Notts County have finished the 2016-17 League Two season on a losing note, but all the pressure was on the opposition for 89 minutes as Newport County left it late to claim a 2-1 win at Rodney Parade on Saturday.

After some nervy opening exchanges, Lenell John-Lewis caused concern when he beat his man and squared for Tom Owen-Evans, but Alex Howes weighed in to deny the youngster a certain goal.

At the other end, Shola Ameobi got the better of former Magpie Scot Bennett on the right of the area and cut the ball back for Robert Milsom, but the midfielder sliced his shot out for a throw-in.

The Exiles continued to push forward and were rewarded in the 32nd minute when Haydn Hollis and John-Lewis tangled in the box, with the assistant flagging and referee Nigel Miller controversially pointing to the spot.

Despite Notts disputing the decision, it remained a penalty, and Demetriou stepped up to drill the ball past Adam Collin.

Kevin Nolan brought on Alan Smith and Marc Bola and his side levelled within five minutes of the changes.

Ryan Bird had just gone close for Newport with a speculative effort from 35 yards and the home defence was caught out by a long ball down the middle.

Jorge Grant took advantage and quickest to stab home the bouncing ball from close range on 62 minutes.

With Hartlepool United edging ahead against Doncaster Rovers, a point wouldn't have been enough for Newport to stay in the league because of their goal difference.

They threw everything forward in the search of the winner and when David Pipe launched a ball into the box, it dropped for Mark O’Brien, who chested down and lashed home on the volley to spark celebrations in the stands.

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Notts County have wrapped up their home fixtures for the 2016-17 League Two season with a 1-0 win over Blackpool at Meadow Lane on Saturday.

The first chance of the game came in the second minute when former Tangerine Mark Yeates curled wide of goal.

Blackpool then came close to taking the lead when Adam Collin spilled what ought to have been a routine claim, but the defence cleared just as Mark Cullen looked set to tap home.

The lead, however, came the way of Notts when Jorge Grant's free kick was palmed by Sam Slocombe into the path of Richard Duffy, who headed into the empty net.

Stead almost doubled County's advantage when forced a terrific stop from Slocombe, which denied him his 15th goal of the season.

Both sides continued to trade blows in the second half, with Collin keeping out a Neil Danns cross-shot that was sneaking in, and also held a late Brad Potts header as Blackpool searched for an equaliser.

Ultimately, however, the Magpies held on for the win, which ensured that Kevin Nolan has only lost one home game since taking the reins at Meadow Lane.

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Notts County have fallen to a second defeat in a row as Luton Town came from behind to triumph 2-1 at Kenilworth Road on Saturday.

The Magpies took the lead after just six minutes when poor Hatters defending allowed the ball to land in the path of Elliott Hewitt, whose half-volley from the edge of the area flew into the bottom corner of the net.

However, the hosts were level just ten minutes later as Danny Hylton sent a ferocious 25-yard drive crashing into the bar and the ball fell to Ollie Palmer, whose header towards goal saw Adam Collin grasp for the ball but was unable to keep it out.

Luton then completed the turnaround in first-half injury time when Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu picked up the ball on the edge of the area and scuffed a shot towards goal, which was enough to beat Collin once again.

After the break, Danny Hylton put a great chance wide, while Luton goalkeeper Stuart Moore made a fine stop to turn over Adam Campbell's effort in the 64th minute.

Both sides continued trading blows as Hylton was denied by Collin, with Moore turning Mark Yeates' effort away, before Hylton saw red in stoppage time for his second booking.

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Notts County's League Two status has been mathematically assured despite falling to a 3-1 defeat against Portsmouth in Monday's fixture at Meadow Lane.

The visitors took the lead in the 14th minute when Kal Naismith was brought down by Richard Duffy in the box and Gareth Evans stepped up to send Adam Collin the wrong way.

Kevin Nolan's charges, eager to force the visitors to put their promotion champagne on ice, stepped up a gear and Adam Campbell's cross in the Pompey box was threatening, but Jon Stead's connection was tame and David Forde caught with ease.

There was more trouble for the Magpies on the stroke of half time when Michael O'Connor had to be carried off on a stretcher having been clattered when he turned the ball back into the box.

However, the Magpies continued to look lively after the break and Matt Tootle found Campbell unmarked in the box, only for the forward to volley over the bar.

Indeed, Notts drew level in the 51st minute when Elliott Hewitt sent a lofted pass into the area and Jorge Grant met it to send a fine curling finish past Forde’s grasp and into the net.

However, the visitors were intent on getting the job done and, 12 minutes from time, Jamal Lowe picked the ball up outside the area, cut onto his right foot and drilled home past the diving Collin.

Notts fans thought they should have had a penalty soon after when Mark Yeates’s cross appeared to strike the hand of Christian Burgess, but it wasn't given.

Eventually the game was put beyond the hosts' reach when Lowe chipped Collin in the final minutes of the game to seal victory and, due to Luton Town's draw with Mansfield Town, confirmed their ascent to League One.

Despite the defeat and Nolan's first home defeat as Notts boss, however, second-from-bottom Newport County's revival was stunted with a 6-1 defeat at Plymouth Argyle which means that the Magpies would finish the day 11 points clear of them with just nine left to play for.

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Notts County were denied a clear penalty as they played out a 2-2 draw in Good Friday's League Two fixture at Crewe Alexandra.

The opener came in the ninth minute as the Magpies made the most of a howler in the hosts' defence.

James Jones's misplaced pass on the edge of the box was intercepted by Adam Campbell, who bore forward and slotted past goalkeeper Ben Garratt.

However, a defensive gaffe from Notts was responsible for the Railwaymen drawing level, as Haydn Hollis gave the ball away and George Cooper quickly spotted the run of Chris Dagnall.

The striker raced forward, almost half the length of the pitch, and slipped the ball under advancing keeper Adam Collin.

On 51 minutes Notts were back ahead when Garratt drilled a ball in Callum Cooke’s direction and the ball bounced off the loanee, setting Michael O’Connor behind the defence to bear down on goal and fire into the net.

The lead wasn't to last though as, 66 minutes in, Notts surrendered the ball in midfield, allowing Dagnall the space to have a go, and his deflection rebounded into the path of Jones, whose effort hit Collin and bounced over the line.

There was controversy in injury time when Shola Ameobi got through and looked to have been brought down in the box by Garratt.

As the Notts fans cried out for a penalty, referee Gavin Ward awarded a free kick to Crewe and booked the striker for diving as the game eventually finished all square.

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Not even the most optimistic of Notts County fans would have honestly believed that their beleaguered team, reeling from 10 consecutive defeats and on their way out of the Football League, would be heading into the last five games of the season closer to the League Two playoffs than to the bottom two.

But that's exactly what has happened, as the Magpies now boast a four-match winning run after two late goals overturned what appeared to be a defeat at Carlisle United into a 2-1 victory at Brunton Park on Saturday.

The opening exchanges of the match were somewhat scrappy but Notts soon got the upper hand and Shola Ameobi was unlucky not to open the scoring midway through the first half when his header was cleared off the line by Shaun Brisley.

The second half started with Jon Stead trying his luck with an effort which Mark Gillespie had covered, while Matt Tootle blazed another attempt wayward and Adam Campbell fired a volley over as both sides battled to take the upper hand.

Despite County's probing play, they were sucker-punched when Jabo Ibehre, who had come on as a substitute for Carlisle less than a minute , gave the hosts the lead with a powerful shot which dumbfounded Adam Collin on the way into the net.

However, Kevin Nolan's boys persevered and found themselves level five minutes from time when Stead made the most of a mix-up between Brisley and Gillespie to bundle home from close range for his 14th goal of the season.

That wasn't the end of it, and Notts went on to win the game outright thanks to a 90th-minute strike from Tootle, who let rip from range and, despite Gillespie claiming the ball, he let it bobble out of his hands and into the net.

The result puts Notts 15th in the table, 10 points off seventh and 13 ahead of Newport County, who are enjoying a mini-revival of their own with a second consecutive win, but with just 15 points to play for this season, it's very unlikely for Notts to slip back into trouble, given the miracles worked by Nolan.

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Another matchday, another impressive Notts County performance as Kevin Nolan's genius continues to translate to his team, the Magpies claiming a 3-1 win over Colchester United in Saturday's League Two clash at Meadow Lane.

The hosts began brightly and were ahead after just seven minutes as Haydn Hollis nodded home after a goalmouth scramble which saw Shola Ameobi and Jon Stead come close right before the defender made sure of the goal.

Colchester were level midway through the first half, however, with a strike out of nowhere as Chris Porter let rip from long distance and found the top corner of the Notts net.

However, Notts went into the changing rooms back in front thanks to Ameobi, who struck a superb half-volley from the edge of the box into the net ten minutes before the break.

John McGreal sent his players out early for the second half, but they couldn't stop the hosts, who should have made it 3-1 when Jorge Grant's cutback was steered wide by Stead.

The third goal eventually came in the 73rd minute as Grant's pinpoint free-kick was headed in by Ameobi for his brace, and the home side held out until the final whistle.

Although Notts have not built on their 13-point gap between themselves and the bottom two, due to Newport's 1-0 win over Crawley, just six more points from their last six games will ensure that they cannot be caught up by the Exiles.

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Shola Ameobi scored the only goal as Notts County took another step towards survival in League Two thanks to a 1-0 win over Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park on Saturday.

Both sides traded chances in a frantic opening to the match with Jon Stead forcing a brilliant save from Jamal Blackman, before Luke O'Nien blazed over from seven yards.

The midfielder was then denied a goal by a terrific block by Richard Duffy.

It proved a crucial intervention as Kevin Nolan's charges scored from their next attack when Ameobi rattled home via the post, following some brilliant work by Stead just before the half-hour mark.

Wycombe tried to claw their way back into the game and could have drawn level when Adebayo Akinfenwa volleyed wide of the post.

The hosts then appealed for a penalty when Myles Weston went down in the box but referee Ross Joyce waved play on as the Magpies held on to claim all three points and go 13 points clear of the bottom two.

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Notts County's revival continues to gather pace as the League Two relegation zone is now 11 points away, thanks to the Magpies claiming a 1-0 win over Barnet on Sunday despite falling down to ten men early in the Meadow Lane encounter.

With just 11 minutes on the clock, Mark Yeates was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Ricardo Almeida Santos that referee Keith Stroud deemed worthy of a sending-off.

The Notts fans in the stands could have been forgiven for expecting the worst, but Kevin Nolan's charges did not let their numerical disadvantage get to them.

Barnet striker John Akinde then tried to win a penalty minutes later when he appeared to be hauled down by Notts goalkeeper Adam Collin, only to be booked for simulation.

The hosts managed to create chances with Marc Bola going close on two occasions from distance, and at the break, the deadlock had not yet been broken.

It would get better for the Magpies early in the second half as Jorge Grant teed up Matt Tootle, who lashed a superb finish past Benjamin Buchel for his first goal in black and white.

Barnet fought back in a bid to claim an equaliser and could have levelled when substitute Ruben Bover Izquierdo blazed over from eight yards.

With the game stretched, Grant could have got himself on the scoresheet when he raced onto a fine Shola Ameobi pass, but he curled wide, though ultimately it did not matter.

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Notts County have stumbled to an unfortunate 3-1 defeat at the hands of Doncaster Rovers in Tuesday night's League Two clash at the Keepmoat Stadium.

The Magpies took the lead in the 20th minute when Rovers failed to deal with a corner from the left and Richard Duffy reacted quickest to prod home from close range, his third goal of the campaign.

However, the hosts equalised just before the break through James Coppinger, who was on hand to rifle Matty Blair's low cross across Adam Collin and into the far corner of the Notts net.

And not long after the restart, Rovers were in the lead as Coppinger turned provider, whipping in a cross that Mathieu Baudry headed into the top corner.

Just after the hour, Kevin Nolan's charges thought they had equalised when a Michael O'Connor corner was nodded home by Haydn Hollis, but the flag was inexplicably up to snuff out the goal.

Notts launched everything they had in attack in second-half injury time as Collin went up for a corner, but Rovers managed to break and, with the goal unguarded, substitute Andy Williams guided the ball into an empty net to seal their win.

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Notts County have rebuilt an eight-point gap between themselves and League Two's bottom two with a 2-1 victory over Hartlepool United at Meadow Lane.

The Magpies were given a chance to take the lead after 28 minutes as Lewis Hawkins handled the ball to gift the hosts a penalty, but Shola Ameobi's weak effort from the spot was pushed onto the post by Pools goalkeeper Joe Fryer.

However, the veteran striker made amends for his miss just after the restart, Jorge Grant slipping him clean through on goal, and the 35-year-old bore down on goal, picked his spot and slotted a low finish underneath Fryer.

Grant then went from provider to scorer in spectacular fashion as he controlled a clearance from a corner just outside the box, lined himself up and curled a wonderful shot above everyone and right into the top of the visitors' net.

Hartlepool made it a nervy finish when they halved the deficit 12 minutes from time, Nathan Thomas forcing a goalline clearance from Richard Duffy, only for the ball to rebound off the unfortunate Haydn Hollis and into the Notts goal.

Nonetheless, Kevin Nolan's charges succeeded in holding their opponents at bay and were able to celebrate the final whistle under a lengthy standing ovation by the Black and White Army as their unbeaten home run under the new gaffer continues.

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Notts County have seen their unbeaten run come to an abrupt end as they travelled to Stevenage FC on Saturday and left on the receiving end of a 3-0 defeat.

It had been exactly a month ago that the Magpies lost in League Two as Accrington Stanley claimed a 2-0 win on their own turf, after which Notts three wins and two draws to ease their relegation fears.

However, the gap between Kevin Nolan's side and the bottom two has now been narrowed to just five points as Boro got off to the perfect start at the Lamex Stadium, Steve Schumacher finding Matty Godden lurking inside the box just two minutes in and nodding home from eight yards out.

The hosts then doubled their advantage on the hour as Godden flicked on a long ball into the path of captain Jack King, who finished calmly into the bottom corner, and in the 62nd minute, Ben Kennedy played Godden through to kill the game off as a contest.

Nolan subbed on Tahvon Campbell and Jonathan Forte in a bid to salvage something from the game and the former forced a brave save from Chris Day with a stinging drive, but ultimately Stevenage held out for a clean sheet and all three points.

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Notts County have taken another massive step in the battle against relegation after coming away from a tricky midweek fixture at Plymouth Argyle with all three points.

On-loan Nottingham Forest midfielder Jorge Grant bagged his third goal in four games to seal a 1-0 win for Kevin Nolan's side, who now sit eight points clear of the League Two drop zone following their heroics at Home Park.

Grant scored the winner in the 21st minute after a defensive mix-up caused by Yann Songo'o's underhit backpass saw goalkeeper Luke McCormick try to scramble clear under pressure from Jonathan Forte.

The ball broke to Sonny Bradley, who should have cleared his lines, but he dithered and Grant nipped in front of him, striding forward before placing his shot into the bottom corner of the net.

In first half stoppage-time, Grant should have claimed his second of the game but fired wide from 10 yards after his initial strike was bravely blocked by right-back Oscar Threlkeld.

The Pilgrims nearly pulled one back at the start of the second half, but Ryan Taylor's spectacular volley was tipped over by Notts stopper Adam Collin.

In the 65th minute, Jon Stead headed wide from Marc Bola's deep cross into the six-yard box, while 10 minutes from time, Plymouth substitute Jordan Slew volleyed over Collin's poor punch landed at his feet.

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Notts County maintained their unbeaten home record under new boss Kevin Nolan, as well as extending their unbeaten run to four matches, with a goalless draw against fellow strugglers Yeovil Town at Meadow Lane.

In a game of very few chances, Jorge Grant had a chance in the first minute when he latched on to a clever pass by Mark Yeates, but Artur Krysiak parried the shot away and then gathered the loose ball before the onrushing Shola Ameobi could get to it.

The Glovers failed to make any headway towards the Magpies goal until around 20 minutes in when Matty Dolan saw a speculative 25-yard half-volley fly wide before Akpa Akpro failed to direct a Kevin Dawson cross towards goal.

Notts ended the first half with their most threatening moment of the game as Mark Yeates cut in from the right flank and forced Krysiak into a save with a tricky low shot.

Nolan's side carried a greater sense of urgency early in the second half as Jon Stead played in Yeates, whose shot from a tight angle was parried to safety by the Glovers stopper.

The Glovers then had Ryan Dickson to thank for keeping them on level terms a short while later when his crucial block diverted Grant's goalward effort into the side netting, while Stead nearly bagged an assist when he cut back towards Michael O'Connor, who blazed his shot over.

As the game entered its final ten minutes, the hosts pushed forward once more and thought they were going to break the deadlock when Ameobi found Stead with a well timed cross, but he was unable to find the target with his header.

Yeovil nearly claimed a late goal when Alex Lawless burst into the Notts box and fired towards goal, but Adam Collin denied him with an outstanding save as the final whistle confirmed a share of the spoils.

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The Alan Hardy and Kevin Nolan renaissance continues as Notts County put in a gutsy performance at Leyton Orient and, despite being pegged back, persevered and claimed a 3-2 win at Brisbane Road to gain further ground from the League Two relegation zone.

Orient were already without Liam Kelly, who was banned for six games after pushing a Plymouth Argyle ballboy earlier in the week, and suffered a further setback when defender Tom Parkes was stretchered off with only eight minutes on the clock.

The Magpies broke the deadlock in the 35th minute when Teddy Mezague failed to deal with a long goal kick from Adam Collin and Jorge Grant poked the ball past Sam Sargeant.

Notts then went 2-0 up within three minutes of the beginning of the second half after Jon Stead beat Sargeant in the box and his touch went in off the bar.

The O's, however, reduced the deficit within a minute when McCallum headed home after Nigel Atangana's header had struck the crossbar.

Danny Webb's charges were back then on level terms when Mezague unleashed a powerful volley into the net from outside the penalty area with 10 minutes left.

It was Notts who had the final word when, with six minutes left in the game, Marc Bola sent in a cross from the left and Stead drove the ball into the net to seal all three points.

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Most of the time, when a team goes two up in the 89th minute of a match, said team goes on to win the match.

Luckily, this was not the case at Meadow Lane on Tuesday night, because Exeter City were supposedly home and dry after taking a two-goal lead against Notts County with one minute to go, but that was not quite how it panned out once the overweight lady had in fact begun belting out her vocals.

Exeter, a team whose away record ranks among the top in the division, took the lead in the 33rd minute through David Wheeler, who made the most of a Thierry Audel error from Reuben Reid's wayward throughball to bear down on goal and slot past Adam Collin.

The visitors then went down to 10 men late in the second half (sort of late, not late late) with five minutes left as Jake Taylor picked up his second yellow of the game for a sliding tackle on Michael O'Connor by the corner flag in County's half.

Despite this, however, Kevin Nolan's side found themselves seemingly out of the game when Exeter broke through Liam McAlinden, whose drive was pushed away by Collin, but Ryan Harley was left free at the back post and he guided the ball over the line to make it two-nil.

Injury time is when things got really interesting for the Magpies, with four minutes of added time announced, and in the first of those, a free kick was glanced home by Richard Duffy for his second goal in as many games, which instantly put the Grecians under pressure.

And then, a minute later, the unfathomable happened as O'Connor played a superb reverse pass to an unmarked Jorge Grant and his ball across the face of goal struck Jordan Moore-Taylor and found its way into the net to send the home faithful at Meadow Lane into raptures.

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Notts County have extended their gap above the League Two relegation zone to three points after a 2-1 win over Cheltenham Town in Saturday's game at Meadow Lane.

The Magpies began brightly and took the lead in the 24th minute when Michael O'Connor unlocked the Robins defence with a delightful pass which curled into the path of a charging Jon Stead, who bore down on goal under pressure and rifled past Scott Brown into the roof of the net.

Just nine minutes later, Kevin Nolan's side had doubled their lead with the kind of goal which has often been their undoing this season, so it was a relief to see it scored at the other end of the pitch as Mark Yeates swung a corner into the box and Richard Duffy shrugged off the opposition defenders to nod home.

Notts could have been three to the good just before half time when Stead raced through one-on-one, but Brown blocked well this time.

Despite a tactical shuffle by Cheltenham boss Gary Johnson, which saw his side improve, Notts remained a threat as substitute Jonathan Forte hit the post and Tahvon Campbell skewed the follow-up wide in the 75th minute.

Manny Onariase managed to grab a late goal for the visitors to set up a nervy finish for the home crowd, but the Magpies held firm and secured all three points which gave their first against the drop a much-needed boost.

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One step forward, two steps back. Much like the goalless draw against Mansfield Town was followed up by the 2-0 defeat at Grimsby Town, so was the impressive 2-1 win over Crawley Town followed up by an insipid 2-0 defeat at Accrington Stanley, a club whose name is usually followed up with "who are they" said in a Scouse accent.

Who are they? Oh, just a team that Notts haven't beaten in the league in seven years. A team whose recent record over Notts reads two draws and four wins. A team that the Magpies should be embarrassed to share a pitch with in a league fixture, never mind slip to defeat (the same goes for Morecambe, the very definition of lower-league minnows, yet their recent record over us is damning).

Today, Accrington mustered six shots on target. Notts managed just one. The first goal came from a set piece and a cross swung into the box by Sean McConville and nodded home by Harvey Rodgers, a straightforward passage of play that any self-respecting defence should be swatting away without too much difficulty.

And then came the second goal, which was downright laughable were it not conceded by the team we support - Jonny Edwards was up against two Notts defenders chasing a ball over the top, he beat one for pace, and in the process the tumbling player took out his teammate as if they were skittles - leaving Edwards all the time and space a footballer could ever wish for to charge towards goal.

Adam Collin did well to keep his initial shot out, but the incoming Noor Husin was on hand to rifle home on the rebound completely unmarked. I reckon I could have done a better job of defending that had I been playing with a hangover.

As it stands, Notts are 22nd in the table, one point above Leyton Orient and two above bottom side Newport County. But - and this is the crucial bit - the two sides in the relegation zone have a game in hand. If, at this moment in time, that one game in hand was a win, Notts would be bottom of the league. Of the entire English Football League.

Notts have 17 games left to save their season. Each game is a cup final now, because relegation for the Magpies would be disastrous and humiliating beyond belief. Kevin Nolan, Notts players, over to you.

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Notts County have climbed out of the bottom two of League Two thanks to their first league win since October, a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Crawley Town.

Neither side broke the deadlock in the first half, although Jonathan Forte came close on two occasions, forcing a save from Glenn Morris before nodding just over the bar.

The visitors were forced to hang tight in the second half, although there was hope for them when Curtis Thompson was sent off in the 72nd minute.

Nonetheless, Kevin Nolan's charges took the lead not long after when Thierry Audel forced the ball over the line when Rob Milsom's corner had caused pandemonium inside the box.

It was no more than Notts deserved after creating numerous chances, with Forte spurning two in the first half.

Crawley, however, hit back in the final 10 minutes when James Collins had space outside the box and cannoned in a terrific effort off the underside of the crossbar from 25 yards.

That had seemingly curtailed the Magpies' hopes of victory, but right at the death, Forte scored on the rebound after Haydn Hollis's original shot had been saved.

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Notts County have slumped to an 11th defeat in 12 League Two games as Grimsby Town recorded a 2-0 win over the Magpies at Blundell Park on Saturday.

Goals from Omar Bogle - his 19th of the season - and Scott Vernon sealed the victory for the Mariners.

The hosts' opener came in the 27th minute when Jamey Osborne brought the ball back from the byline and cut it across the Notts penalty area, where Bogle was on hand to turn the ball home.

Not long after, Grimsby had a penalty shout turned down as Vernon's cross seemed to strike the outstretched arm of Matt Tootle.

The Magpies had several chances to pull level, with Jonathan Forte looping a cross against the woodwork and Richard Duffy headed wide.

However, Grimsby were the better side and threatened through Osborne's 25-yard effort and a Bogle shot that was palmed away by Collin.

With ten minutes to go, the Mariners managed to grab their second as Bogle forced another save from Collin, but Vernon picked up the ball and slotted home on the rebound.

Goalkeeper Dean Henderson produced a good save from Stanley Aborah's free-kick just before full-time to keep the two-goal advantage intact, and confirm a defeat for Notts at the final whistle.

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Notts County finally stopped the rot and avoided an 11th consecutive League Two defeat after holding local rivals Mansfield Town to a goalless draw in Saturday's early kickoff at Meadow Lane.

The biggest crowd of the season - 7,843 Notts fans from a total of 11,328 - packed into the Lane for the derby, the first game of new owner Alan Hardy's tenure and also the first match for new boss Kevin Nolan.

It proved a tense, heated derby, with the Stags eager to inflict more pain on the Magpies, who in turn were galvanised from the change of ownership and management.

The only concrete chance of the first half came just after the half-hour mark, when Ben Whiteman charged into the Notts box and rattled an effort off a defender which looped into the air and looked to go in before Adam Collin clawed it away.

From the corner, Rhys Bennett headed wide, while at the other end, there were claims for a penalty as Jon Stead was hauled off the ball by Malvind Benning, but nothing was given.

Magpies captain Michael O'Connor saw a rifled shot charged down by a Mansfield defender after the restart, but in the 51st minute the hosts came within a whisker of conceding, only for former Magpie Yoann Arquin to sidefoot wide at the far post when it seemed easier to score.

That proved to be the best chance of the game, with both sides ultimately cancelling each other out and playing out a scoreless draw, which was incredibly well received by the Notts faithful, even if it did mean that the side slipped into the League Two drop zone after the 3pm kickoffs were played.

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Notts County have fallen to a tenth League Two defeat in a row today at Morecambe, as the Globe Arena hosts ran out 4-1 winners against the abject Magpies.

Caretaker manager Alan Smith saw his boys fall a goal down after just two minutes when Lee Molyneux received the ball on the right and was given all the space in the world, cutting inside before firing a low left-footed effort that beat Scott Loach low to his right.

Paul Mullin then added a second on 27 minutes when he was in the right place at the right time to slot home the loose ball after Loach could only parry a Kevin Ellison cross back into the 22-year-old striker's path.

Four minutes later the Shrimpers were three goals to the good after they were awarded a penalty for a Richard Duffy foul on Mullin, and Michael Rose stepped up to send the Magpies custodian the wrong way from the spot.

The one sore point for Morecambe was that they ended the first half with ten men after Andy Fleming received a straight-red card for a tackle on Curtis Thompson late on.

Notts did pull a goal back with 10 minutes to go when Jon Stead flicked the ball round the corner cleverly for Jonathan Forte, who slotted it into the far corner.

However, Morecambe restored their three-goal lead late on when Kevin Ellison slotted home the rebound after substitute Luke Jordan hit the woodwork following a fine run and shot.

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