Joe Jones

Not a terrible performance from Notts on Tuesday, but nevertheless another defeat at home as our season continues to show signs of unravelling as Sheffield United come to Meadow Lane and secure a 2-1 win. The first concrete chance of the game came in the eighth minute when Blair Adams sprinted down the left wing before sending a cross the way of Curtis Thompson, who backheeled the ball towards Mustapha Dumbuya. The Sierra Leone international, however, wasn’t able to capitalise with his wayward effort. United countered when Brayford marauded into the Notts box before setting up Jamie Murphy, but the forward scuffed his subsequent effort wide. The 25-year-old soon made up for that miss by striking the opening goal for the Blades. With Dumbuya backing off the ball, Murphy boredown on goal and lashed a shot into the far corner of the net past Roy Carroll. Notts set about trying to find an equaliser and Garry Thompson tried after collecting a Liam Noble pass, but the ensuing effort flew over the bar. Soon enough, the levelling goal came courtesy of Terry Kennedy’s deflection that landed to Noble several yards from goal, albeit facing the wrong way. With everybody expecting him to hold up the ball and try a pass, he instead smashed a delightful back heel into the ball which duly nestled into the net, much to the delight of the home crowd. Notts were quick off the starting blocks after the restart, Garry Thompson and Balint Bajner trying their luck against goal. However, the hosts were let down by lacklustre defending when, with just over ten minutes remaining, Bob Harris surged down the left sent a cutback across goal. Matt Done then bundled the ball into the net to put the Blades back in front and ultimately secure the win. Now, the league is so tight that Notts, despite being 17th, are actually equidistant from both the drop zone and the play-offs, but it's still a case of needing to look down now rather than up.

Sheffield United’s first match against Notts took place on the 17th January 1891 in the FA Cup - and we won 9-1! Since then, however, the Blades have undisputedly held the upper hand in head-to-head statistics: they have won 48 games against the Magpies. We’ve beaten then just 26 times, and there have been 14 draws. Our last game was back in November, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Their ground, Bramall Lane, is the oldest major stadium in the world still to be hosting professional football matches. Bramall Lane opened in April 1855 – Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin were still alive back then! Jessica Ennis-Hill, the darling of the 2012 London Olympics, has a stand named after her at United’s ground, following her gold medal in heptathlon two and a half years ago. A game between Sheffield United and Oldham in February 1984 had to be postponed when a wartime bomb was found near Bramall Lane! A number of films and television programmes have included references to Sheffield United over the past few decades: The 1996 film When Saturday Comes stars Sean Bean as a part-time Hallam FC player who is scouted by Sheffield United, who then goes on to play in a FA Cup semi-final. The character 'Gaz' in British comedy The Full Monty is seen wearing a replica United shirt at one part of the film, and promises his son a ticket for a game at Bramall Lane between Sheffield United & Manchester United. Even Hollywood has got in on the act: a scene in Batman Begins features a child wearing a 1990s Blades shirt. United have a decent cup pedigree - they won the FA Cup in 1899, 1902, 1915 and 1925. They were also beaten finalists in the FA Cup in 1901 and 1936, and reached the semi-finals in 1961, 1993, 1998, 2003 and 2014 - and reached the semi-finals of the League Cup in 2003 and 2015. Notable Blades fans include Game of Thrones actor Sean Bean, former Sports Minister Richard Caborn MP, singer Paul Heaton, musicians Joe Elliott, Antony Genn and Toddla T, athlete Jessica Ennis, boxer Kell Brook, cricketer Joe Root and Monty Python member and presenter Michael Palin. --- Team news to follow.

Notts have signed Lincoln City defender Sean Newton on loan until the end of the season. The 26-year-old passed a medical on Friday and signed a deal that also sees Notts defender Jordan Cranston move to the Imps until the end of the campaign. -- Barnsley have sacked manager Danny Wilson and assistant boss Chris Hutchings. The Tykes are 17th in the table, seven points clear of the relegation zone and seven off the play-off places. In a statement, the club called the current league position "unacceptable". 55-year-old Wilson led Barnsley to the Premiership in 1997. -- Barnsley have extended the loan of Manchester United midfielder Ben Pearson until 8th March. The 20-year-old joined the Tykes in January and has sufficiently impressed in his five appearances to remain for longer. He said: "I'm delighted to have signed another month. There are a lot of games coming up in February and I'm delighted to be involved. -- Peterborough United have tweeted a message of support to former player Britt Assombalonga after he was ruled out for a year with a knee injury. The 22-year-old was stretchered off during Nottingham Forest's 3-0 win over Wigan Athletic on Wednesday. He has now undergone surgery and Posh have wished him the best of luck in his recovery. -- Leyton Orient will be the subject of a new Italian reality TV show, where the winner will win a contract with the club. Orient's owner, Francesco Becchetti, said the programme would help the club find new players and boost its profile, The show will air on the Agon channel, owned by Becchetti. -- Former Leeds United midfielder David Norris is having a medical with Peterborough United, according to reports. The 33-year-old was released by the Elland Road outfit at the end of January after having played just twice in 18 months. -- Wolverhampton Wanderers have revealed they made a loss of £1.7m during their season in League One. Commercial income fell £1m as a consequence of lower contracted sponsorship agreements for in the third tier. -- MK Dons boss Karl Robinson has said the more successful his side become, the more they suffer from poor refereeing. The 34-year-old believes his side have been on the wrong end of unfavourable refereeing decisions in four of their last five games. "It always seems the closer we get to the top, decisions start to go against us," he told BBC Three Counties Radio. -- Port Vale have signed teenage Crystal Palace defender Ryan Inniss on a one-month youth loan. "We're really happy to have made the addition of Ryan to our squad," said Vale boss Rob Page. "We're pleased to secure his services for the next month. The former England youth international has already played in League One, having had loan spells with Gillingham and Yeovil.

No Bajner, no party, goes the saying. Well, tonight Balint Bajner was present against Leyton Orient, and his goal secured all three points for a Notts County side that looked to be going off the rails – which set off a party among the Magpie faithful and the hundred or so Bajnerites that travelled from Hungary especially to see their cult hero in action for his new team. Early on in the game at Brisbane Road, Liam Noble slotted a pass through to Garry Thompson, who powered towards goal but blasted his effort just wide of the far post. The visitors then threatened when a goalmouth scramble at the Notts end was eventually cleared away by Mike Edwards. In the 20th minute, the Magpies broke the deadlock, and what a moment it was. Bajner played a one-two with Garry Thompson before the Hungarian swivelled and slotted a low shot past Orient goalkeeper Alex Cisak. The world’s best player then ran the full length of the pitch to celebrate with a group of fans that had travelled especially from Hungary. Orient set about trying to level proceedings, and there were several problematic moments for Notts as the game edged towards half time, but Shaun Derry’s charges were able to hold out to go in a goal ahead at the break. The hosts continued to exert pressure on the Magpies as the match went on, but serious chances were at a premium until the latter stages of the game when substitute Dean Cox forced Carroll into a smart save down low. The 27-year-old then lofted a ball towards the back post, where Ryan Hedges, who was in a great position, fired wide. Notts were however able to see the game out and secure all three points to climb to 14th in the table.

Where did it all go wrong? Another matchday, another defeat, this time at home against local rivals Chesterfield. A freakish Caolan Lavery goal midway through the second half proved the difference between the two sides, as the Magpies now find themselves in 16th place and looking down rather than up. Sam Clucas had the game's first effort on goal for the visitors in the tenth minute when he received a lay-off from Jay O'Shea inside the box. The resulting effort was beaten away by Roy Carroll, as Chesterfield were then caught on the break, Balint Bajner marauding into their final third before drilling a low shot narrowly wide of goalkeeper Tommy Lee's left-hand post. Just before the quarter-hour mark, the world's best player had a close-range shot saved by Lee, before the rebounding ball was poked wide, and moments later, the Spireites keeper used his legs to keep out Curtis Thompson's shot at his near post. Both sides continued to trade chances throughout the remainder of the first half, but at the break, it remained goalless. Chesterfield then took the game by the scruff of the neck after the restart, as Armand Gnanduillet headed off-target from a Jimmy Ryan cross and O'Shea's low shot was saved by Carroll. The breakthrough came midway through the second half when an attempted clearance from Haydn Hollis saw the ball strike Lavery before looping high into the air, over Carroll and into the goal. The visitors continued to push forward and Byron Harrison threatened to find a way through when Clucas played the ball into the area, but Carroll came off his line to claim in due time. Despite five minutes of added time being played out at the end of the game, Notts were unable to find an equaliser at the death and had to endure another loss at home.

Notts County have played local rivals Chesterfield a total of 64 times over the years, the first meeting coming on the 29th November 1930 in the FA Cup. The game took place at the Spireites' old ground, Saltergate, and finished 2-1 to the Magpies. The head-to-head record favours Notts, with 27 victories, 19 defeats and 19 draws. The latter was the outcome of our last meeting (1-1) back in September last year. Nobody knows the date when the first incarnation of Chesterfield Football Club was formed. A Derbyshire Times newspaper report from the 2nd January 1864 noted a scheduled game between "Chesterfield and Norton football clubs", suggesting that a club in the town was active from at least 1863. By contrast, club historian Stuart Basson had placed a formally constituted Chesterfield F.C. as being established as an offshoot of Chesterfield Cricket Club in October 1867. The early history of the club is dotted with tumult and instability - the club lost the right to play at Saltergate following worsening relations with Chesterfield Cricket Club, while in 1915 the subsequent incarnation of the club, Chesterfield Town, was put into voluntary liquidation. To fill the footballing gap left in the town, Chesterfield Borough Council reformed the club on 24 April 1919, giving it the name Chesterfield Municipal F.C. After the Football Association and Football League made it clear that they were against a council-run club, the entity became independent, reflected in the name change to Chesterfield F.C. in December 1920. The club have been successful in terms of minor silverware, winning the Fourth Division (and its subsequent reincarnations) a record four times, while also claimin the Anglo-Scottish Cup in 1982 and the Football League Trophy in 2012 (and finishing runners-up in 2014). The 1996–97 season saw Chesterfield beat six clubs including Nottingham Forest to reach the semi-final of the FA Cup for the first time. The semi-final match against Middlesbrough was drawn 3–3 after extra time; Chesterfield lost the replay 3–0. The club's nickname, The Spireites, comes from the Church of St Mary and All Saints in Chesterfield, famous for its crooked spire. Legend goes that a virgin once married in the church, and the church was so surprised that the spire turned around to look at the bride. It is said that if another virgin marries in the church, the spire will return to true again. The more realistic explanation is more of a scientific nature, however. It is now believed that the twisting of the spire was caused by the lead that covers the spire. The lead causes this twisting phenomenon, because when the sun shines during the day the south side of the tower heats up, causing the lead there to expand at a greater rate than that of the north side of the tower, resulting in unequal expansion and contraction. This was compounded by the weight of the lead (around 33 tons) which the spire's bracing was not originally designed to bear. Famous Chesterfield players include Ernie Moss, Kevin Davies, Gary Stone, Jason Lee, Walter McMillen, Sam Hardy, Gordon Banks, Herbert Munday, Steve Ogrizovic, Barry Sunday, Freeman Hardy and Willis Edwards . Famous fans include glamour model Jo Guest, presenter Robert Primrose Wilson, and ex-Arsenal goalkeeper John Lukic. --- Shaun Derry has no new injury or suspension worries ahead of Chesterfield's visit. Kaiyne Woolery and Balint Bajner started up front together against Oldham Athletic last weekend and could both keep their places in the team. Spireites boss Paul Cook lost leading scorer Eoin Doyle this week, as he moved to Cardiff City, but added loan signings Caolan Lavery, Mark Duffy and Ashley Carter to his squad. Lavery will battle it out with Byron Harrison to replace Doyle in the starting line up while Duffy looks likely to come in for injured winger Dan Gardner. Striker Armand Gnanduillet will be assessed but winger Gary Roberts remains out.

Chesterfield manager Paul Cook has signed a one-year contract extension, tying him to the club until 2017. The 47-year-old took over at the Proact Stadium in October 2012 and led them to promotion to League One last season. The Spireites, who sold top scorer Eoin Doyle to Cardiff on Monday, are currently fifth in the table. - Tottenham Hotspur have signed MK Dons midfielder Dele Alli on a five-and-a-half-year deal for an initial £5m fee. The 18-year-old will be loaned back to the League One side for the rest of the season as part of the deal. Alli has scored 12 goals in 25 league games for MK Dons this season. - Keeping with the Dons, Bolton Wanderers midfielder Keith Andrews has joined the Milton Keynes outfit on loan until the end of the season after his stint with Watford was cut short. In his first spell at MK Dons, the 34-year-old won the League Two title and the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. - Sheffield United have signed Rochdale forward Matt Done on a two-and-a-half-year deal for an undisclosed fee. The 26-year-old has scored 14 goals for Dale this season. - Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony has launched a scathing attack on an unnamed Championship club over the non-payment of a transfer fee. On Twitter, MacAnthony did not name the club in question but it is thought he was referring to Nottingham Forest, who in the summer bought striker Britt Assombalonga from Posh for a club-record fee of £5.5million. - Barnsley have extended the loan of Chelsea striker Alex Kiwomya until 3 March. The 18-year-old England youth player joined at the start of January and has so far started three League One games. - Fulham have agreed the signing of teenage defender Aron Davies from Bristol City. The 17-year-old has initially joined on a scholarship and will sign professional terms in the summer to tie him to Fulham until June 2018.

Oh dear. Notts County's season is unraveling right before our very eyes. We've now slipped into the bottom half of the table following a thumping 3-0 defeat away at Oldham Athletic. Following such a bright start, the wheel appears to be falling off the wheelbarrow, which could make the next few months uncomfortable for the Magpies faithful. The Latics started brightly and had Shaun Derry’s side on the back foot in the opening stages, but failed to thoroughly test Roy Carroll. Notts then enjoyed a lively spell as Oldham goalkeeper Jake Kean was forced to tip over a Will Hayhurst free kick midway through the half. But just as the visitors looked to up the tempo and strike first blood, Amari Morgan-Smith fired in a shot that was cleared as far as Liam Kelly. The midfielder crossed perfectly onto the head of George Elokobi and he duly wrong-footed the goalkeeper to give the Latics the lead. Notts were still reeling from conceding against the run of play when their opponents doubled the lead minutes later, Morgan-Smith latching onto a perfectly weighted ball over the top by Carl Winchester before slotting past Carroll. Although the Magpies began the second half with intent, they had to rely on the Northern Irish stopper to pull of a series of stunning saves from Oldham in the second half as the visitors cranked the pressure, while ex-Notts loanee Jonathan Forte struck the crossbar with an overhead kick. Ultimately, the killer goal was struck in the 73rd minute when Winchester dummied the ball into the path of Connor Brown, who then set up Forte to nod home. The result means that Oldham climb to 10th in League One, two points shy of the top six, while Notts County are now 13th after only one win in their last nine league matches.

Notts County first played Oldham Athletic all the way back in 1910. During the Division One fixture, played at the Oldham Athletic Ground (now known as Boundary Park), the home side ran out 2-1 winners against the Magpies. The Latics hold the upper edge against Notts in the head-to-head, having won 36 games to our 34, while 21 draws have taken place - making a total of 91 games. Of those draws, arguably one of the most important in recent years was a mere eight months ago, when Notts travelled to Boundary Park at the end of the 2013-14 season with their League One status in the balance. I'm sure I don't need to remind people of events on that day, but needless to say, Notts got the job done with an Alan Sheehan penalty helping his then side to a 1-1 draw and completing the Great Escape. The last fixture was a lot tamer, at the opening end of the current season back in September when the Latics travelled to Meadow Lane and played out a 0-0 draw. The club was formed in 1895 as Pine Villa F.C. When local rivals Oldham County F.C. folded in 1899, Pine Villa moved into their stadium, the Oldham Athletic Ground, and changed their name to Oldham Athletic. The Latics' most successful season came in 1914-15, when they finished runners-up in the First Division by a single point. They also reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, after making the semis just a year earlier. Boundary Park is less than 9 miles from the nearby stadiums of Bury, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Rochdale. Oldham's mascot, Chaddy the Owl, has famously been flagged for offside in a game against Peterborough United in 2000, while in 2003, in a game versus Blackpool at Bloomfield Road, Chaddy was involved in a scuffle with Bloomfield Bear after throwing his foam boots into the crowd. Chaddy defended himself, stating that Bloomfield Bear was attempting to break his beak. Near the end of the 2005–06 football season, Chaddy was ejected from Belle Vue in a game versus Doncaster Rovers. Chaddy was escorted off of the premises after inciting a riot and making obscene gestures. Notable Oldham Athletic fans include comedy duo Cannon and Ball, professor Brian Cox, ex-Manchester United footballer Paul Scholes, glamour model Michelle Marsh and Hollyoaks star Alex Carter. --- Oldham could give a debut to on-loan goalkeeper Jake Kean, and will check on top scorer Jonathan Forte - who spent time on loan at Notts a few seasons ago - who is nearing recovery from a groin injury. Notts have midfielder Liam Noble and on-loan striker Kwame Thomas back after suspension. Kaiyne Woolery is also in contention to start after joining on a one-month loan deal from Bolton Wanderers.

Former Notts County loanee Cristian Montano has accused Oldham Athletic of double standards for sacking him for alleged spot-fixing then trying to sign convicted rapist Ched Evans. The ex-West Ham player was sacked by the Latics in December 2013 only for the Crown Prosecution Service to drop their investigation earlier this month. Now the Colombian winger, 23, intends to sue Oldham, claiming that his former club "turned against" him. Oldham have so far refused to comment on Montano's claims. - MK Dons manager Karl Robinson has confirmed Newcastle United are among a number of clubs to express interest in young midfielder Dele Alli. According to reports, the Tyneside out are the favourites to sign the 18-year-old prodigy, who has 12 goals this season. But Robinson expects the England Under-19 international to return to Stadium MK on loan if a deal is completed. - Walsall ended their 127-year Wembley wait as they reached the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final following a 0-0 draw with Preston. The Saddlers, who have never been to Wembley in their history, edged through 2-0 on aggregate on Tuesday night. The final whistle sparked a pitch invasion from the home fans and the Saddlers will face either Bristol City or Gillingham in March's final. - Mauro Milanese has left his post as sporting director at League One side Leyton Orient after six months in the role. The 43-year-old joined the O's in the summer following Francesco Becchetti's takeover of the east London club. Milanese had an eight-game spell as Orient boss earlier this season, winning two games while in charge. He reverted to the role of sporting director following the appointment of Fabio Liverani as manager in December. - Doncaster Rovers have signed Watford striker Uche Ikpeazu on loan until the end of the season after the Championship side recalled him from Crewe. The 19-year-old agreed a deal to remain with the Railwaymen on Monday, but was recalled the following day to enable the Doncaster move to go ahead. Ikpeazu scored two goals in eight appearances for the Gresty Road side this season. - Colchester United have signed defender Jamie Harney on a free transfer from West Ham. The 18-year-old, who has made one substitute appearance for the U's since joining on loan in November, has signed a deal until 2016. Harney has been is capped at age group levels up to U21 by Northern Ireland.

Notts County were undone by goals from Marcus Maddison and Christian Burgess as Peterborough United came away from the League One clash at Meadow Lane with a 2-1 win. The 21-year-old striker gave the visitors the lead when his turn and shot from 25 yards took a deflection off Hayden Mullins to wrongfoot goalkeeper Roy Carroll just before the quarter-hour mark. The visitors were looking for a penalty shortly after when Conor Washington went down under a challenge in the area, but the official waved away the appeals. The home side started to get the better of proceedings after the half-hour mark with Balint Bajner particularly involved. The world's best player broke clear midway through the half, rode a challenge from Burgess which could have led to a red card, and was ultimately denied by a fine save from Scott Loach. Garry Thompson then pulled the Magpies level towards the end of the first half when made the most of some space to blast a wonderful volley into the Posh net. Notts, however, failed to keep that momentum going after the restart, and they were duly punished just after the hour when Burgess headed in Joe Newell’s corner. The hosts set about trying to level proceedings once again and Will Hayhurst forced Loach into a great save to keep out his free kick at full stretch. Notts continued to press for a leveler and Ronan Murray then saw a shot saved by Loach, but the visitors hung on for only their second win in 13 matches.

Notts County and Peterborough have met a grand total of 45 times over the years, dating back to the 1960s. The Posh hold the upper edge, with 18 wins to our 12, while 15 draws have taken place. The first meeting between the two, a Third Division fixture on the 7th September 1961, ended in a 2-2 draw. Our record win over the Posh is a 6-0 drubbing at Meadow Lane in the 1970-71 season, while our record defeat to them is a 5-1 loss in 1963. The last game between the two sides was in September 2014, a goalless draw at London Road. Peterborough United are nicknamed "The Posh" because Pat Tirrel, then manager of Fletton United - the current club’s previous incarnation - was reported to say he was "looking for posh players for a posh new team". Fletton, previously known as the 'Brickies', re-formed as Peterborough and Fletton United in 1923, and both nicknames were in use through the 1920s, although supporters complained that 'Posh' references were sometimes used by newspapers in a derisory manner. Peterborough and Fletton United folded in 1932, the present club was formed two years later and a Midland League debut against Gainsborough Trinity on 1st September 1934 was greeted with cries of 'Up The Posh' from the crowd. 14 years ago, Peterborough United clashed with Victoria Beckham, aka “Posh Spice”, over the use of the “Posh” nickname. She had apparently objected to Peterborough's plans to register "Posh" and "The Posh" as registered trademarks, but eventually backed down after realising the club had been using that nickname some 50 years before she was born. Notts and Peterborough also played a blinder of a game back on the 28th September 2010 at London Road, the Magpies surging into a two-goal lead courtesy of Ben Davies, before Gabriel Zakuani’s header halved the deficit. Craig Westcarr restored the away side’s two-goal lead, before Craig Mackail-Smith made things tense for the last half hour thanks to his angled shot. The game is also known for a 22-man brawl at the final whistle, which resulted in an FA charge for both teams and a £15,000 fine. --- Notts will be without striker Kwame Thomas and midfielder Liam Noble. Noble, who was sent off against Crewe on his return game following a lengthy ban, has one more game to serve this time round. Meanwhile, Thomas is suspended after being sent off amid confusing scenes against Doncaster and is likely to be replaced in the starting XI by the greatest footballer in the universe, Lord Balint Bajner. Peterborough United have no new injury concerns as they look for only a second league win in 13 matches. Jon Taylor and Jack Baldwin remain long-term absentees, while keeper Ben Alnwick remains sidelined with thigh-knack.

Notts County found themselves under the cosh on many occasions and suffered at the hands of some contentious refereeing, but still managed to secure a decent point away at Doncaster Rovers this afternoon. The hosts began with plenty of drive, but goalkeeper Roy Carroll largely remained untroubled with Haydn Hollis pulling off some smart tackles in the early stages. Notts then nearly opened the scoring when Alan Smith smashed a 25-yard drive against the bar. The rebound hit Stephen Bywater in the back mid-save but the ball didn’t have the momentum to cross the line. In response, Kyle Bennett curled a cross towards the centre that James Coppinger headed just wide. As the game went on, chances were becoming increasingly at a premium for both sides. With 15 minutes to go, Luke McCullough rose to meet a Harry Forrester centre but his header soared over the crossbar. And then Carroll pulled off a series of smart saves from the 24-year-old as well as from Curtis Main to keep his side's clean sheet intact. Notts were reduced to ten men when Kwame Thomas, already booked, was shown a second yellow for taking too long to come off during a substitution, Billy Daniels then entered the field before Richard Clark realised he had already shown Thomas a yellow card earlier in the game. Ordering Daniels back to the bench, Clark then showed Thomas a second yellow which meant a dismissal and left Derry in a rage and himself sent to the stands. Nevertheless, the Magpies were able to hold on for the point.

Doncaster Rovers could include new signing Abdul Razak in their squad against Notts County, pending international clearance. The former Manchester City man has completed his move from Greek club OFI Crete, signing a deal at the Keepmoat until the end of the season. Doncaster have no new problems following the 1-0 home victory over South Yorkshire rivals Barnsley. Midfielder Dean Furman is still away with South Africa at the African Cup of Nations, while defender Rob Jones is still recovering from a knee injury. Meanwhile, Notts will be without Liam Noble again after the midfielder picked up another suspension. Noble returned from a five-match ban on Saturday but was sent off deep into injury-time against Crewe after receiving a second yellow card. He will now begin a two-game absence. Shaun Derry can pick from Alan Smith, Curtis Thompson and Elliott Whitehouse to replace the 23-year-old. New signing Billy Daniels will also be pushing for a full debut after scoring the winning goal from the bench against Crewe on his first appearance. Mike Edwards missed out at the weekend and the veteran will have his hamstring problem checked.

What a superb win, and what a superb way to get it. Notts County's form has been shaky of late, with three consecutive defeats making Magpie fans more than a little nervous, but the response today was a 2-1 win against Crewe Alexandra, courtesy of a stunning finish at the death from newcomer Billy Daniels. The Alex were first to threaten when Jamie Ness won a free-kick four minutes in, with Alan Tate getting to the ball first and sending a header just wide of goal. On nine minutes, Ness sent Nicky Ajose through on goal, but the striker’s touch was heavy and keeper Roy Carroll was able to come out and save. Two minutes later a James Jones pass got Uche Ikpeazu in behind. He was beaten to the ball by Carroll, but the loose sphere fell to Ajose, who missed the target. Notts then started to respond, and on 16 minutes Kwame Thomas nodded over after getting above Jon Guthrie to meet a cross from the left flank, and minutes later, Haydn Hollis headed wide from a set-piece. It looked as though the first half would end all square, but Ikpeazu then conceded a free-kick in stoppage time and the ball was delivered into the Alex box, where Thomas was sent down by Guthrie’s swinging leg. The referee pointed to the spot and Liam Noble planted the dead ball into the bottom corner despite goalkeeper Garratt getting the faintest of touches. Less than two minutes after the restart, the Notts defence was found wanting as Ness charged forward and drove low past Carroll from 20 yards out to level proceedings. Both sides gave it their all throughout the second half, but luckily the Magpies would go on to secure all three points in spectacular fashion. A cross from the left wing was beautifully met on the volley by substitute Daniels, the ball soaring into the top corner from 15 yards, much to the unadulterated joy of the home faithful. Crewe never really threatened to get back into it and despite Noble being sent off for a second yellow in injury time, the hosts held on.

Notts County’s head-to-head history with Crewe Alexandra dates back to September 1893, when the Magpies faced the Railwaymen at the Alexandra Recreation Ground. The result was a 2-0 win for Notts. After several further meetings in the late 1890s, the fixture would experience a hiatus of 63 years; between 1896 and 1959, the two teams didn't play each other. Despite our shared history going back so far, there have only been 40 meetings between the two sides. Notts have the upper hand with 20 wins to 13 defeats, and just seven draws have taken place. The Alex have been on the receiving end of several thumpings at the hands of the Magpies – in 1894, we beat them 9-1 and 5-1, in 1896 we won 6-0, in 1959 we recorded a 4-1 victory, 1970 brought a 5-1 victory, while last season, a 4-0 scoreline at Meadow Lane brought some light to a gloomy first half of the campaign. This season, Notts registered a nice 3-0 vistory at Gresty Road back in September, Jake Cassidy netting a brace and Shaun Harrad completing the rout. The origins of the “Alexandra” moniker in the club name aren’t fully known. Whether they took the name from a hotel, patronised by those connected with the railway works and where they held their meetings, or whether it was after Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who married Queen Victoria’s eldest son, later King Edward VII, is open to speculation. Crewe is synonymous with arguably one of the greatest and most longevous managers in the English game: Dario Gradi. He is the Alex’s very own Sir Alex Ferguson, having managed the club between 1983 and 2011, with the exception of a hiatus between 2007 and 2009 where he nevertheless took the reins on a caretaker basis for a period. He currently manages the Academy. Speaking of which… Crewe Alexandra’s academy is one of the best and most renowned in the English lower leagues. The Academy is known to stress technical excellence, which accords with the aim to have the first team play attractive, passing football. Most of the club's achievements in youth development have come from none other than Gradi, and alumni include Geoff Thomas, David Platt, Robbie Savage, Neil Lennon, Steve Jones, Rob Jones, Danny Murphy, Seth Johnson and Dean Ashton and David Vaughan. Impressively, Crewe’s final fixture of the 2012-13 season, a 2-0 win against Walsall, involved a starting XI made up entirely of Academy players. In 2013, the club won its first-ever major silverware after beating Southend United 2-0 in the Johnstones Paint Trophy final at Wembley. Crewe are known as the Railwaymen because of the town’s links to the British train network. Crewe station was completed in 1837 and is one of the most historic railway stations in the world. Nowadays, as well as serving the town of Crewe that has grown near it, it still operates as a major junction on the West Coast Main Line (WCML). It also serves as a major station on the WCML and as a major rail gateway for the North West. The town of Crewe has an interesting roll call of local legends, including rugby player Mark Cueto, professional BMX racer Shanaze Reade, 1990s heartthrob Adam Rickitt (ask a female friend or relative between the ages of 25 and 30), Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle, and Jimmy MacDonald, also known as the voice of Mickey Mouse. --- Mike Edwards is an injury concern for Notts ahead of the visit of Crewe. A hamstring problem forced the veteran defender to come off after only 12 minutes during the 4-0 defeat at Bristol City last weekend, so he may have to sit it out this Saturday. Liam Noble is available again after a lengthy suspension, while Kwame Thomas, Billy Daniels and winger Will Hayhurst have joined the club this week, all three players possibly coming into contention against the Railwaymen. Another recent arrival, Alefe Santos, made his debut from the bench at Ashton Gate and the Brazilian winger, on loan from Derby County, could make his home debut. Meanwhile, Crewe are keeping their fingers crossed over the availability of Harry Davis and Anthony Grant. Defender Davis received dental treatment after losing a tooth against Gillingham last weekend while midfielder Grant, who also completed 90 minutes, is a doubt due to a hip problem. George Ray returns from a three-game suspension while Brad Inman returned to training this week following a virus. Adam Dugdale is considered over his illness and injury problems now but Ryan Colclough remains out with a pelvis injury.

A rampant Bristol City performance left Notts County in tatters and sent out a message to the whole of League One that Steve Cotterill's side has what it takes to get themselves into the Championship next season. The Robins dispatched the Magpies 4-0 to soar back to the top of the third tier, thanks to goals by Joe Bryan, Matt Smith, Jay Emanuel-Thomas and Derrick Williams. Eight minutes is all it took for City to open the scoring, as a sizzling run from Emmanuel-Thomas carved open the visitors’ defence and led to a cross that was bundled in by Bryan. When Notts talisman Mike Edwards was forced off with an injury in the 11th minute, you just know the tone would be set for the afternoon. Notts were under the cosh for much of the half and required Roy Carroll to pull off a great save from Korey Smith, before substitute Taylor McKenzie cleared off the line. And indeed, the hosts doubled their lead just before the break when Luke Freeman’s cross was tapped in by Matt Smith. The ball appeared to have gone out of play in the build-up, but the referee let the goal stand. Notts showed more intent at the start of the second half, with some penetrating play causing some concern to City, even though Emmanuel-Thomas continued to show glimpses of magic at the other end. Just after the hour, the visitors were undone again when the 24-year-old former Arsenal academy man surged forward and slotted a low ball past Carroll. By this point it was game over, and City were enjoying themselves, even though Notts continued to push forward and saw Robins goalkeeper Frankie Fielding require to pull off a save from Garry Thompson. However, the fourth goal duly came when Bryan cut the ball back from the touchline for Williams to drive a low shot into the far corner past Carroll. The result means that Notts slip to 12th after a run of three successive losses.

Notts County and Bristol City have faced each other a gargantuan 106 times over their history. This is because both clubs have been regularly playing each other since the 1900s. Tomorrow will however be just the fourth league encounter between the two in just over ten years. City only just hold the upper edge, having won 43 games to Notts's 39, while 24 matches have been drawn. The city of Bristol is the largest metro area in England never to have won the English top tier championship. In 1907 they finished runners-up in Football League Division One, which is their highest ever final position. City won the Welsh Cup – despite being an English club – in 1934. In 1982, Bristol City became the first English club to suffer three consecutive relegations. Ashton Gate is the only ground in the English football league not to accommodate executive boxes. Despite their underachievements, Bristol City is supported by some notable celebrities, including John Cleese of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers fame, Formula 1 great Jenson Button, and actor Russell Crowe. Bristol City shares the English football league record for consecutive wins, notching up 14 wins in a row during the 1905-06 season. This record is shared with Arsenal, Manchester United, and Preston North End. Bristol was home to Harvey’s Bristol Cream Sherry, created in Bristol in 1796, and J S Fry, who produced the world’s first bar of chocolate in Bristol in 1847. Bristol has been voted one of the most popular places to live in Britain and one of the top three most popular cities. The Plimsoll line, Ribena and Tarmac were all invented in Bristol. --- City are looking to regain top spot in League One. Matt Smith will be hoping to start up-front after scoring four against Gillingham in Tuesday's Football League Trophy area final first leg. Notts midfielder Liam Noble is available after suspension, while Alefe Santos has joined on a youth loan from Derby. Striker Jake Cassidy and winger Stephen McLaughlin, however, have both returned to their parent clubs.

Notts County are currently in ninth place, and just two points behind sixth-placed Sheffield United, but today's 1-0 defeat away at Bradford still proved a bitter pill to swallow, in that it was yet another negative result, the end of our unbeaten away run, and the realisation that we still need to put in a fair bit of work - and possibly invest in a few more players - if we are to actually put up a fight against the division's top sides. The game began with the hosts on the front foot as they piled on the pressure against Notts, with Billy Knott and Andy Halliday missing two early chances for Bradford. Soon enough, the visitors began mustering several efforts of their own, as Gary Jones’s free kick went out for a corner and Jake Cassidy struck the post with Jordan Pickford beaten. Ryan Hall then came close when he latched onto a Thompson pass to fire a volley over the bar, but not long before half time, it was the home side that took the lead. It was a soft goal to concede as well, as Roy Carroll got caught out when Hayden Mullins slipped with a Thompson pass going back towards goal, which allowed Halliday to retrieve possession and thread the ball through to Knott, who fired into the net with the help of a deflection. Following the restart, the game found itself bogged down in midfield, with chances at a premium, and the longer the match went on, the more desperate Notts became. Bradford nearly exploited this when Knott picked out an unmarked James Hanson inside the box, but Carroll was able to pull off a great save to tip the ball round the post. In the last ten minutes, the Magpies huffed and puffed, but lacked penetration in the final third, which allowed the Bantams to see out the game and secure all three points.

Notts have faced Bradford 65 times in their history - the first clash came in 1908, when the First Division fixture at Meadow Lane finished 1-1. Over the years, the Magpies have the edge, with 28 wins over the Bantams, 22 defeats, and 15 draws. The last game between the two was on New Year's Day this year, a resounding 3-0 win for Notts. Bradford City was founded in 1903. It was immediately elected into Division Two of the Football League despite not having played a previous game. Promotion to the top tier followed in 1908 and the club won the FA Cup in 1911, its only major honour. After relegation in 1922 from Division One, the club spent 77 years outside the top flight until promotion to the Premier League in 1999. City stayed up - with a then record low of 36 points - in the first season in the Premier League, but were relegated the following season. In the 2012–13 season, Bradford sent shockwaves through the world of football by becoming the first ever team from the bottom tier of English football to reach a major domestic Wembley cup final, the League Cup, but sadly the fairytale couldn't be completed as they lost 5–0 to Swansea City. The Bantams have never had a manager from outside Great Britain and Ireland. A number of recent ex-Notts players now ply their trade for the club, including Alan Sheehan, Gary Liddle and Francois Zoko. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Bradford rose to prominence during the 19th century as an international centre of textile manufacture, particularly wool. It was a boomtown of the Industrial Revolution, and amongst the earliest industrialised settlements, rapidly becoming the "wool capital of the world". Sadly, the textile sector in Bradford fell into decline from the mid-20th century. Since this time, however, Bradford has emerged as a tourist destination, becoming the first UNESCO City of Film with attractions such as the National Media Museum, Bradford City Park, the Alhambra theatre and Cartwright Hall. --- For Bradford, Mark Yeates and James Meredith were left nursing injuries following their victory at Fleetwood Town and will be assessed. Billy Clarke, suffering a knee injury, will play no part in the festive period but manager Phil Parkinson has options in the forward positions, with on-loan Zoko still waiting for his first start. The Bantams are currently in the middle of an eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions, and have moved up to fifth in League One. For the Magpies, Liam Noble comes back into contention following his suspension. The midfielder's return further boosts Shaun Derry's options after defender Mustapha Dumbuya was fit enough for a place on the bench on Boxing Day and on-loan striker Jake Cassidy made his comeback from a bout of illness against MK Dons. The gaffer is likely to make some changes on Sunday, with winger Ryan Hall and experienced midfielder Gary Jones pushing for recalls to the starting line-up. Colby Bishop was handed his first start against the Dons but the 18-year-old may be back on the bench at Valley Parade.

Notts County gave the Milton Keynes Dons a tough game on Boxing Day afternoon at Meadow Lane, but it was always going to be a big ask against the second-placed side in League One as the visitors secured a 1-0 win. Daniel Powell’s first half goal was enough to seal all three points against Shaun Derry’s side, who had their moments but ultimately lacked a cutting edge in the final third. Notts began brightly, playing a fast-paced pressing game that forced the Dons into several nervy mistakes early on. In the first few minutes, Stephen McLaughlin released Blair Adams down the flank, but the full-back’s subsequent cross into the box was miskicked and flew straight at goalkeeper David Martin, who punched the ball away to safety. The Dons struck back though, as a counterattack allowed Benik Afobe to set up Dean Bowditch on the edge of the box, but the ensuing shot was caught by Roy Carroll. Anthony McKay then came close to giving his side the lead when he blasted a header over the bar from close range following Dean Lewington’s free kick. Just after the half-hour mark, MK were able to break the deadlock when Afobe weaved his way into the box, and even though his footwork let him down, Powell pounced to poke a low shot beyond Carroll and into the net for his fifth goal of the campaign. Notts attempted to engineer a comeback and almost got themselves an equaliser when Adams’s low shot forced a smart save from Martin, but the visitors went on to threaten through Bowditch, whose long-range effort was turned over by Carroll. In the second half, a great pass from Colby Bishop allowed Ronan Murray a one-on-one opportunity against Martin, but the Irishman sent his shot straight at the goalkeeper. Notts continued to threaten as Stephen McLaughlin forced a good stop from Martin, while substitute Jake Cassidy bore down on goal but sent a shot over. Young prodigy Dele Alli had a great chance to extend his side’s lead in the latter stages of the game, but his effort from 20 yards out cannoned off the post. Right at the death, Thompson was felled by Kyle McFazdean in the area, but the referee waved away the subsequent appeals as the Dons held on for all three points to remain second in League One. Notts, meanwhile, are in eighth place.

If we take into account that the Milton Keynes Dons began their history in 2004, then Notts County have faced the club just 12 times. The first fixture took place in 2006, which was won by the Dons 3-2. Its predecessor, Wimbledon, was around for over 110 years, but nonetheless, Notts have only played six games against them. A depressing statistic: out of 18 games between the Magpies and both Dons incarnations, we’ve only won once. The last game, in March 2014, was a 3-1 defeat at Meadow Lane. The Buckinghamshire-based outfit has been the subject of much controversy since its former incarnation, Wimbledon, moved from London to Milton Keynes, discarded its previous history and became the Milton Keynes Dons. Many feel aggrieved that such a move was allowed to take place. A new club was then created called AFC Wimbledon that, in the space of less than a decade, rose through the leagues to reach League Two. Fate has drawn the two teams together on the pitch three times in two years, with MK winning twice and losing once. The first fixture between the two sides took place in the second round of the 2012–13 FA Cup, where they were drawn to play each other at stadium:MK. MK Dons won that match 2-1, with a winner scored in injury time by Jon Otsemobor and dubbed by the fans as "The Heel of God”. In the second game when Kyle McFadzean scored the opening goal with his heel it was immediately dubbed "The Heel of God II". The town of Milton Keynes, about 56 miles (90 km) north of London in Buckinghamshire, was established as a new town in 1967. It is comically known for its statues of concrete cows and many, many roundabouts (300, or if you count painted bumps, over 1000!). -- Notts should have an unchanged squad for the visit of MK Dons. Liam Noble serves the final match of his suspension, while Jake Cassidy and Mustapha Dumbuya are still sidelined. Second-placed MK Dons have no new injury worries following their 7-0 thrashing of Oldham on Saturday. Ben Reeves could return after missing that match with a hamstring injury, but full-back Lee Hodson and midfielder Mark Randall are set to miss out.

Well, today started off well, but then appeared to go completely wrong, only for proceedings to be salvaged right at the death. Garry Thompson's last gasp goal in the clash away at Rochdale gave Notts a 2-2 draw at Spotland, maintaining the Magpies' unbeaten away record in the process. Neither side truly got going in the early stages of the game, with little more than tentative probes and half-chances being fired. Shaun Derry's charges drew first blood just before the break when Elliott Whitehouse sent a cross the way of veteran Mike Edwards, who duly fired home and gave the visitors a 1-0 half-time lead. But following the restart, Rochdale levelled the score as Ian Henderson converted with a smart finish. Matt Done then struck the post as the hosts searched for a second goal, with Notts in danger of buckling under the pressure. Dale's second was eventually scored in the 64th minute when Peter Vincenti headed in from close range from a pinpoint Done cross. Notts tried desperately to push forward and find a goal as the second half wore on in a bid to protect their unbeaten away record and earn a point, but it seemed like it was to no avail. Just as the game was about to draw to a close, a climactic equaliser finally came right at the death when Thompson slotted home from close range after goalkeeper Conrad Logan was down following a Murray challenge. Keith Hill's side vehemently protested the goal, but referee Scott Mathieson waved the complaints away and allowed the goal to stand.

Notts and Rochdale have only met a total of 38 times over the years, with the first meeting coming on the 10th December 1949. During this FA Cup clash at Spotland, the Magpies triumphed 2-1. The last meeting between the two was two and a half years ago in February 2012, and in this League One clash, again at Spotland, Notts won 1-0. Rochdale AFC was formed in 1907, and in their entire history, they have only ever switched divisions six times. They have had three promotions and three relegations, with promotion coming in 1969, 2010 and 2014, while relegation came in 1959, 1974 and 2012. The club reached the League Cup final in 1962 – the first time a club from the bottom league division has reached the final of a major competition – where they lost to Norwich City. Rochdale played 36 consecutive seasons in the Football League's bottom division from 1974 to 2010, the longest time any team has been in the bottom division of the League, with some even derisively renaming it "the Rochdale Division". The club have the lowest average position of all the clubs which have existed continuously in the Football League since its expansion to four divisions in 1921–22 (76th), and since its expansion to 92 clubs in 1950–51 (79th). Additionally, they share with Hartlepool United the distinction of having played the most seasons in the Football League without ever reaching the top two tiers (82 seasons through 2009–10). Rochdale play their home matches at Spotland, which has a capacity of 10,249. The stadium was built exclusively for the Dale in 1920, but since 1988 the ground has been jointly owned by the football club, Rochdale Council and Rochdale Hornets. -- Rochdale centre-back Jack O'Connell is available again after not having permission to play in the FA Cup replay win against Aldershot. Dale striker Joe Bunney could also return after his illness. Notts captain Hayden Mullins is set to return to the squad after almost six weeks out with a calf injury. Liam Noble will miss the game as he is serving a five-match ban, having received a straight red card after being shown his 10th yellow of the season against Swindon last week.