Notts County's wait for a first league home win of the season continues after they fell to a 2-0 defeat against Accrington Stanley at Meadow Lane.

Billy Kee fired over for the visitors in the early stages while defender Louis Laing’s header was comfortable for goalkeeper Aaron Chapman.

Stanley, however, opened the scoring on 17 minutes when John O’Sullivan fired from the right - his shot took a deflection and looped over Adam Collin.

After the restart, the Magpies came out and applied pressure, with Jonathan Forte putting in a number of dangerous crosses into the Accrington box.

Laing, meanwhile, volleyed straight at Chapman from a Michael O'Connor free-kick.

When O'Sullivan limped off injured, he was replaced by Romuald Boco, which proved to be a boost for Stanley.

The Benin captain added the decisive goal for the visitors when he raced down the left wing, cut into the box and fired low past Collin.

Stanley subsequently held firm to secure the win and overtake Notts into 16th place, with John Sheridan's side now 17th in League Two.

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Notts County fought back from two goals down to clinch a point in a 2-2 draw against Grimsby Town in Saturday's League Two meeting at Meadow Lane.

Paul Hurst's charges began the game brightly and were ahead just after the half-hour mark when a corner was headed towards goal by Shaun Person.

Despite the defender being around 15 yards out, the ball dumbfounded every Notts defender and crept into the bottom corner, much to the dismay of the home players, staff and fans.

It would get worse for the Magpies as, 56 minutes in, another defensive mistake led to another Mariners goal.

Omar Bogle extended the visitors' lead when he raced on to a poor back pass from Stanley Aborah and beat the advancing Adam Collin.

John Sheridan's side set about trying to claw something back from the game and were rewarded on 77 minutes when Richard Duffy forced a save from James McKeown into a save and Jonathan Forte poked home the rebound.

Moments after the restart, Notts won a penalty after Vadaine Oliver was felled in the box, but captain Michael O'Connor sent his spot kick against the post and out of play.

Nevertheless, the Magpies were able to get something back from the game after loanee Aaron Collins rifled home from Oliver's knockdown.

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Notts County have got off to a winning start in the revamped EFL Trophy with a 2-1 win over Hartlepool United at Meadow Lane.

Genaro Snijders fired the hosts into a 21st-minute lead with a goal on the break, working himself into a shooting position and drilling low into the far corner.

Rhys Oates then brought Pools level with his first goal of the season after good work by Lewis Alessandra in the 29th minute.

Parity, however, lasted just six minutes, as Lewis Hawkins fouled Carl Dickenson in the area and Graham Burke beat Adam Bartlett from the penalty spot.

In added time a melee broke out and Wes Atkinson and Toto Nsiala were sent off as a result, meaning they will miss the next group game in the competition.

The win banked County's first points in Group F as they stretched their unbeaten run to three games and, in the process, sealed their second win over Hartlepool inside a month.

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Notts County have claimed their first win of the 2016-17 League Two season after coming from behind to clinch a 2-1 victory at previously unbeaten Hartlepool United.

The hosts took the lead on eight minutes when Lewis Alessandra beat County’s Carl Dickinson and sent the ball low into the area, where Toto Nsiala bundled over the line.

Notts could have levelled when Jon Stead got in on goal, but was denied as Trevor Carson deflected his finish onto the bar before Jonathan Forte wasted a chance from the left.

On 66 minutes, John Sheridan’s charges equalised when a cross was headed back into the area, Louis Laing making the most of a disorganised Pools defence to prod the ball beyond Carson.

Notts then sealed the win 15 minutes from time as Laing was allowed to bring the ball out of defence without a challenge, and he picked out Stead in the area to curl in from an angle.

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Notts County's hangover from last season has continued into the fourth match of the current campaign as John Sheridan's charges limped to a third defeat in four games against Plymouth Argyle.

The Magpies began the season with a 2-0 defeat at Yeovil Town, followed it up with an early exit from the EFL Cup at Scunthorpe, before struggling to a 1-1 defeat at home to Stevenage, and on Tuesday night, a 2-1 defeat was the order of the day.

First blood went Plymouth's way on the quarter-hour mark as full-back Gary Miller broke forward into an attacking position and played the ball inside to former Notts loanee Jake Jervis, who turned and shot low past goalkeeper Adam Collin.

Jon Stead equalised just three minutes later in emphatic fashion as he raced down the right and then cut into the penalty area before slotting the ball past Luke McCormick at his near post from eight yards out.

However, the third and final goal of the game would come just after the half-hour mark, courtesy of Connor Smith's corner being headed home by Nauris Bulvitis.

Notts tried desperately to get themselves back into the game and nearly snatched a last-gasp equaliser, but McCormick made a brilliant save to deny Michael O'Connor at the death.

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Notts County have salvaged a point against Stevenage in the first Meadow Lane game of the 2016-17 season as Jon Stead helped the Magpies come from behind.

The visitors made a bright start and made the most of a mistake by Haydn Hollis, who should have cleared the ball but instead allowed midfielder Jobi McAnuff to get inside and tee up Ben Kennedy, who rifled home.

John Sheridan's side managed to pull level midway through the first half when a 50-yard pass by Carl Dickinson picked out the run of Stead, who lobbed the advancing Jamie Jones to net his and his side's first goal of the campaign.

Notts then poured forward in the search of further goals and were denied by the woodwork on two occasions.

Stead hit the post when he fired across goal following neat work by Hollis, before Thierry Audel rattled the crossbar from close range, but ultimately the spoils were shared.

Sheridan was not happy with his side, telling reporters after the game: "The second half was a shocking performance and I’m not happy one bit. We made it look very difficult and we were causing ourselves a massive problem.

"I’m not having it – Stevenage totally dominated the second half. There’s no danger that what happened last season will happen this season with me – I will sort it out."

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Notts County have been knocked out of the EFL Cup at the first hurdle after falling to a 2-0 extra-time defeat at Scunthorpe United in Tuesday's first-round tie at Glanford Park.

The Magpies had the opening shot on target as a cross was floated over by Jon Stead and hit on the volley by Alex Rodman which Luke Daniels parried away.

Alan Smith then tried his luck with an audacious volley from about 30 yards out which wasn’t too far off target, while Kevin van Veen came close on 25 minutes for the Iron.

Both sides traded chances throughout the game but neither could break the deadlock by the full-time mark, so extra time it would be.

The hosts went on to take the lead in the 100th minute as Josh Morris's free kick into the box was knocked on by Murray Wallace and drilled home by Van Veen.

The Dutchman then sealed the win for Scunthorpe when he received the ball on the edge of the box and curled into the bottom corner to send John Sheridan's team home with a second consecutive competitive defeat of the season - with no goals scored.

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Notts County began the 2016-17 League Two season with a defeat as they went down 2-0 at Yeovil Town.

The Glovers dominated the first half at Huish Park and struck twice to give John Sheridan's men too much to do as Kevin Dawson scored his first goal for the club in two years.

It proved to be a controversial strike as he appeared to impede goalkeeper Adam Collin before nudging the loose ball into the net in the 16th minute.

Seven minutes later, it was Otis Khan's turn to get on the scoresheet as he netted on his debut, the former Barnsley winger reacting to a Ryan Hedges shot that Collin could only parry and slotting home.

The Magpies improved as the match ticked on, with Jonathan Forte, Graham Burke and Carl Dickinson all weighing in with chances.

Forte, in particular, was denied a goal by a fine save from Artur Krysiak after he had latched onto a great knockdown by Vadaine Oliver, but that was as close as Notts came to getting on the scoresheet as Yeovil saw the game out.

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Notts County's disappointing season has ended on a low note after Carlisle United struck five unanswered goals at Meadow Lane, while the final whistle of the League Two clash saw Mark Cooper walk away from the club.

It took just four minutes for Hallam Hope to set up Newcastle United loanee Alex Gilliead to finish at the near post, setting the tone for what was to come.

Just before the half-hour mark Keith Curle's side doubled their lead as Jabo Ibehre pulled the ball back for Danny Grainger to score from 16 yards.

And five minutes before the break it was pretty much game over when a calamitous error by Haydn Hollis saw Gilliead claim the ball, and, via a passage of play including Jason Kennedy, get it to Ibehre, who stabbed home.

Notts conceded twice more in the second half, Ibehre bundling in Hope's low cross and Charlie Wyke latching onto Hollis' back-pass 10 minutes from time, rounding goalkeeper Roy Carroll and rolling the ball into the empty net.

This being Notts County, things obviously had to go from bad to worse as, shortly after the end of the game, it was confirmed that Cooper - one of the most liked Magpies managers in recent years - had rejected further negotiations to seal a deal, and walked out on the club.

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Notts County stopped the rot in Saturday's League Two clash at Newport County as a much improved performance and a Genaro Snijders goal gave Mark Cooper's charges a 1-0 win at Rodney Parade.

The Magpies survived an early scare when a scramble in their box caused panic before Alan Smith was able to clear, and moments later Dean Morgan fired wide with an open goal at his disposal.

Tommy O'Sullivan was next to threaten for the Exiles as he blasted just wide of goal 12 minutes in, but on the quarter-hour mark Notts countered through a long-range shot from Graham Burke which was forced out for a corner.

Cooper's side was then denied a penalty in the 21st minute after Jon Stead appeared to be upended in the box, but the referee gave nothing.

Nevertheless the travelling fans would have been happy with how their side grew into the game and fashioned a number of other chances, culminating in Snijders getting a lucky break when the ball fell to him 12 yards out after Stead pressured opposition keeper Joe Day into a mistake, and duly sidefooting home.

Notts were bright after the restart, with Stead firing wide from Hewitt's cross 54 minutes in and Smith shooting from distance, but Newport then enjoyed a dangerous spell where both Haydn Hollis and Hewitt were forced to clear off the line.

A Burke free kick then flew just over the bar after the hour, while Stead also fashioned a chance which was saved by Day after a deflection.

It was end to end stuff for the remainder of the second half as Hollis once again cleared off the line and Burke and Stead weighed in with more chances, while Filip Valencic also came close and Adam Campbell struck the post late on.

Ultimately no more goals were to come, which suited Notts fine as they redeemed themselves in front of their manager and fans with a 1-0 win.

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Notts County have taken a 1-0 lead in Saturday's League Two clash against Newport County at Rodney Parade, thanks to Genaro Snijders's goal five minutes before the break.

The Magpies survived an early scare when a scramble in their box caused panic before Alan Smith was able to clear, and moments later Dean Morgan fired wide with an open goal at his disposal.

Tommy O'Sullivan was next to threaten for the Exiles as he blasted just wide of goal 12 minutes in, but on the quarter-hour mark Notts countered through a long-range shot from Graham Burke which was forced out for a corner.

Mark Cooper's side was then denied a penalty in the 21st minute after Jon Stead appeared to be upended in the box, but the referee gave nothing.

Nevertheless the travelling fans would have been happy with how their side grew into the game and fashioned a number of other chances, culminating in Snijders getting a lucky break when the ball fell to him 12 yards out after Stead pressured the opposition keeper into a mistake, and duly sidefooting home.

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Notts County's season continues to peter out into nothingness after Shaun Derry's Cambridge United came to Meadow Lane on Saturday and left with all three points in a 2-1 win.

The hosts took the lead in the League Two clash after just four minutes when Luke Berry charged down a clearance from Scott Loach which flew into the far corner of the net.

Harrison Dunk then struck the base of the post with a fierce shot moments after the restart, with Zeli Ismail following up and forcing a fine save from Loach as United dominated the early stages.

Mark Cooper's side, however, weathered the storm and were back in the game just before half time, as Haydn Hollis leaped on to Liam Noble’s long set piece delivery in the 39th minute, which was sidefooted against Norris and into the net.

It took the U's just ten second half minutes to restore their advantage when a scramble inside the Notts area from Max Clark’s corner ended with Williamson prodding home from three yards.

From that moment on, the visitors continued to press on and saw not one but two more strikes into the net ruled out by the linesman.

Any hope that Notts had of claiming something from the game went out of the window when Liam Noble lashed out at Darnell Furlong with his right boot to receive a straight red from the referee 11 minutes from time.

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Notts County were a goal up at half time in their League Two clash against Barnet, but almost predictably, things did not go their way and their fans were once again left disappointed as the Bees put three past them to claim a 3-1 win at The Hive.

The Magpies got off to a bright start when Izale McLeod was felled in the box to win his side a penalty six minutes in, and Jon Stead was the man to step up, sidefooting the ball past the goalkeeper and into the net to give the travelling Notts fans an early chance to celebrate.

Barnet had nearly scored themselves just before the penalty call, but Scott Loach had saved well, while the hosts continued to press with several good chances after falling behind.

The Magpies were nonetheless a lot more cohesive at the back and dangerous up front than they were on Saturday, with Liam Noble feeding McLeod, who slotted just wide nine minutes in, while Noble and Stead also caused the Bees backline some concern.

Just moments after the restart, however, Barnet won a penalty of their own as Michael Gash drew a foul in the box. John Akinde sent Loach the wrong way to put the hosts level.

In what turned out to be a very similar story to Mansfield, Notts capitulated as they fell behind to Mark Randall's strike from 12 yards out, an outcome that came about because of poor Magpies defending.

Shortly after the hour, Martin Allen's side were three goals to the good, Andy Yiadom's 20-yard volley taking a huge deflection and wrong-footing Loach on the way to the back of the net.

Notts offered nothing in the last quarter of the game as they fell to another defeat, the goodwill and positive vibes around the club this time last week having completely dissipated and turned into the same old noxious fumes.

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Notts County are leading Barnet 1-0 in Tuesday's League Two clash at The Hive.

Magpies manager Mark Cooper kept faith with the bulk of the team that lost 5-0 at Mansfield Town, giving them a chance to reedem themselves, and they got off to a bright start when they won a penalty six minutes in.

Izale McLeod was felled in the box, and Jon Stead was the man to step up, sidefooting the ball past the goalkeeper and into the net to give the travelling Notts fans an early chance to celebrate.

Barnet had nearly scored themselves just before the penalty call, but Scott Loach had saved well, while the hosts continued to press with several good chances after falling behind.

The Magpies, however, were a lot more cohesive at the back and dangerous up front than they were on Saturday, with Liam Noble feeding McLeod, who slotted just wide nine minutes in, while Noble and Stead also caused the Bees backline some concern.

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Notts County are a goal down at Mansfield Town in Saturday's League Two clash at the One Call Stadium.

The Stags were dangerous from the off and duly took the lead after just six minutes when Malvind Benning's cross evaded the Magpies defence and fell to Matt Green, who struck with his right foot to put the ball to the left of Scott Loach and into the net.

Mark Cooper's charges set about trying to get back into the game and embarked on a positive spell of football that saw Jon Stead, Izale McLeod and Liam Noble all come close, in particular Noble's shot 41 minutes in that flew inches wide of the post.

Two minutes of added time passed without incident and the ref's whistle confirmed a half-time lead for Adam Murray's side, though in the second half the Magpies will be attacking towards their own fans.

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Notts County have secured their League Two status with five games to go as they recorded their second home win in a row, beating Hartlepool United 1-0 in Tuesday's clash at Meadow Lane.

Both sides were quick off the starting blocks in the first half as the visitors forced a corner after just two minutes, while Notts threatened through Jon Stead and Liam Noble, the former nearly nodding a ball into the path of Izale McLeod but being thwarted by a defender, while the latter came close with a free kick.

Noble came close again in the 37th minute, moments after Hartlepool threatened with an effort that Scott Loach had to save with his legs - ultimately neither side could break the deadlock in the first half.

Mark Cooper's side were the brighter attacking force after the restart as Wes Atkinson and McLeod came close in the opening minutes of the second half, and 53 minutes in, the breakthrough finally came courtesy of Stead, who finished off a pullback from Elliott Hewitt.

The Magpies had to withstand a dangerous flurry midway through the second half as Loach saved from Rob Jones and Noble cleared off the line from the resulting corner, but in the final stages the hosts had the upper hand and were able to see the game out.

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Tuesday's League Two clash between Notts County and Hartlepool United at Meadow Lane is goalless at the break. 

The visitors won an early corner, which came to nothing, and before long Mark Cooper’s side got into the game and threatened through Jon Stead, whose early header at the back post was blocked before it could get to Izale McLeod, plus several efforts from Liam Noble.

Notts were solid at the back too, with Mike Edwards and Thierry Audel playing steadily and making sure several Hartlepool forays and half-chances were rendered harmless.

When Scott Loach was called into action, as he was in the 34th minute, he was steadfast in between the sticks and made sure his side would hang on to the clean sheet at half time.

In the 41st minute Rhys Oates burst into the box but his effort flew wide of Loach’s left-hand post as the half-time whistle blew on a scoreless scoreline. 

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Notts County have finally managed to give their fans a long overdue win after overcoming Stevenage 1-0 in their League Two clash at Meadow Lane, with Liam Noble’s sumptuous curling strike giving Mark Cooper his first victory as Magpies manager.

The hosts fashioned the first chance of the game five minutes in, when Ronnie Henry forced a block from a Noble effort, while at the other end Chris Whelpdale dragged his shot wide of Scott Loach’s near post after finding space just inside the box on the quarter-hour mark.

Mike Edwards was next to threaten in the 20th minute, but despite leaping and getting his head onto a free kick, the ball flew wide.

Notts succeeded in getting the ball into the Stevenage net not once, but twice in the first half, but both Jon Stead’s impressive volley and Adam Campbell’s one-on-one finish were overruled by the linesman’s flag.

The second half saw large periods of stop-start play and plenty of boos from the home fans as referee Mark Heywood took to using his whistle quite freely, mostly to penalise the Notts players.

Despite the ref’s whistle-happy demeanour and the stubborn Stevenage defence standing in the Magpies’ way, they succeeded in breaking the deadlock 79 minutes in after Noble gathered possession just inside the box and curled the ball home into the far corner to give his side the win – their first at Meadow Lane of the calendar year.

The result sees Notts climb to 18th in League Two with 45 points from 40 games – 15 points clear of York City, with 30 points from 41 games, and Dagenham & Redbridge, with 28 points from 40 games.

It is unlikely that either of those two will win every single remaining game and overturn their inferior goal difference to drag Notts back into relegation worries, but to be completely safe, the Magpies just need two more points from their next six games to ensure that they mathematically cannot finish in the bottom two.

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Notts County have held table-topping Northampton Town to a 2-2 draw in Saturday’s League Two clash at Sixfields, Thierry Audel and Jon Stead bagging the goals for the Magpies.

The hosts were first to threaten as Ricky Holmes' cross found Marc Richards before the loose ball was struck towards goal, but Scott Loach was able to make the save.

Mark Cooper’s side enjoyed the odd foray into the Cobblers’ final third but the home team was on top in the opening stages, Nicky Adams coming close on the quarter-hour mark.

Northampton then went on to take the lead 32 minutes in when Holmes struck a clean volley past Loach, sending the Sixfields crowd wild.

Their joy lasted just four minutes because the Magpies pushed forward, with Liam Noble sending a header towards goal, and despite Smith’s save, Audel persevered to get to the ball and nod home.

After the restart Notts threatened through Noble’s corner to Stead, which was blocked en route to goal, while 54 minutes in the latter felt the visitors should have had a penalty, though this was denied.

Stead did eventually win a penalty midway through the second half after he was bundled in the Cobblers box, and he chose to take it himself, powering the ball into the roof of the net.

Just a few minutes later, however, Northampton won a spot kick of their own, which Holmes – who won the penalty – slotted down the middle to make it 2-2.

This is how the game finished, Notts fans in high spirits and voices at the final whistle to praise their side for another impressive performance, while Northampton's promotion champagne had to be put on ice.

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Northampton Town and Notts County are playing out a 1-1 draw in Saturday’s League Two clash at Sixfields.

The hosts were first to threaten as Ricky Holmes' cross found Richards before the loose ball was struck towards goal, but Loach was able to make the save.

Mark Cooper’s side enjoyed the odd foray into the Cobblers’ final third but the home team was on top in the opening stages, Adams coming close on the quarter-hour mark.

Northampton went on to take the lead 32 minutes in when Holmes struck a clean volley past Loach, sending the Sixfields crowd wild.

Their joy lasted just four minutes because the Magpies pushed forward, with Liam Noble sending a header towards goal, and despite Smith’s save, Audel persevered to get to the ball and nod home.

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While a goalless draw at home may look like a negative result at first glance, Notts County gave their fans plenty to cheer about for the first time in weeks with a gutsy performance, a clean sheet and a bright second half against playoff-chasing Wycombe Wanderers in Monday’s game at Meadow Lane.

The visitors could have been behind inside three minutes as miscommunication between Ryan Allsop and Anthony Stewart allowed Adam Campbell to sneak on to a ball over the top, but the Bournemouth loanee threw out a hand to save his side’s blushes.

Wycombe slowly edged their way into the game before a clash of heads between Aaron Pierre and Curtis Thompson caused a lengthy stop in play, though both players were able to continue after receiving treatment.

Graham Burke fired wide from 25 yards following the resumption of play, while moments later, Max Kretschmar’s 30-yard free kick was misjudged by Scott Loach, who almost parried the ball into his own net.

In the 36th minute Notts carried out a routine straight off the training pitch as a short corner was worked to Jon Stead in front of goal, but his effort hit Adam Campbell before being cleared away.

Mark Cooper’s side carried on pounding the Chairboys box after the restart, Stead and Hadyn Hollis both heading over from close range inside four minutes.

Gareth Ainsworth’s charges, meanwhile, didn’t threaten until 15 minutes into the second half, Kretzschmar’s speculative drive failing to test Loach.

A flurry of chances for the away side then saw Pierre denied by two brave blocks, while Paul Hayes produced an acrobatic volley from the edge of the box which Loach did well to hold.

Notts had the final say in terms of chances, but when Izale McLeod was put clean through on goal, his one-on-one opportunity ended with a lob the wrong side of the bar.

In injury time, meanwhile, Hollis’s close-range header was thwarted by a superb Allsop diving save.

Despite not being able to register a goal, the final whistle was met by cheers and positive chants from the Notts faithful, buoyed by having witnessed one of the first hearty Magpies performances in a long time.

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Notts County fans were in good spirits ahead of their side’s League Two clash with Portsmouth at Fratton Park, but by the end of it they were left to bemoan a poor display for which new boss Mark Cooper will need to pull out all the stops to sort out.

The hosts had a penalty appeal turned down after just three minutes, with Haydn Hollis’s challenge on Ben Davies in the box not being punished.

A slip up by the Pompey keeper allowed Izale McLeod the chance to volley into an open goal from 30 yards out, but the ex-Crawley man missed the target.

Notts were intent to stamp their mark on the game and in what proved to be quite a niggly first half, the visitors weighed in with a number of challenges, which saw the likes of Rob Milsom and Curtis Thompson receive bookings.

Unfortunately it wouldn’t prove to be so fruitful on the goal tally, because on the stroke of half time, Kyle Bennett was able to get deep into the Notts area and slot past Scott Loach.

Shortly after the restart Adam McGurk could have doubled the advantage, but his free header from Ben Davies' free kick sailed wide.

Notts were nevertheless undone again in the 48th minute courtesy of Bennett’s second, cottoning onto Gary Roberts' slide-rule pass and slotting past Loach.

Pompey then made it three goals to nil when Christian Burgess got in front of his man to head in Enda Stevens' quickly-taken free kick.

Paul Cook’s side made sure of a crushing win when top scorer Marc McNulty lobbed a header over Loach, once again completely unmarked.

4-0 was the final score, and it looks like Craig Westcarr’s prediction of this job being Cooper’s most difficult in his time as a manager looks to be correct.

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