Joe Jones

Notts County showed flashes of class interspersed with sloppy play in their League Two match against Oxford United, but looked set for a point until two late goals condemned them to a 4-2 defeat at Meadow Lane. Michael Appleton's side could have gone ahead early on, but Roy Carroll kept Chris Maguire at bay with an excellent save. The Magpies worked their way into the game and, near the stroke of half time, found themselves in a good position on the edge of the U’s box, but referee Carl Boyeson stood in the way of the ball, allowing the visitors to break. At the other end Liam Sercombe burst into the box and was hauled down by Roy Carroll, prompting the ref to award Oxford a penalty, which Sercombe himself converted. George Baldock hit the post for the visitors early in the second half, before the Magpies – who sacked previous manager Ricardo Moniz on Tuesday – drew level when Jon Stead powered in Stanley Aborah's free-kick. Notts then sent their home faithful into a frenzy with 15 minutes left on the clock when Curtis Thompson lashed in superbly following a wonderful lay-off by Stead to edge into the lead. Unfortunately Oxford equalised almost instantly, as Alex MacDonald slotted home from close range in after the hosts failed to deal with a corner. Just as it seemed like the hosts would hang on to at least a point, the 90th minute saw a draw cruelly snatched away from Notts when Callum O'Dowda fired past Carroll, prompting several of the Magpie players to slump onto the ground in shock and frustration. And just a minute later, the hosts were wounded again as their decision to commit men forward prompted the U’s to slice through their defence and score again, this time through Kemar Roofe. Discuss all the key moments from within the game over within our community forum - here.

Mansfield Town manager Adam Murray has expressed his interest in bringing Notts County defender Blair Adams to Field Mill on a permanent deal. The 24-year-old has impressed for the Stags since joining on loan in October last year, but his loan deal expires on January 19, with the left-back out of contract at Meadow Lane in the summer. Speaking of Adams, Murray told local media: “I want to keep him. He has always been a League One player so if we do something long-term I think he is someone who allows us to get success in the long term. “If we get promoted this year Blair Adams is a League One player. If it takes a bit longer Blair Adams will get us there. “I would like to keep him but you know in all of these dealings, it's not that easy. We have spoken to him briefly and I'm hoping this week we'll have more conversation, but it's not about me and Notts County, it's about the football club, Notts County, Blair Adams and his representatives. “I imagine they (his representatives) will have other options, he's been great.” Adams signed for Notts in the summer of 2014 and made 40 appearances in all competitions that season, but only featured twice for the Magpies in the current campaign. What do you think? Should we allow Blair Adams to leave? Have your say within our discussion - Here.

Notts have met Oxford United just 27 times in their history, the first meeting coming on 17 October 1964 when a goalless draw at Meadow Lane was the result. The U's have the upper edge - but only just, with ten wins, nine draws and eight defeats The last meeting between the two was on 18 March 2006, again a goalless draw at Meadow Lane. Oxford United were formed as Headington in 1893, adding the suffix United in 1911 after merging with Headington Quarry. In 1950, Headington United became the first professional club in Britain to install floodlights, and used them on 18 December against Banbury Spencer. They initially played in orange and blue shirts, but changed to yellow home shirts for the 1957–58 season. The reason for the change is unknown. In 1960, Headington United was renamed Oxford United, to give the club a higher profile. Oxford won the League Cup in 1986 - then known as the Milk Cup - after beating Queens Park Rangers 3-0 in the final at Wembley. In 2001, Bishop of Oxford Richard Harries conducted an exorcism after the feeling of a malicious force and the team's loss of thirteen of their first seventeen games at the new stadium was blamed on a gypsy curse placed on the club by a Roma man who had been evicted from the site during construction. The city is known worldwide as the home of the University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking world. University College (in full The Master and Fellows of the College of the Great Hall of the University of Oxford) dates back to 1249. To put it into context, the Magna Carta had only been signed 34 years prior. Buildings in Oxford are said to demonstrate examples of every English architectural period since the arrival of the Saxons. - Notts County caretaker bosses Mick Halsall and Richard Dryden will take charge for the first time when Oxford visit Meadow Lane. Halsall and Dryden were placed in temporary charge following the sacking of Ricardo Moniz after Monday's home draw against Morecambe had left the club in 15th place. Liam Noble is unavailable as he sits out the third game of a four match ban but fellow midfielder Stanley Aborah was back in the side to face Morecambe following a knee injury. Meanwhile Thierry Audel is expected to resume at the heart of defence again following the return of Alan Sheehan to parent club Bradford. Oxford defender Johnny Mullins is an injury doubt after a heavy knock in Monday's goalless draw at Yeovil forced him to leave Huish Park in a protective boot. Chey Dunkley replaced Mullins on Monday and is on stand-by if he fails to make it. Striker Chris Maguire missed out on Monday due to a hamstring injury sustained in the Boxing Day win against Exeter and also remains doubtful, but boss Michael Appleton has not ruled out either player. Appleton has no other new injury or suspension worries as the U's bid to maintain their automatic promotion challenge.

Notts County caretaker manager Mick Halsall has called on his charges to simply knuckle down and “get on with it”, referring to his side’s upcoming game against Oxford United. Former boss Ricardo Moniz was sacked after less than nine months at the helm, alongside first-team coaches Dave Kevan and Dean Yates. The dismissal came after the Dutchman guided the Magpies to a lacklustre 15th place at the halfway point of the League Two season, conceding 40 goals in 23 league games and suffering a humiliating FA Cup exit at the hands of non-league Salford City. Ahead of Saturday’s clash at Meadow Lane, Halsall told reporters: "It's never nice (for a manager to be sacked), but we have to get on with it don't we, and (the players) will understand that. Everyone in the game understands it. "I want to win. We don't know how long we are going to do it for, but we'll try to give it our best, get the boys working in the way we would like them to, although we've only got a short space of time to do that. We will be positive and fingers crossed we can get a decent result and take it from there. "It's about making sure they understand what we want from them in our game plan. We know about Oxford, we'll have enough time. We'll be okay.” Asked if they can change much, he added: "Do we need to? I think we need to tighten up defensively, everyone's seen that. "That's been a big concern from the beginning of the season, so if that's something we need to change we'll look to do that. "In essence we can't change much because we've got what we've got, in the way of personnel, but we're mindful of the defensive side of our game.” "That belief they have got to go forward has been terrific, if you look at the games that they've come back in, especially at home. "But should we be conceding those goals? And that's what Richard, myself and the rest of the staff will be looking to try to improve. "I do know the characters," he said. "I know Roy (Carroll), I know Alan (Smith), I know Nobler (Liam Noble). You look at them when you are in and around the training ground and get a feel for them "We haven't been a part of it that much, but you do get a feel for them and their personalities.I do know them it's just about getting a tune out of them come Saturday. "All we need to say to them is let's get on with it. Let's be positive, let's get on with it. "They are good players and we think if we can fine tune the defensive side, and I know I keep going on about the defensive side, we believe we've got enough going forward to create. "There may be games when we don't get the goals that we think we should have, but if we can just tighten that up as a team. "That's all we will be saying; listen, let's go to work, let's get on with it and let's see what we can do.” Who do you feel should be the next manager? Join in the debate within our community - here.

Notts County have decided to recall defender Scot Bennett from his loan at Newport County. The 24-year-old was scheduled to play his final game for the Exiles on Saturday against Hartlepool, but could go straight into the Magpies' squad for their home game against Oxford. Bennett, Newport manager John Sheridan's first signing when he joined them in October, has made 12 appearances for the Welsh club, and has played a crucial role in helping guide them away from the bottom of League Two and out of the relegation zone. He was part of a team that went on a ten-game unbeaten run which, ironically, was ended by Notts earlier this month - a game in which he could not play due to the conditions of his loan. He has made just two appearances for the Magpies after signing from Exeter in the summer, but returns to Meadow Lane at a time when Sheridan has been linked with the vacant manager's job after Ricardo Moniz was sacked on Tuesday.

Here we go again with a look at the first League Two games of the New Year and with Mick Halsall and Richard Dryden temporarily taking the reins for Notts County. My first choice important game this week features 7th placed Carlisle v top League Two Preview Saturday 2nd January 2016 of the table Plymouth. The Cumbrians are at home but due to their ground struggling with the recent flooding this fixture will be played at Blackburn's Ewood Park. No need to remind Pie fans that last time out Carlisle's loss of home advantage didn't upset them as they won 3-0. A similar scoreline would dent Plymouth's title ambitions and help Carlisle's play off hopes but I've predicted a 1-1 draw. My second game features 11th placed Mansfield at home to 8th placed Accrington. Only one point separates these two teams so a win is vital for both teams play off aspirations. I've forecast 2 – 2. My third game is 2nd placed Northampton at home to 18th placed Barnet. The Cobblers will be hoping to keep in touch with Plymouth, while Barnet will be hoping to climb away from the bottom end of League Two. I’ve gone 3 – 1 to Northampton. My final important game is bottom club Yeovil at home to 22nd placed York. Points are obviously vital to both teams. I’ve predicted a rare win for Yeovil. *Important games **Key Game Saturday 2/1/2016 Bristol Rovers v Luton– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2 - 0) Cambridge v Wimbledon– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1 - 0 *Carlisle v Plymouth– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1 -1 Exeter v Dagenham & Redbridge– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1 - 0) *Mansfield v Accrington– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2 - 2) *Newport v Hartlepool– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2 - 1) *Northampton v Barnet– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (3 - 1) **Notts County v Oxford United– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (3 -2) Portsmouth v Crawley– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2 – 0) Stevenage v Leyton Orient– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1 - 1) Wycombe v Morecambe– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (2 - 1) *Yeovil v York– Kick Off 3:00pm – Score Prediction (1 - 0) My key game, for obvious reasons, once again features Notts, this time at home to Oxford United. This game was important even before the sacking of Ricardo Moniz. Can Notts get back to winning ways and climb nearer the play off places? When Notts visited Oxford earlier this season on 18th August they lost 3 -1 despite Audel scoring first for Notts. The overall record between Notts and Oxford is: Notts won 8 Oxford won 10 Draws 9 I've forecast is a narrow 3 – 2 win for Notts – I wonder how Halsall/Dryden will approach this game and how will the players react? Plenty to discuss once again.

Notts County caretaker manager Mick Halsall has not ruled out becoming Magpies boss on a permanent basis, but remains focused on the immediate job ahead for now. The 54-year-old has been placed in charge of Notts along with Under-21s coach Richard Dryden following the sacking of Ricardo Moniz, and the pair will be in charge for the club’s home League Two clash against Oxford United on Saturday. Halsall told reporters: “Let’s get off to a winning start, let’s see what we can do. “Richard is very similar to myself, we just want to do the best we can, give the players the best opportunity to do what they can come Saturday “We know it’s a difficult game, don’t get me wrong, they are a good side, but why not? Bring it on. I’m here to do a job and we’re just going to give it the best we can.” Halsall has not yet spoken to club chairman Ray Trew about the vacant job, but he knows a good run of results will help push him into contention. He added: “We’ve got to win games, we’ve got to show that we’ve got a belief and an understanding as a team. The consistency has got to come into the game, for our players. “Can we go and be hard to beat away from home? That’s the big thing Richard and I will be looking at." Halsall has previously been placed in the caretaker role when he was made joint interim boss with Paul Hart before the now-departed Dutchman was appointed last April. Who do you feel should be the next manager? Join in the debate within our community - here.

Ricardo Moniz has been sacked as manager of Notts County after just eight months in charge of the club. The 51-year-old was appointed County boss in April following the dismissal of Shaun Derry, but was unable to keep the club in League One, suffering relegation on the final day of the season. Despite a signing spree in the summer, helped out by a sponsorship deal with Ladbrokes described as ‘the most lucrative in the club’s history’, Moniz has failed to light up League Two this season, leaving the club 15th in the table and out of the FA Cup following an embarrassing 2-0 defeat at non-league Salford City in the first round. Moniz's assistant Dave Kevan and defensive coach Dean Yates have also been dismissed by the Notts board. "I made it clear when appointing Ricardo that I wanted someone who would bring an exciting, attacking brand of football to Meadow Lane and I think it would be fair to say that in part he has done this, with some eye-catching attacking play on show at times this season," Notts chairman Ray Trew told the club's official website. "However, whilst showing considerable flair at times, particularly here at home, I feel that we have lacked a level of discipline and organisation in our defensive play throughout the season which has undermined our efforts and our right to play this free-flowing attacking style." Trew added: "My goal for this club is, and always has been, to improve and whilst I by no means want to keep chopping and changing managers, I refuse to let us stagnate and I feel that the time is right for a new approach to reignite our season and get us back on track to where we want and need to be." County's academy manager Mick Halsall and U21's coach Richard Dryden have been placed in caretaker control of the first-team ahead of Saturday's home match with Oxford United, with no appointment expected until after the weekend. Names reportedly in the hat for the Notts manager's job include former Swindon boss Mark Cooper - who was spotted in the stands at Meadow Lane for the Magpies' game against Morecambe - and Newport manager John Sheridan, while Halsall has also not ruled out taking the job permanently. Join in with our discussion regarding the dismissal of Ricardo Moniz - Here.

Izale McLeod was the saviour for Notts County on Monday afternoon as his brace secured a point in a 2-2 draw against Morecambe in their League Two meeting at Meadow Lane. Defence has not been a strong point for Ricardo Moniz’s side in recent months, and this weakness was exposed once again as, just eight minutes in, Jamie Devitt picked up the ball and played a defence-splitting pass into the path of Shaun Miller, the striker making no mistake as he put the ball into the empty net from a tight angle. After twenty-one minutes played, it was to get even worse for the Magpies as Miller outpaced defender Theirry Audel, who brought him down in the penalty area and conceded a spot-kick which the Shrimpers forward took himself. Carroll managed to parry his shot but Kevin Ellison - who had already hit the crossbar with a shot after five minutes - was quicker to react than anybody else and smashed the ball into the net to put the visitors two goals to the good. With the home crowd increasingly on their side’s back, County started to press and won several corners before McLeod found himself one-on-one with the visiting goalkeeper after 37 minutes and tried to lob the ball over him – Barry Roche collected it comfortably, however. Nevertheless the former Crawley striker atoned for his error when he managed to beat Roche with a volley from a cross in the dying moments of the first half, getting his side back in the game and giving them the chance to mount a concrete comeback after the restart. With just after an hour played, McLeod sent Meadow Lane barmy after Thierry Audel rose highest to meet a corner and sending his header goalwards, before it was flicked home by his attacking teammate from close range to complete the comeback. Having come back from the brink, the hosts went in search of a winner, Roche beating away Jon Stead’s first-time shot after a flowing move 20 minutes from time before Graham Burke fired a shot into the side netting. Ultimately, Notts couldn’t maintain the attacking momentum and strike a winner, giving them a share of the points at the final whistle as the pressure continues to mount on Moniz.

Notts County manager Ricardo Moniz has not given up hope of achieving a playoff position this season. The Magpies sit 16th in League Two as they reach the halfway point of the campaign with their home tie against Morecambe on Monday. Despite the lowly league position, Notts remain just eight points off the top seven, and Moniz is eager to find the consistency needed to get his team up the table. He said: "The gap can close to the top seven and some still believe we can do it which inspires me a lot. And we certainly need inspiration from different angles. "I still believe we can turn this inconsistency and there have been many times this season when we thought we were on the verge of doing so. "The Christmas period and our inconsistency means I have not had a lot of time to celebrate, but that's the job. You have to accept the good time with the bad "We set the highest goal and I am very black and white in that respect because we wanted to be the favourite in this division. I don't hide myself either. "But we have young players in the team and with young players you have to accept they will make mistakes. The consideration now is to make a change because you have to. We can either look at more experience, or how we possess the pitch and be difficult to break down."

Notts and Morecambe have only met seven times in their history, with the first ever clash taking place all the way back in September 2007. The Shrimpers have a slight advantage, with three wins over Notts, two draws and two defeats. Our last meeting, in August this season, was a 4-1 defeat for us. The fixture on 19 September 2009 was former Arsenal and England legend Sol Campbell's only game in a Magpies shirt, while the rematch later in the season, on 17 April 2010, is when Notts mathematically secured promotion to League One. Football in the town dates back to the turn of the 20th century; however, it was not until 7 May 1920 that Morecambe FC was formed. The club then took its place in the Lancashire Combination League for the 1920–21 season. The fourteen years from 1960 could be said to be Morecambe's golden era. This included an FA Cup third round appearance in 1961–62, a 1–0 defeat to Weymouth; a Lancashire Senior Cup Final victory in 1968, a 2–1 win over Burnley; and an FA Trophy success at Wembley in 1974, a 2–1 win over Dartford in the final. Morecambe, a non-league side for most of their history, were promoted to the Football League for the first time in 2007 after winning the Conference Playoff Final, beating Exeter City 2–1 at Wembley in front of over 40,000 fans. Morecambe was a thriving seaside resort in the mid-20th century. While the resort of Blackpool attracted holiday-makers predominantly from the Lancashire mill towns, Morecambe had more visitors from Yorkshire, due to its railway connection, and Scotland. Between 1956 and 1989 Morecambe was the home of the Miss Great Britain beauty contest. - Notts midfielder Stanley Aborah is hoping to prove his fitness for Monday's clash with Morecambe. The 28-year-old had been doubtful for the Boxing Day trip to Hartlepool after suffering a reaction on his comeback from a knee injury but that game's postponement has given him extra time to recover. Midfielder Kyle de Silva had also been hoping to force his way into contention after a knock, while Liam Noble is unavailable for the game at Meadow Lane as he serves a four-match suspension. Morecambe will also hope to have benefited from an unexpected day off on Saturday. Their home encounter with Mansfield was called off because of a waterlogged pitch, potentially giving two players longer to prove their fitness. Midfielder Andy Fleming, out for a month with an ankle injury, was hoping to make his comeback. Forward Tom Barkhuizen had also been a doubt with a dead leg but he is now expected to be fit.

Notts County midfielder Stanley Aborah has extended his contract at Meadow Lane, committing to a deal which will run until the summer of 2017. The Belgian, who has been one of the Magpies’ standout players this season, has made 21 appearances for the club so far, scoring one goal. Manager Ricardo Moniz managed Aborah when they were both at Hungarian club Ferencvaros and it was the Dutch boss who invited the former Ajax midfielder to train with the Magpies this summer before signing him. At the end of November Aborah suffered a serious knee injury following a tackle from Barnet's Sam Togwell, but he could return to the Notts squad against Morecambe tomorrow.

Notts County and Hartlepool United have met 28 times over the years. The first meeting was on 21 September 1959 at Victoria Park, and the Magpies won 4-2. The head-to-head record stands at 11 wins for Notts, 12 defeats and 5 draws. So let’s get a win and balance the record perfectly! Our last five meetings stand at two wins for Notts and three defeats, including the last time both sides met, a 3-2 defeat in the 2013-14 FA Cup. In 1905, the amateur team West Hartlepool won the FA Amateur Cup which at the time was considered second only to the FA Cup. Partly as a result of this the opportunity for a professional team arose in 1908, when West Hartlepool Rugby Club went bust leaving their stadium Victoria Ground vacant. The stadium was bought and the current club was founded under the name ‘Hartlepools United Football Athletic Company’, representing both the town of West Hartlepool and the original settlement of Old Hartlepool. The new team joined the professional North-Eastern league and West Hartlepool F.C. lost some of their players to the new professional side. West Hartlepool managed to continue for a few seasons, but it was not long before they broke up leaving Hartlepools United as the only team in town. In 1968 the "s" and the "United" were dropped from the team name of "Hartlepools United". This was in connection with West Hartlepool being absorbed along with the old smaller town of Hartlepool and the village of Hart into one new borough named "Hartlepool". The appendage of "United" was finally restored in 1977. Brian Clough was invited to manage Hartlepools in 1965. His reaction was: "I don't fancy the place," but he took the job anyway and stayed for two seasons alongside Peter Taylor. Under Cyril Knowles' management the club won promotion to the Third Division in 1990, but Hartlepool's greatest moment occurred in 2005 when they narrowly missed promotion to The Championship. According to local folklore, the term “Monkey Hangers”, which Hartlepudlians are sometimes called, originates from an incident in which a monkey was hanged in the town. During the Napoleonic Wars, a French ship of the type chasse marée was wrecked off the coast of Hartlepool. The only survivor was a monkey, allegedly wearing a French uniform to provide amusement for the crew. On finding the monkey, some locals decided to hold an impromptu trial on the beach; since the monkey was unable to answer their questions and because they had seen neither a monkey nor a Frenchman before, they concluded that the monkey was in fact a French spy. Being found guilty the animal was duly sentenced to death and hanged on the beach. An alternative theory is put forward alongside the above on the "This Is Hartlepool" town guide, stating: "Then there are some who point to a much darker interpretation of the yarn. They say that the creature that was hanged might not have been a monkey at all; it could have been a young boy. After all, the term powder-monkey was commonly used in those times for the children employed on warships to prime the cannon with gunpowder." In the 2002 council election, the team's mascot "H'Angus the Monkey", aka Stuart Drummond, was elected mayor of Hartlepool as an independent, under the slogan "free bananas for schoolchildren". Even though his candidacy was just a publicity stunt, Drummond has since been re-elected after throwing off his comedy image and identifying himself increasingly with the Labour group on the council. On 5 May 2013, Drummond left his post of Hartlepool's mayor after a November 2012 referendum meant that Hartlepool would no longer have a mayor, instead being led by committees. In recent years the most visible fan of the club has been Jeff Stelling, presenter of Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports. The rock star Meat Loaf, Janick Gers of the metal band Iron Maiden, MP Peter Mandelson, and film director Ridley Scott are also fans of the club. - Hartlepool’s Carl Magnay missed Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by Plymouth with the groin injury he suffered in the 2-0 FA Cup second round replay victory over Salford on December 15 and remains a doubt for the Boxing Day clash against Notts. Full-back Michael Duckworth is facing up to a further four weeks on the sidelines with the stomach strain which has sidelined him for the last two games. Manager Ronnie Moore is still without striker Billy Paynter and defender Harry Worley, although loan signings Kal Naismith, Adam Jackson and Jake Gray are not due to return to their respective clubs until after the Newport game on January 2. Stanley Aborah has been out for the past month with a knee injury but returned as a substitute in the 3-0 loss against Carlisle. His comeback was ahead of schedule and the 28-year-old has suffered a reaction. Liam Noble misses the festive fixtures due to his four-match suspension while Kyle De Silva has been nursing a knock and will probably not be fit in time for the trip to the north-east. The likes of Jimmy Spencer, Ronan Murray, Genaro Snijders, Julian Jenner and Civard Sprockel are vying for recalls as Notts look for their first away league win since the opening day of the campaign.

Notts County captain Roy Carroll has called on his teammates to stop stressing on the objective of reaching the playoffs, insisting that he and his fellow players need to “take each game as it comes”. The Magpies missed out on the change of closing the gap to the top seven in League Two in the last week by drawing at Wycombe Wanderers and losing heavily to Carlisle United. First-choice goalkeeper Carroll told local media: “We are not thinking about the top seven places. We just have to take each game as it comes. “If you get too far ahead of yourself that's when things start falling apart. That's what I think a lot of players have been doing – thinking about the playoffs. “What we have to do is work hard. We’ve got a big game against Hartlepool on Boxing Day when we will look to try to get a result and a clean sheet. That's got to be the priority.” Ricardo Moniz's side are seven points off the playoffs as things stand, with the post-Christmas trip to Hartlepool followed by a home clash against Morecambe.

Notts County defender Wes Atkinson has been recalled to Meadow Lane following a loan spell at Eastleigh FC. The 21-year-old former West Bromwich Albion right-back, signed by the Magpies in the summer, was sent out on 20 November to cover for a spate of defensive injuries at the Hampshire club. He has now returned to Nottingham following three appearances for the National League side, but Spitfires manager Chris Todd has expressed his desire at seeing Atkinson return to Ten Acres in the near future. Todd said: “Wes has been called back from his loan by Notts County, otherwise we would have kept him. He’s done brilliant for us and shown himself to be a very talented player. “If he became available, he’s someone I’d look to do something with in the future. He’s a nice lad, really honest, and totally professional in what he does. He’s a credit to himself.”

Ricardo Moniz has hit out at Notts County's "childish mistakes" in their 3-0 defeat to Carlisle United. The League Two clash on Saturday had to be played at Preston North End’s Deepdale stadium after Carlisle's Brunton Park was hit by Storm Desmond over a fortnight ago. Despite this, former Magpies manager Keith Curle’s current side were two goals up by half time thanks to a Danny Grainger penalty and a strike by Jabo Ibehre, before the latter scored again after the break to earn the ‘hosts’ a thumping win. Moniz told local media: "To concede a penalty so early brought them into the game. We should have cleared the ball and these are childish mistakes. You can't dribble in your own box, you learn that when you are playing in the under-12s. We did hit the post which, had that gone in, would have given us an equaliser and put us right back into it. But I do not think they were better than us. They had three moments which they scored from. "We had moments, but didn't score. In the second half we had a few good chances. But you can't make individual mistakes like we have been doing." Notts will spend Christmas 15th in the table, their 29 points from 22 games putting them seven points behind the playoffs.

Notts County were thrashed 3-0 by a Carlisle United side playing at Preston North End's stadium in front of 3,067 Cumbrians fans who made the 85-mile trip. A Danny Grainger penalty and two Jabo Ibehre goals were enough for victory at Deepdale, which staged the game after flood damage at Brunton Park. Was the result fair? The score line is fair, Notts didn’t do enough to warrant anything from the game and Carlisle looked like scoring more than just three goals by half time. How did Notts play? Notts put a staggering performance in, in hindsight I would say it was caused by missing key players but with the depth of our squad, we should have adequate cover. They just didn’t do enough, and with the midfield, being fairly none existent it always meant Notts would struggle. How did Carlisle play? Carlisle played like they had a point to prove, from the back they were tight and structured but going forward they worked as one unit. I am genuinely impressed by what seems to be a very sterling performance by the Cumbians – they just made it difficult to give Notts an inch on the field, with dominating football, it was always going to be one sided. Did our tactics work out? The simple answer is no, on paper the selection looked very good but they lacked any sort of mental awareness within the game. It appeared as if the ideas Moniz had wouldn’t work, as no matter what he did, Notts couldn’t adjust to Carlisle’s play. How did the referee perform? The referee didn’t really make any untoward decisions and generally called the game well. Who do we play next? Next up for Notts is Hartlepool on boxing day, this is the game whereby I don’t expect any points because our track record in recent years hasn’t been very good. Hartlepool are a side which play very well at home and Notts play like they did against Carlisle, it will be a longer journey home for our own fans. How should we play them? We should keep the game finally balanced between slow building and positive forward play, I think if we turn the tempo when it suites – this will make it hard for Hartlepool. They will expect us to go out all attacking and this would suite them more than it would us, as it would allow them to put strain onto our defence and for anything to come out of this game, Notts will need to bide their time. Here is what the Carlisle fans thought about their performance, courtesy of TheCumbrians.net: Jumpforfun: I thought each and every player was superb today and without any real stars we completely controlled the game for long periods. Yes NC had an odd shot or half chance which on other days might have gone in but generally we were excellent. Loving Jabo's goals but the energy and work rate of Kennedy, Dicker and Sweeney, the quality.of Grainger's delivery and the sense that the goalkeeper and back 4 weren't going to miss anything all day just made it a great day to be a Carlisle supporter. Well done to the manager, the team and all the staff for a great performance. Huge well done also to the 3000+ who made the journey Seesaw50: Absolutely great day for the Blues and the 3366 fans who got down to Deepdale, you`d have thought there was 10k there today. We are going from strength to strength and if we don`t go up this season, it’s gonna be hard to take. Up to 5th COYB. Wukkie: Excellent result and a rare clean sheet in the League. A bit peeved I couldn't go due to work but we seem to be getting stronger as the season goes on. Top seven minimum it looks like. Now get that contract signed KC. BaggersBlue: The only concern for me was that we faded in the second half and Notts County had 3 or 4 guilt edged chances which a better side would have taken.

One step forward, two steps back. Notts County’s exhilarating win against Newport last week and a decent away point at Wycombe in midweek were quickly forgotten as the Magpies were picked apart by Carlisle United at stand-in ground Deepdale, home of Preston North End, in a 3-0 defeat. The disappointment began early for the black and white faithful as, just five minutes in, Jason Kennedy was upended by Graham Burke in the box to gift the designated hosts a penalty, which captain Danny Grainger thumped down the middle to give his side the lead. Jabo Ibehre, the Cumbrians’ biggest threat with 10 goals in 13 games prior to kickoff, doubled their lead shortly before half-time, converting an easy volley when unmarked after Michael Raynes had helped on a Mark Ellis long throw. Carlisle stepped up the pressure after the restart as Mike Edwards, who played for the day’s opponents in between spells at Notts, made a vital close-range block as Ibehre looked certain to score during a heavy spell of pressure. The visitors almost grabbed an equaliser through Burke, but his 20-yard shot hit the post, and moments later, Mark Gillespie made a fine save to keep out Jon Stead's header. The big frontman then grabbed his 14th goal of the season in the 59th minute, lashing home from 12 yards after the Magpies defence had failed to deal with Grainger's cross, and killed off the game as the Carlisle fans celebrated a comprehensive win.

Notts could go as high as ninth in League Two and a solitary point off the playoffs if they win away at Carlisle United and results go their way – a victory would put us on 32 points. The Cumbrians, meanwhile, are just within the top seven, but with four teams – Mansfield, Bristol Rovers, Leyton Orient and Wycombe – just three points or less behind them, they could be slip out. Today’s other League Two fixtures (all 15:00 kickoffs): · Barnet v Crawley · Cambridge Utd v Mansfield · Dag & Red v Bristol Rovers · Exeter v Luton · Hartlepool v Plymouth · Leyton Orient v Yeovil · Newport v AFC Wimbledon · Northampton v Portsmouth · Stevenage v Accrington · Wycombe v Oxford Utd · York City v Morecambe Prediction: Carlisle are in great form at the minute – they are unbeaten in five, with three wins and two draws, and in their three victories they scored 12 goals. Notts have stopped the rot somewhat with a 2-2 away draw at Wycombe and a 4-3 home win against Newport, but the defence remains shaky. A draw would be a good result for Notts in my opinion, though there is the chance that the Cumbrians may not be at full focus as the game is being played on neutral ground, at Preston’s Deepdale stadium. Match odds: Home 11/8 Draw 13/5 Away 7/4 Head to head: Carlisle United and Notts County have met on just 28 occasions since their first clash back in October 1959, a Fourth Division clash that was won 2-0 by the Cumbrians. Out of those, the Magpies have won 16 and lost 9, with just 3 draws. Our last meeting was on 22 March 2014, with Notts clinching a 4-1 win at Meadow Lane in League One. The Cumbrians were relegated at the end of the 2013-14 season. Key man: Wycombe: Jabo Ibehre has been on fire since joining Carlisle on a free transfer in the summer, following his release from Colchester. The 32-year-old is in the form of his life, having scored 10 goals in just 13 games, and with a strong build and 15 years’ experience, he could test the shaky Notts defence on Saturday. Notts: Adam Campbell has really come into his own in the last few games, with wonderful performances in midfield against both Newport and Wycombe. With the mercurial Liam Noble ruled out for four games due to his suspension, Campbell will be relied upon more than ever to control the game in the middle of the park and help launch attacks into the final third.

Carlisle United and Notts County have met on just 28 occasions since their first clash back in October 1959, a Fourth Division clash that was won 2-0 by the Cumbrians. Out of those, the Magpies have won 16 and lost 9, with just 3 draws. Our last meeting was on 22 March 2014, with Notts clinching a 4-1 win at Meadow Lane in League One. The Cumbrians were relegated at the end of the 2013-14 season. Carlisle United is one of the northernmost clubs in the Football League, just 10 miles from the Scottish border, and one that’s normally mentioned among the most difficult away days – talk of “Carlisle away” is one for the most hardcore fans, especially in midweek (Newcastle United are further north than Carlisle, however). The Cumbrians have spent a season in the top flight, back in 1974-75, and recorded a double over Everton, as well as home victories over eventual champions Derby County, former titleholders Ipswich Town, Arsenal, Burnley, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton Wanderers. They were relegated at the end of the season though. Carlisle is the smallest location, by population, to have had a resident top-flight English football club since 1906. Prior to this, Accrington FC, Darwen, Grimsby Town & Glossop North End were smaller. Despite their small stature, the club has experience moderate success with regards to silverware – they have won a Third Division title back in 1965, two Fourth Division championships in 1995 and 2006, and two Football League Trophies, back in 1997 and 2011. Carlisle are famous for one of the most dramatic Great Escape scenarios in all of English football, when on-loan goalkeeper Jimmy Glass scored in the last 10 seconds of their final game of the 1998-99 season against Plymouth Argyle to keep the Cumbrians in the Football League at the expense of Scarborough. - Carlisle will stage their 'home' fixture against Notts County at Preston North End's Deepdale stadium as work to restore Brunton Park continues following severe recent flood damage in Cumbria. Manager Keith Curle, who used to be at the helm of the Magpies, has no major new injury worries and is not expected to make many unforced changes, but defender Tom Miller remains doubtful due to the hamstring injury which has kept him out for three matches. Goalkeeper Mark Gillespie returned for last week's 1-1 draw at Oxford in place of Dan Hanford following illness and is expected to resume. On-loan Newcastle midfielder Macaulay Gillesphey was back on the bench as an unused substitute last week following a pelvic injury and is hoping to feature. Liam Noble is suspended again for Notts after his red card at Wycombe in midweek. It was the second time this season the midfielder has been sent off so he will serve a four-match ban. Stanley Aborah is back in training but unlikely to be risked. The Belgian injured his knee against Barnet a fortnight ago and the best he could hope for would be a place on the bench. Kyle De Silva is also struggling with a knock and is likely to be missing from the travelling squad.

Some great news from the Jimmy & Jack Memorial Fund, as they have confirmed that they have reached £101,000 – leaving just a further £1,000 to raise. Thanks to a generous donation of £1,500 from the former players’ association, in addition to the fans’ ongoing support in the drive to raise funds, we are on the home straight in terms of meeting the overall total and begin proceedings to bring Jimmy Sirrel and Jack Wheeler home. It is hoped that we can achieve this by calling on fans to get behind our Christmas online donation campaign and join the "This One is for Jack" Pub to Club walk on Sunday 10th January 2016 - the sixth anniversary of Jack's passing. “This one is for Jack” starts at the Wollaton Pub and Kitchen at 12:30pm, with entry costing £5 with the option to raise additional funds through sponsorship. Entry forms can be found in the club shop or on the Jimmy & Jack table on match days. To donate to the Jimmy & Jack Statue Fund Christmas Appeal, the details are as follows: Bank account name: Jimmy & Jack Statue Fund Sort code: 40-08-46 Account number: 81848178 It really looks as if 2016 will be the year that Jimmy and Jack will come home – with your help, we can finally cross the line and elevate Notts County’s greatest ever managerial duo to immortality right outside Meadow Lane! Please pledge your support by donating just £1 to the J&J Statue Fund.

Notts County manager Ricardo Moniz has criticised Liam Noble after the midfielder was sent off in his side’s 2-2 draw at Wycombe Wanderers. The 24-year-old earned his second red card of this campaign at Adams Park with County 1-0 up through Jon Stead's penalty at the time, receiving his marching orders after a clash with Luke O'Nien off the ball. Michael Harriman levelled for Wycombe before half-time, and though Adam Campbell restored the visitors' lead shortly after the restart, Aaron Holloway earned the Chairboys a draw, much to the frustration of Moniz. "We gave the three points away," he said. "We totally outplayed them in the first 30 minutes and then Liam Noble gave them the chance to get back in the game. "The red card was very inconvenient. I will always protect my players, and I haven't spoken to Liam Noble, but you can't do that. "Even with 10 men we were 2-1 up and shouldn't lose it. You have to take the three points, otherwise we would have been two points off the play-offs. "But the glass is half full. I'm always like that. It's a big compliment for the guys. They've done well. They dug in and the team gets fitter. But we are a bit disappointed not to get the win. "It was very intelligent play from us in the last 30 minutes. It shows the strength of the team. It was the same against Bristol Rovers [0-0 draw in October] only there was more effort in this game." Notts now sit 13th in League Two, just four points below the playoffs.

Alan Sheehan has expressed his happiness and pride in playing the 300th professional game of his career in a Notts County shirt. The defender, on loan from Bradford City, reached the landmark in Tuesday night's 2-2 draw at Wycombe Wanderers, where he put in another good shift on the way to a crucial and morale-boosting away point. In a career spanning 13 years, more than half of Sheehan's games have been for the Magpies over two different spells, and he admitted he was happy to hit 300 in the black and white of Notts - especially because he was ill at Adams Park. He told local media: "My dad always used to say 'if you aren't right, don't play', because once you cross that white line you are judged the same as everybody else. But you've got to get out there and put a shift in for the team. "Tuesday was my 300th competitive appearance and it's nice to think that nearly half of them have come for Notts County in a period spanning three years and a bit. "Obviously I am happy, but there's been some bad games in that 300! But hopefully we can keep on putting a run together. We've just got to keep building on that performance because we looked very good in spells." Sheehan has two more games of his loan spell left to play with his final game set to be the Boxing Day clash at Hartlepool United.

Notts County twice took the lead against Wycombe Wanderers in Tuesday's League Two clash at Adams Park, but were pegged back twice following Liam Noble's sending off to leave them travelling back to Nottingham with a point following the 2-2 draw. The Magpies were ahead inside eight minutes after Adam Campbell was tripped in the box by Aaron Pierre, prompting the referee to award a penalty, and Jon Stead coolly converted from the spot. The visitors were then reduced to 10 men shortly before the break when Noble clashed with Luke O'Nien off the ball and was given a straight red card - his second of the season and fifth in just over a year. The Chairboys took advantage minutes before half time as winger Michael Harriman placed a glancing header beyond Roy Carroll after Paul Hayes had picked him out with a pinpoint cross from the left. Ricardo Moniz's charges, however, restored their lead after the restart when Rob Milsom's low cross found Campbell who steered the ball past Matt Ingram to shock the ever-improving hosts. Wycombe levelled on the hour mark as Sam Wood's cross, following Campbell's ball loss in midfield, found Aaron Amadi-Holloway, whose header looped over Carroll and into the net to deny the Magpies their first away win since the opening day of the season.

Notts County and Wycombe Wanderers have faced each other a total of 30 times over the years, with the first meeting coming as late as 1995, when the Magpies won 2-0 at Meadow Lane. The Chairboys are way ahead in the head-to-head, having beaten Notts 15 times and drawn seven – we have beaten them eight times. The last meeting came on 28 April 2012, a thrilling 4-3 win for us at Adams Park that saw Dele Adebola and Alan Judge turn the game around with goals in the last few minutes. In 1887, a meeting held at the Steam Engine public house in Station Road, High Wycombe saw the formation of Wycombe Wanderers F.C. It is highly likely the club was named Wanderers after the famous Wanderers, winners of the first FA Cup in 1872. The club played just friendly matches between 1887 and 1896. Wycombe first entered the FA Amateur Cup in 1894 and the FA Cup in 1895. In 1895 the club moved to Loakes Park, which would become its home for the next 95 years. In 1896 the club joined the Southern League and competed in the Second Division until 1908, but in the summer of 1908 the club declined the invitation to retain their membership of the Southern League. The club decided to pursue amateur instead of professional football and joined the Great Western Suburban League and remained there until the outbreak of the First World War. After the hostilities had ended the club joined the Spartan League in 1919 and were Champions in successive years. In March 1921 the club's application to join the Isthmian League was accepted. Wycombe enjoyed a fairytale season in 2000–01 as the club reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup. First Division sides Grimsby Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Wimbledon were all beaten before a memorable quarter-final with Premier League Leicester City. In a game that has gone down in FA Cup history, striker Roy Essandoh headed an injury-time winner to seal a 2–1 win at Filbert Street as manager Lawrie Sanchez looked on from the dressing room, having been dismissed from the touchline during the game. The ensuing semi-final at Villa Park saw Liverpool pushed all the way before claiming a 2–1 victory. - Wycombe boss Gareth Ainsworth is expected to select from an unchanged squad on Tuesday. The Chairboys' fixture at Accrington was postponed on Saturday and Ainsworth has no new injury or suspension problems. Defender Aaron Pierre hopes to return to action following suspension, but midfielder Marcus Bean and defender Joe Jacobson are still out. Ainsworth's side, three points off the play-offs, have lost only one of their last six league matches. Notts defender Elliott Hewitt is an injury doubt and will be monitored after sustaining a knock which forced him out of Saturday's home win against Newport. Midfielder Stanley Aborah has missed the last two games due to a knee injury and is not expected to feature and defender Mike Edwards is also struggling after missing out on Saturday through illness. Striker Jon Stead overcame a muscle injury in time to play the full 90 minutes at the weekend, while wingers Julian Jenner and Genaro Snijders, plus midfielder Alan Smith, are among those pushing for recalls. Boss Ricardo Moniz has no other new injury or suspension worries as his side chase their first away win since August.