs Truro City
Wigan Athletic vs Crawley Town
Gateshead vs Bath City/Chelmsford
Exeter City vs Heybridge Swifts
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Joe Jones

Adam Collin to miss Crewe Alexandra clash with knee injury

Kevin Nolan has confirmed that Adam Collin will miss Notts County's trip to Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday and will be sent for a scan a knee injury.
The Magpies goalkeeper suffered a blow in the first half of the 2-1 win over Barnet and despite toughing it out for a while, ended up having to be taken off.
Ross Fitzsimons came on in Collin's place at Meadow Lane on Saturday and is likely to line up between the sticks at Gresty Road, though Branislav Pindroch could also be considered.
“Unfortunately Adam won’t make the game against Crewe because he has had a nasty bang on his knee,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post.
"We are just hoping that it is a bit of bone bruising and that he will be available for the weekend, but Tuesday has just come too soon.
“He is going for a scan, which will give us a bit more knowledge of what is going on in his knee.
“But we have two understudies who have been pushing him to the limit, which is why I think you’ve seen Adam in the form he is in.
“He’s been fantastic for us, but now it’s up to one of the other two to come in and claim his spot and keep his spot.”
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Joe Jones

Stat Attack: Crewe Alexandra vs. Notts County, Tuesday 17 October 2017

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 43 meetings between the two sides.
Notts have the upper hand with 21 wins to 13 defeats, and 9 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, Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle, and Jimmy MacDonald, also known as the voice of Mickey Mouse.
Team news
Crewe striker Chris Dagnall has been struggling with a knock but is expected to be fully fit for Tuesday's game against Notts at Gresty Road.
The visitors, meanwhile, will be without goalkeeper Adam Collin after he was forced off in Saturday's win over Barnet.
Collin required treatment after injuring his knee in an aerial collision in the first half and though he initially played on, he succumbed just before the hour mark.
Ross Fitzsimons took his place and is now in line for a first league start, with manager Kevin Nolan hopeful Collin will be available to face Carlisle United on Saturday.
Share your thoughts about this match preview on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans.
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Joe Jones

Ryan Yates delighted to be learning the ropes at Notts County

Ryan Yates has praised his Notts County teammates for helping him develop as a player and says he is enjoying his time at Meadow Lane.
The 19-year-old joined the Magpies on loan from city neighbours Nottingham Forest over the summer and has impressed in black and white.
On Saturday, Yates bagged County's second goal in their 2-1 win over Barnet, leaving their opponents with too much work to do despite bagging a late goal.
"You have to put everything on the line to get the win and we're doing that at the minute, which is great," Yates told the official Notts site.
"I'm not looking at the league table because it doesn't mean anything at this stage.
"The gaffer wants us to just focus on ourselves. The initial aim was to get to safety and then build from there.
"I'm enjoying my time here. Learning every day from the likes of Shola Ameobi and Alan Smith is unbelievable.
"The boys have been fantastic with me. They know I'm young and raw so they give me tips on how to improve.
"Playing week in, week out is fantastic and I want to keep that going."
Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans.
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Joe Jones

Tactical Talk: Notts County 2-1 Barnet, Saturday 14 October 2017

Notts County survived a late scare to move back to the top of League Two with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Barnet at Meadow Lane on Saturday.
The Magpies went ahead on the quarter-hour mark when Shola Ameobi headed a Rob Milsom corner towards goal and Shaun Brisley made sure of the goal from point-blank range.
Notts then doubled their advantage seven minutes into the second half when Matt Tootle Cruyff-turned his marker and crossed for Ryan Yates, who glanced home for his first league goal of the season.
Kevin Nolan's charges pressed for a third, Jorge Grant belting over from close range before Jon Stead fired the ball into the back of the net only to be thwarted by the offside flag.
The hosts then endured a nervy finish when Simeon Akinola drove inside the far post with seven minutes remaining, but were able to see the game out to leapfrog Exeter City up to top spot.
Pride of Nottingham chief and master tactician Chris has provided his review of the game from a tactical and analytical perspective, and also looks ahead to Tuesday night's trip to Crewe Alexandra.
Was the result fair?
It’s actually quite hard to answer. I think overall Notts did deserve to win but at the same time I think Barnet themselves played very well at times. A draw may be fairer, yet the first half and majority of the second for me firmly favoured Notts – yet Barnet did take the game to Notts once they scored but only because we allowed them.
How did Notts play?
First half was alright, nothing special but we deserved to be in the lead.
Both teams worked hard, and I was pleased with how Notts matched Barnet especially after the FGR game. Midfield seemed vastly different and it was pleasing to see the work rate increase within the second half. The Magpies dominated Barnet and really excelled within the second half, however the substitutes largely impacted the game and I feel it forced Notts to drop deeper to the point we started to struggle.
How did Barnet play?
Jamal Campbell-Ryce played very well, he was there key man and his outlet made it very difficult. However, going forward the whole Barnet squad did. I think their keeper was a massive weak link – he just seemed quite poor and created the issues within the Bees defence. They did very well to pull a goal back, at a time where they simply looked outmatched by Notts.
Did our tactics work out?
Yes, however at times they simply didn’t. First half I have absolutely no complaints, the starting line-up settled into the match very well and we looked quite lively at times (although Barnet were more dangerous). The game became more entertaining after the first 45 minutes, and the confidence grew but for me the substitutes happened at the wrong time forcing Notts to drop deeper.
How did the referee perform?
He was fine, called the game quite fairly and it was his co-workers who at times massively spoiled the game but these days referees have to listen to all the match officials – so I don’t blame him for ruling out our third goal.
Who do we play next?
Crewe Alexandra – on paper they seem worse off than they have been in previous seasons but they have some very good young professionals and on their day they can take the game to anyone within League Two.
How should we play them?
The key as always will be the way that we control the game, so the midfield will need to match the work rate that we saw against Barnet.
I honestly feel it time that we saw Shola Ameobi and Jonathan Forte up top, even Jon Stead's performance off the ball seemed quite empty and I honestly feel having a quicker option would highly benefit the game to the point we really can’t start without Ameobi.
Plus it seems unfair to see a largely consistent Forte forced back onto the bench, over someone who isn’t having the best season at all.
Defensively we need to keep on our toes, if Collin is out – we shouldn’t rely on Fitzsimons to do all the work at the back. He made some amazing saves, and I am confident he deserves to start (even if Collin is able to feature) but no keeper should be relied upon as we saw within the final 20 minutes.
Notts just have to ensure that they use the ball wisely, avoid rushing the play and really just keeping calm under possession.
Barnet fan views (from Onlybarnet.com)
Nicesirmick1: For the first 70 Mins this really was an awful game. We outpassed County (though did it mainly in our half of the pitch) but had no creativity in the final third. On todays showing I don't know how County are top. They hit the ball long and lack pace. We defended poorly for both their goals. With 20mins to go we seemed to realise that if we took the game to County they were there for the taking and but for one decent save by their keeper and the Santos miss at the end we could and should have got something from this game.
Becbee: No club can lose their best players and it not affect results. However the contrast between the first 70 and the last 20 minutes yesterday showed there's more to it than that. We were awful early on, it was only a matter of time before Notts County took the lead. At 1-0 it was more hope than expectation. At 2-0 down we were out of sight. The fact that we could respond in the way we eventually did just shows what we might have achieved had we played for 90 minutes. This isn't the first time this season and it's just so frustrating.
Mr Smart: County were a horrible team created in the image of their boss and his mentor Allardyce. Cynical, defensively well organised but horrible hoofball. Until we changed back to a wing back system they pressurised into mistakes and did their best to break up play and any momentum we got.
We were largely toothless as an attacking force with a midfield that was scared of running in behind JLAA, standing on top of each when we had possession and far too one paced. All our football was played in front of County.
One of the biggest differentiators was their deadball delivery which were superbly whipped in whilst we put in floaty nonsense. Then we switched to a back 3 and came alive. Tutonda was causing them all sorts of problems and put in some great crosses, one of which lead to the goal. Akinola/JLAA were 2v1 and Akinola couldn't pick out JLAA and then Santos missed a guilt edged chance right at the end.
All in all we were second best but although it's frustrating, we have several players starting today who wouldn't be anywhere near our first Xi yet we come away from a promotion chasing team having marginally lost.
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Chris

Faces of PON: Notts County 2-1 Barnet, Saturday 14 October 2017

Notts County have returned to the top of the League Two table thanks to a 2-1 win over Barnet at Meadow Lane on Saturday.
The Magpies opened the scoring in the 16th minute when Shola Ameobi thumped a header towards goal from a Rob Milsom corner, with Shaun Brisley getting the finishing touch to bundle home.
Kevin Nolan's side then doubled their lead early in the second half thanks to great work from Matt Tootle to get a cross into the box, where the impressive Ryan Yates nodded home.
Barnet, however, launched a late comeback and halved the Simeon Akinola drove inside the far post with seven minutes remaining, but were able to see the game out to leapfrog the Grecians up to top spot.
Pride of Nottingham was at the match and took photos of the fans before, during and after the game.
Have you made it into this week's Faces of PON? Check out our gallery and find out!

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Chris

Meet the Fans: Notts County 2-1 Barnet, Saturday 14 October 2017

Notts County have moved back to the top of League Two thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 win over Barnet on Saturday.
Kevin Nolan's men went ahead after 16 minutes when Shola Ameobi headed a Rob Milsom corner towards goal and Shaun Brisley forced the ball home.
Seven minutes into the second half, Matt Tootle beat his marker with a Cruyff turn and crossed for Ryan Yates, who glanced in his first league goal of the season.
Barnet, however, kept plugging away and set up a nervy finish when Simeon Akinola rifled beyond substitute keeper Ross Fitzsimons inside the far post with seven minutes remaining.
Notts managed to hold on to their goal advantage until the final whistle and the result sees them leapfrog Exeter City to return to the summit of the table.
Pride of Nottingham was at Meadow Lane for the game and interviewed a number of fans ahead of kickoff, asking them several questions including what they thought of Liam Noble's return to Notts County, the team's problem areas, and whether the Magpies have been overachieving at present.
Share your thoughts about this week's Meet the Fans on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans.
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Chris

Match Reaction: Notts County 2-1 Barnet, Saturday 14 October 2017

Notts County have moved back to the top of League Two thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 win over Barnet on Saturday.
Kevin Nolan's men went ahead after 16 minutes when Shola Ameobi headed a Rob Milsom corner towards goal and Shaun Brisley forced the ball home.
Seven minutes into the second half, Matt Tootle beat his marker with a Cruyff turn and crossed for Ryan Yates, who glanced in his first league goal of the season.
Barnet, however, kept plugging away and set up a nervy finish when substitute Simeon Akinola rifled beyond Ross Fitzsimons - who came on for the injured Adam Collin - inside the far post with seven minutes remaining.
Here is what the Notts boss, some of the players and several fans had to say following the game.
Kevin Nolan
"You have to ride your luck a bit. You only have to look at the results from around the league this afternoon to see how difficult it is.
"We dealt with Barnet superbly but we have a lot more to come. We have to remember where we've come from. We're still a team in transition.
"The lads have been superb and they have to keep believing in each other. What we're doing at the minute is remarkable and they deserve every pat on the back that's coming their way.
"To get this win is massive after the last couple of weeks. Hopefully we can build momentum with a few more. I have faith in these lads to get us the points we need.
"But we can't let them get carried away with that. They need to enjoy it, embrace it and try to get better so we can become a real force in this league."
Ryan Yates
"I'm delighted with the three points and my first league goal. Credit to Barnet - they are a good team and had spells in the game but I thought we dealt with it well. They moved the ball quite nicely at times but we were still in control. Luckily I took my chance today and we got the win."
The Notts players on social media
 
 
 
 
 
The Notts fans
Scott Weatherbed: If Notts carry on playing how they are we should not only finish on 103 points but should be safe by 23rd December on 50 points!
Jay Dalton: Shaky first half bit lack lustre then second half stepped up a gear and maintained the pressure nervy defence last 5 min but credit to notts and we March on Nolan's super notts black white army.
David Burkey: Is there some needle between Collin and Fitzsimons ? I thought both did well but no handshakes between the two of them either when the change was made or at the end of the match?
Chris: It looked like we had picked up a solid 3 point victory, yet we invited Barnet to get back into the game. I'm not disappointed, but I think we need to be more clinical. Had the disallowed goal have stood, I don't think Barnet would have crept back into it. Credit goes to Fitzsimons because he was outstanding after Collin went off.
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Joe Jones

Kevin Nolan has faith in Notts County back-up goalkeepers

Kevin Nolan has insisted that Notts County can cope if goalkeeper Adam Collin is ruled out through injury.
The Magpies number 1 took a knock in a first-half collision with a Barnet player on Saturday and though he toughed it out for a while, eventually he had to be taken off at Meadow Lane.
Notts brought on Ross Fitzsimons in Collin's place and the 23-year-old gave a good account of himself as the hosts held out for a 2-1 victory which saw them edge back to the top of League Two.
"Adam took a bang on the knee so we're hoping it's more of a contact injury rather than a pull or a strain," Nolan told the official club site.
"But we brought two goalkeepers in during the summer (Fitzsimons and Branislav Pindroch) and they've pushed Adam to new levels.
"Ross came on and made some important saves and catches. I'm totally confident we have more than enough quality in the squad if Adam has to sit out for a couple of games."
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Joe Jones

ARLukomski's Match Vlog: Notts County 2-1 Barnet, Saturday 14 October 2017

Notts County survived a late scare to move back to the top of League Two with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Barnet at Meadow Lane on Saturday.
The Magpies went ahead on the quarter-hour mark when Shola Ameobi headed a Rob Milsom corner towards goal and Shaun Brisley made sure of the ball going into the back of the net from point-blank range.
Notts then doubled their advantage seven minutes into the second half when Matt Tootle crossed for Ryan Yates, who headed home for his first league goal of the season.
Kevin Nolan's charges pressed for a third, Jorge Grant belting over from close range before Jon Stead fired the ball into the back of the net only to be thwarted by the offside flag.
The hosts then endured a nervy finish when Simeon Akinola drove inside the far post with seven minutes remaining, but were able to see the game out to leapfrog Exeter City up to top spot.
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

Match highlights: Notts County 2-1 Barnet, Saturday 14 October 2017

Notts County have moved back to the top of League Two thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 win over Barnet on Saturday.
Kevin Nolan's men went ahead after 16 minutes when Shola Ameobi headed a Rob Milsom corner towards goal and Shaun Brisley forced the ball home.
Seven minutes into the second half, Matt Tootle beat his marker with a Cruyff turn and crossed for Ryan Yates, who glanced in his first league goal of the season.
Barnet, however, kept plugging away and set up a nervy finish when substitute Simeon Akinola rifled beyond Ross Fitzsimons - who came on for the injured Adam Collin - inside the far post with seven minutes remaining.
Notts County have put the match highlights up on their YouTube channel - relive the key moments of the game right here.
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Joe Jones

Kevin Nolan: 'Notts County still a team in transition'

Kevin Nolan has claimed that Notts County are still a team in transition despite reclaiming top spot in League Two with a 2-1 win over Barnet on Saturday.
Goals from Shola Ameobi and Ryan Yates gave the Magpies a healthy advantage, although it proved a nervy ending to the game after Simeon Akinola's late strike at Meadow Lane.
"You have to ride your luck a bit," Nolan told the official website. "You only have to look at the results from around the league this afternoon to see how difficult it is.
"We dealt with Barnet superbly but we have a lot more to come. We have to remember where we've come from. We're still a team in transition.
"The lads have been superb and they have to keep believing in each other. What we're doing at the minute is remarkable and they deserve every pat on the back that's coming their way.
"To get this win is massive after the last couple of weeks. Hopefully we can build momentum with a few more. I have faith in these lads to get us the points we need.
"But we can't let them get carried away with that. They need to enjoy it, embrace it and try to get better so we can become a real force in this league."
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Joe Jones

Match Report: Notts County return to winning ways with victory over Barnet

Notts County have returned to winning ways and sit atop League Two once again following Saturday's 2-1 win over Barnet at Meadow Lane.
The Magpies had slipped into a mini-blip prior to this weekend, with a defeat at Mansfield Town and a poor home draw with Forest Green Rovers sending alarm bells ringing ever so slightly.
However, Shola Ameobi's header on the quarter-hour mark and Ryan Yates's equivalent from Matt Tootle's pinpoint cross set Notts on their way, even if it proved a nervy ending with Simeon Akinola's late deficit-halver.
Kevin Nolan's charges started brightly and threatened in the seventh minute when Carl Dickinson's cross fell to Richard Duffy at point-blank range, but a Bees defender got in the way of the ensuing strike.
Notts didn't have to wait long to take the lead as Ameobi headed a Rob Milsom corner towards goal and Shaun Brisley forced the ball home in the 16th minute.
The remainder of the opening 45 minutes saw little action, with the only incident of note involding Adam Collin, who collided with an opposition player mid-air, but he was fine to continue and came out for the second half.
The Notts keeper had to be alert to keep out a deflected Barnet effort, backpedalling to push it over the bar and out.
Soon enough, the hosts were two goals to the good, as Tootle Cruyff-turned his man and sent a cross into the box, where Yates was on hand to nod home for his second of the season and first in the league.
Eventually, Collin's first-half injury left him unable to continue, so Ross Fitzsimons came on just before the hour mark in between the Magpie sticks.
At the other end, Lewis Alessandra burst into the Bees box and rifled an effort towards goal, only for Craig Ross to pull off a smart save, before Jorge Grant blasted over from six yards.
Notts thought they had claimed a third goal when Stead drilled home at the back post, only for the referee's assistant to flag for offside.
Barnet subsequently stepped their game up and forced Fitzsimons into several smart saves before Akinola struck back in the 81st minute with a powerful shot into the bottom corner.
However, the Magpies managed to withstand a nervy finale and the full-time whistle saw them clinch all three points.
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Joe Jones

Mark Cooper: 'I do not feel let down by Liam Noble'

Forest Green Rovers manager Mark Cooper has denied that he feels let down by Liam Noble's return to Notts County.
The 26-year-old departed the newly promoted League Two club earlier this week, citing a desire to move nearer his family in the North East.
As it turned out, Noble was then pictured training with the Magpies and, on Thursday afternoon, Notts announced that their former player was now on their books again.
The summer saw a tug of war between Notts and FGR over Noble, with a fee of £100,000 bandied about, only for the midfielder to pen a new three-year contract at the New Lawn.
Now Kevin Nolan’s side have got their man for nothing, but Cooper says he feels no animosity towards the former Sunderland man.
“Liam had a medical condition which he said meant he had to be near his family in the North East,” he told BBC Radio Gloucester.
“We have a duty of care and we decided to help Liam out with that. Because of the medical issue and the need to be around his young family, we decided to let him go.
“I don’t feel let down, football is football. He’s moved on and we’ve signed a really good midfielder in Isiah Osbourne.
“Liam will take his time. He can’t play for them until January. Let’s see how he does, he’s got to get in their team first.
“Once Liam had demanded to move to the North East and his heart wasn’t in playing for us, we ripped the contract up.
"He had a three year contract, so we’ve saved three years worth of money.”
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Joe Jones

Stat Attack: Notts County vs. Barnet, Saturday 14 October 2017

Notts County and Barnet have met 17 times over the years.
The head to head stands at 9 wins for Notts, 5 for Barnet, and 3 draws.
The first meeting took place only 20 years ago, the Magpies winning 2-1 at Underhill in Division 3.
The last fixture took place in March this year, Notts winning 1-0 at Meadow Lane.
 The club was founded in Chipping Barnet, then part of Hertfordshire, in 1888.
Several incarnations of the club existed before the third Barnet FC, created after the First World War, came to be - this entity continues till today.
Barnet have won the Football Conference a record three times - in 1991, 2005, and 2015, as well as finishing second three other times.
Aside from a runners-up medal in the 1971-72 FA Trophy, their silverware cabinet is restricted to minor trophies.
A number of Barnet players have gone on to represent Premier League clubs. They include Dougie Freedman, Marlon King, Andy Clarke, Linvoy Primus, Maik Taylor, Mark Gower, Jason Puncheon, Yannick Bolasie and Albert Adomah.
Players who came to the club towards the end of their careers include Jimmy Greaves, Mark Lawrenson, David Hillier, Alan Pardew, Eddie Newton, Paul Warhurst, Steve Kabba, John Oster, Jonathan Fortune, Edgar Davids and Lee Cook.
Team news
Shola Ameobi is fit again for Notts and is in contention for a return to the starting line-up.
The likes of Lewis Alessandra, Elliott Hewitt, Haydn Hollis and Nicky Hunt could also be considered by Kevin Nolan.
Midfielder Liam Walker is available again after missing the home draw with Forest Green while on international duty with Gibraltar.
Dan Jones has been struggling with a hamstring injury in recent weeks, missing the last three matches, and Nolan will hope to have the left-back back in contention again soon.
Barnet top-scorer Shaq Coulthirst will be assessed ahead of the trip to Meadow Lane.
The forward, who has six league goals, has been struggling with a hamstring problem and missed last weekend's goalless draw with Coventry.
Bees boss Rossi Eames has no fresh injury concerns but remains without a host of key players.
Goalkeeper Jamie Stephens, left-back Elliott Johnson, midfielder Curtis Weston and forward Dave Tarpey remain out, along with defender Richard Brindley and striker John Akinde.
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Joe Jones

Scouting Report: Barnet (H), 14 October 2017

We're just over a quarter of the season through and Notts County continue to sit nicely in the top three of League Two.
However, alarm bells have started ringing ever so slightly as the Magpies have made a hash of their last two games, losing at Mansfield and scraping a draw with Forest Green.
Another weekend, another chance. Up next are Barnet, another seemingly "winnable" game, but of course Notts need to take caution given their blip.
In this article, Chris provides the lowdown on Saturday's opponents.
History
Notts County and Barnet have met 17 times over the years.
The head to head stands at 9 wins for Notts, 5 for Barnet, and 3 draws.
The first meeting took place only 20 years ago, the Magpies winning 2-1 at Underhill in Division 3.
The last fixture took place in March this year, Notts winning 1-0 at Meadow Lane.
Run-down of their last six fixtures
Tuesday 12th September – Barnet 1 Exeter City 2
Saturday 16th September – Carlisle United 1 Barnet 1
Saturday 23rd September – Barnet 1 Crawley Town 2
Tuesday 26th September – Lincoln City 2 Barnet 1
Saturday 30th September – Wycombe Wanderers 3 Barnet 1
Saturday 7th October – Barnet 0 Coventry City 0
The Players – Fact Sheet
Highest Goal Scorers: Shaquile Coulthirst 8, Mauro Vilhete 4, Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro 3 and Jamal Campbell-Ryce 2.
Persistent Foulers: Jack Taylor 1 red card and 2 yellow cards, Andre Blackman 1 red card, Dabid Tutonda 3 yellow cards and Jamal Campbell-Ryce 2 yellow cards.
The Key Players
Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro and Shaquile Coulthirst are technically two very good strikers within League Two, both offer the Bees a lot of pace and direct threat.
Shaq is a former Spurs academy product, and at the age of 22-years-old he has a wealth of league experience already.
On the wing Barnet have former Magpie Jamal Campbell-Ryce, who on his day can turn defences inside out – if he releases the ball rather than repeatedly stepping over the ball.
And Andre Blackman can be a rock within the Bees defence, whilst doubling up as a midfielder further up the field. Blackman has a lot of pace and likes to take on the opposition at every given chance available to him.
Style of Play, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Despite their current league position, Barnet are a very good football club within League Two.
They have one of the most talented squads within the division in terms of quality and prospect, and can attack teams with a lot of style and confidence.
Whilst retaining the ball they aren’t afraid to enter limited ground and have the ability to work the ball around nicely – in my previous Scouting Report I mentioned how FGR have a very good midfield and Barnet have one much stronger.
Their physical players will be able to get a grip of the game, and attempt to control the tempo.
They can move between channels, switching between the centre of the park and revert onto the flanks where they have good wingers available to whip in the ball.
Defensively they are switched on, and are well organised but can be sloppy if pressed.
Part of their main issue so far during the 2017-18 League Two seasons, is when they commit men forward and leave themselves wide open to counter attacks.
Set pieces is another variability, however they have several tall and physical players that aren’t easily intimidated.
Yet if the ball bounces a few times, pressure can be assert due to their inability to deal with this type of threat.
Notts will have to use the centre of the park wisely, whilst ensuring each Barnet player is man marked rather than relying on zonal marking.
If we can assert a calm passing game the confidence within the match will only grow in confidence – as previously mentioned free-kicks and corners will be paramount towards creating good chances.
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Chris

Shola Ameobi praises "culture change" at Notts County

Shola Ameobi has spoken of a "culture change" at Notts County whereby the players have higher expectations of themselves.
Following a near-perfect September, the Magpies have stumbled in the last two weeks, losing at Mansfield Town and scraping a draw with Forest Green Rovers at Meadow Lane.
With Barnet the next opponents, Ameobi is eager to "show the fans we still have plenty to give".
The 36-year-old told the Nottingham Post: "From the run we had at the beginning of the season, the last two results haven't been what we wanted.
"But we have all taken stock this week as a squad and a management team and looked at how far we have come.
"There are times when things aren't going to go our way and we understand that. It is difficult to win every week over the course of a 46-game season.
"But there is no sense of panic here, which is great, but we have to get back to basics and do what we are best at.
"We have made Meadow Lane a fortress and we didn't want to lose the home record we have built up because we are proud of it.
"There has been a culture change now. Going into the dressing room at full time, people's heads were down even though we had managed to take a point in stoppage time.
"To be disappointed with that shows we have come a long way.
"We have another chance on Saturday to show the fans we still have plenty to give. I think you will see a good example of what we're about as a team."
Share your thoughts about this news story on Pride of Nottingham by signing up to the website, visiting the forum and joining in the chat with hundreds of fellow Notts County fans.
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Joe Jones

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