Robbie

It's Matchday. Notts Women face Peterborough at Coronation Park Eastwood at 2pm today. It will be a tough match because Peterborough bare one of the four very strong teams in this league & they will be looking for promotion this season. However, Notts have improved since last season with some excellent performances home & away.

I would have thought Notts will field a mix of first teamers & academy players like they did against Burton. The side that beat Burton played very well, so I have no problem with Stuart playing a similar side to face Northampton. We may see the players that came off the bench today in the starting eleven. Players such as Martin, Cundy, McDonald, Brown & Scott need the match practice. The game is a perfect opportunity for Stuart to get these players up to speed, because they will all be needed at some point. Key areas will be all over the pitch. It will be important for the defence, midfield & attacking players to put in a good performance to push for a place against Chesterfield on Saturday. I would be pleased with a draw. It will depend how strong a team Northampton put out for the match.

I think that Notts were the better side over the 90 minutes, & Notts had several chances in that first half, that another day would have gone in. Apart from the goal, I thought that Notts were comfortable in defence apart from the last few minutes when they were pushing up trying to get an equaliser. We have to bear in mind that Notts were without 4 of their best players, Jones, Edwards, McGoldrick & Grant, & they were clearly missing today to get that cutting edge, which was not there. If you look at the table it looks like teams are beating each other, & Notts are still in the mix just one point behind Walsall, who are top Notts just need to keep battling and get through to the new year, there or there abouts near the top, then hope to get Jones, Grant & Edwards back, plus a new striker in the transfer window to boost their promotion push.

The match was very close & with a little more luck Notts could have easily got a result out of this match. For me, the team averaged between 6 & 7 out of 10 today. I think that Dan Crowley was the best Notts player on the pitch with a 7/10 rating. So my vote goes to Dan Crowley.

Notts may have Lost the Match by the odd goal but there were still some good performances for Notts. Here is my shortlist for man of the match. Crowley, not at his absolute best, but he was behind most of what Notts were creating. Jatta, never stopped running, with better luck may have put one of those chances away in the first half. Platt, his usual self at the back. Calm & assured & secure. Gordon. I think he was ok & got forward in his role as wing back. Robertson, did is usual job in the centre of midfield, steady. Bedeau, he was good at the back once again, & got forward a few times. Austin, did his usual steady job today. Palmer, Steady & assured in midfield.

Update Jodi Jones. Out till at least January 25. Curtis Edwards. Out till at least January 25. Lucas Ness. Possibly available in a few weeks. Conor Grant. Knee injury, six weeks out minimum David McGoldrick. Sore hamstrings due to tiredness.

I think we have to put things into perspective. If Notts had put one of those 3 or 4 chances away in the first 25 minutes, the result may well have been different. Vale would have had to come out and that would have left space for Notts to exploit. Notts did perform at a high level but unfortunately, conceded to a Vale break on the counter. There is no doubt that Notts missed, Jones, Edwards, Grant & McGoldrick today News about Grant, he's going to be out for at least 6 weeks maybe even longer, so that's more bad news on the injury front. Notts are still up there near the top & still in the mix. Notts just have to dig in & try to grind out results while these key players are missing, & that will begin at Chesterfield next Saturday.

Top of the 2nd Division after today's matches. Notts are only one point behind top place.

Plenty of possession, had the chances in that first half, but today we lacked the quality in that final third, & Notts couldn't finish when they did get the chances. Notts conceded on the counter once again. Notts huffed and puffed in the second half & only created one chance. Unfortunately, Vale have done to us, what we did to Carlisle. Notts have certainly missed Jones & McGoldrick. But Notts are still only one point behind Walsall who are top.

Update. CMON U PIES!

Substitution for Notts.

Update. Notts 0 Port Vale 1, 76 mins gone Notts have plenty of the ball but it's gone a little bit static. Needs to be some incisive passing to break Vale down.

Update. Update. Robertson makes way for Scott.

Well that's a surprise half way through a Notts match Adam Chicksen has signed for Woking on loan.

Update.

Back to it. Abbott on for Tsaroulla.

Half Time Work to do in the second half. Notts 0 Port Vale 1. Notts have had plenty of possession but didn't do much with it in the last 15 minutes Maybe a change or two will be seen at half time or maybe after 15 mins of the second half if Notts don't get a goal. Maybe Abbott & Martin for Austin & Tsaroulla.

Update. Notts 0 Port Vale 1, 37 mins Notts have had plenty of possession, 70%, but Port Vale are holding firm, & they have the goal. Update. Big chance for Vale.

Update.