Joe Jones

Yet another false dawn, or the sign of Notts finally getting their act together? Today, our beloved and beleaguered team travelled to the Coral Windows Stadium to face the valiant warriors of the 2012/13 Carling Cup, Bradford City, and came away with a point. Gary Liddle scored his first ever goal for Notts just before half time, a few days after having one disallowed but Mark Yeates' equaliser on 69 minutes ensured a share of the spoils for both teams. Shaun Derry made a couple of changes to the team that lost against Shrewsbury on Saturday: Alan Sheehan was left out of the squad with a suspected knock, Greg Tempest taking his place. Dean Leacock was back in defence, Liddle and Andre Boucaud lined up together in midfield alongside Jack Grealish and Jamal Campbell-Ryce, with Marcus Haber and Danny Haynes up front in a 4-4-2 position. Joss Labadie, like Sheehan, didn't make the team, while Callum McGregor was rested on the bench. The first chance fell to Nakhi Wells on eight minutes, who, following a headed flick-on from James Hanson, lashed the ball towards goal, but flew wide. Following a foul on Kyel Reid, a free kick from Gary Jones was well punched away from Bart, but Notts were getting forward at every opportunity, the first serious Notts chance coming from JCR after some great work by Liddle in midfield and a good Kieron Freeman run on 18 minutes. Just three minutes later, the hosts threatened with a Reid cross which Leacock headed away at the last moment, denying Wells a chance. Bradford seemed to have drawn first blood, but Rory McArdle's nod-on to Wells was ruled out for offside. This merely invigorated the Bantams, who then began imposing themselves on the game. On 26, Jones was given too much pace by the Notts players in midfield, but just as he seemed geared up to take a shot, his selflessness proved costly, setting up Reid who fired wide. Towards the break, Bradford were able to stop Liddle and Manny Smith clearing the ball in the final third, and Wells' follow up shot fell kindly to Bart. And as people were beginning to stand up to head towards the bar or smoking area to beat the crowds, Notts struck to go into the dressing rooms 1-0 up. Grealish's run down the centre allowed him to play Haynes into the City box. He then whipped a low cross past the home side defence and to Liddle, who prodded the ball in for his first goal in a Notts shirt. The 15-minute break must have seen Bradford being given the hairdryer treatment by their manager, as they came out with the sheer intent to equalise as soon as possible. From the off, a Reid cross was deflected out for a corner by Tempest, and the following corner saw a great header from Hanson being emphatically turned away by Bart. Leacock then denied the same player with a great last-ditch block moments later. Notts had some good chances following on from that barrage, courtesy of Haynes, but Bradford piled forward time and time again, Bart's saves proving crucial more often than not. However, the equaliser finally came when substitute Yeats fired a long range shot into the bottom left corner, Bart unable to work his magic for once. The game would finish all square, only our second draw all season, but not before things kicked off in injury time, Haber becoming the umpteenth Notts player to see red this season (a tad harsh this time though), and the red mist even spread to the coaching staff, Greg Abbott being dismissed from the touchline for his heated contributions.

In an exciting match in which both competitors gave good accounts of themselves and played positive attacking football, the ultimate match objective of three points was claimed by Shrewsbury, as they managed to pierce the Notts defence just the once, enough to claim the 1-0 win and leave the beleaguered Magpies with a risible ten points from seventeen league games. Shaun Derry opted for the following players in the starting eleven: Bartosz Bialkowski, Alan Sheehan, captain Gary Liddle, Manny Smith, Kieron Freeman, Callum McGregor, Joss Labadie, Andre Boucaud, Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Danny Haynes, and Marcus Haber. Meanwhile, the subs' bench consisted of Fab Speiss, Haydn Hollis, Greg Tempest, Ronan Murray, David Bell, Jack Grealish, and Enoch Showunmi. Notable are the absences of Dean Leacock and Yoann Arquin. Mark Fotheringham however was suspended, the journeyman incurring his fifth yellow card of the season against Wolves, triggering a one-match ban. The first few minutes saw Freeman carry out some great defensive work to thwart the attacking Shrewsbury players, while Haber, assisted by Liddle, fired a powerful shot, which was well saved by Shrews keeper Chris Weale. On 13 minutes, centurion Sheehan, on his 100th Notts appearance, swung in a dangerous corner, which was cleared by Parry, while JCR fired over just a few minutes later. Plenty of clearances from both sides meant the first quarter of an hour saw very few shots on goal. Things would pick up soon after, as Liddle headed another Sheehan corner into the net for a goal… until the referee disallowed it for a suspected push in the box. Around half an hour in, a Boucaud tackle from Aaron Wildig led to the Shrews midfielder picking up an injury and having to be substituted. His replacement, Preston loanee Nicky Wroe, powered a shot towards the Notts goal not long after coming on, but Bart saved. More attempts against the Notts keeper came as Adam Reach forced him into a save, before a corner kick fell to Gozie Ugwu, who smashed the ball against the crossbar. The half would however end with Notts on the ascendancy, as Smith headed wide in injury time before, as the last action of the half, Haynes’ header was deflected off the Shrews line. The second half began in energetic fashion, with JCR playing a great ball towards Haber, who fired wide. The pendulum would swing back and forth for a period as Ugwu marauded forward with intent, but he wasn’t able to find anyone with his ball, before JCR had a shot of his own at the other end. Notts were let off as a Shrews corner, just a minute later, was headed towards goal by Darren Jones, whistling just wide. Ugwu had the potential to cause damage shortly afterwards, with a powerful drive, but fired over. Approaching the hour mark, McAlinden was next to attempt a shot, but Bart gathered successfully, before a Paul Parry drive was stopped by Bart, being called into action more often than he should be. Ugwu attempted a cheeky back-heel into the net, but this was cleared. Just a minute later, it was onto the other end of the pitch as Notts then plugged away, with JCR and McGregor making nuisances of themselves. The former then proceeded to beat his marker on 66 and fire through a crowd of players, Weale again saving. Eventually, the deadlock was broken, a given after all those chances from both sides, but sadly for Notts fans, it was the home side that took the lead. Disappointing because Notts had been on the up, but Adam Reach fired low after Ugwu's header landed towards him. For a while, it was all Shrewsbury, McAlinden, Ugwu, and Joe Jacobson taking turns tormenting Notts’ back line, but Notts fought back and surprisingly were not able to score, given the calibre of some of their chances. Substitute Jack Grealish was all set to tap the ball home after it fell to him, but somehow, it didn’t go in. Leading up to full time, Greg Tempest, another sub, had a chance from a cleared JCR shot, but once against the Shrews defence was steadfast. Injury time saw Notts throw the proverbial kitchen sink at the home side, with Sheehan, Boucaud and third sub Enoch Showunmi all trying desperately to get that cursed equalising goal. However, this wasn't to be. The Shrews couldn't be tamed, and in an exciting match where much will be said of Notts’ play, it’s a mortifyingly familiar story as once again we leave a football pitch, Meadow Lane or elsewhere, with nothing to show for our efforts, nul points.

In anticipation of tomorrow's game against 17th placed Shrewsbury Town away at Greenhous Meadow, here are some facts, trivia and statistics regarding the opposition, the fixture and who is expected to be playing for each team. These two teams have met quite regularly over the years – since 1961, the first fixture between the two, they've faced off 43 times. The Shrews hold the ever so slight upper edge, with 14 wins and 16 draws, while Notts have won 13 games. Since 2005, Notts have played Shrewsbury every season bar 2010/11 and 2011/12. The longest period between meetings is eight years, between 21st December 1963 and 11th September 1971. The Shrewsbury v Notts game on the 17th April 1990 is believed to have been the genesis of the renowned “I Had A Wheelbarrow” chant. Shrewsbury were winning 2-0 and began singing a traditional American folk song, On Top Of Old Smoky, in celebration. This was sung in such a strong West Country accent that the Notts fans began singing back jokingly what they believed it sounded like, which was “I had a wheelbarrow, the wheel fell off”. Notts then pulled two goals back in the last ten minutes, and as such the chant was seen as a source of good luck, being sung by Notts fans ever since. Until 1995, some English teams from cities not far from the Welsh border could play in the Welsh Cup, but winners would have to concede the subsequent European Cup Winners’ Cup place to the best-placed Welsh side as per league and European rules. As a result, Shrewsbury have a rather healthy trophy cabinet, having won the competition six times - 1985 was their last trophy victory - and finishing as runners-up thrice, making them the most successful non-Welsh side ever to compete in the Welsh cup! Shrewsbury are known for one of the greatest giant killings of all time, as they defeated Premier League Everton in the FA Cup in January 2003. The Shropshire side, in Division 3 and free-falling towards relegation out of the Football League, beat the top tier side 2-1, no small feat against a team who, just a few months prior, broke a rampant Arsenal’s 30 game unbeaten run, courtesy of a young 16-year old prodigy by the name of Wayne Rooney. Shrewsbury have scored 16 goals all season – a goal a game on average – while conceding 19. Their top scorer, Tom Bradshaw, has 5 goals to his name, followed by Liam McAlinden with 3. Other players, such as Joe Jacobson, Jon Taylor, and Aaron Wildig are capable of scoring, having each netted twice this season, so Notts need to be alert all across the field. Aaron Wildig is also their midfield hard man, but frankly he isn't a patch on our Joss Labadie – 13 fouls to Labadie’s 61! Jon Taylor, a potential threat, won’t be playing – he’s suffering from a knee injury. For Notts, meanwhile, Mark Fotheringham is suspended for this match following his fifth booking of the season against Wolves, but Danny Haynes and Dean Leacock are back following their suspensions.

Bad news and good news about today's home game against the division's strongest side, Wolverhampton Wanderers. We lost today, which does not help with regards to our position in the table, but the level of performance today was much better than in previous games, as we prevented Wolves from playing particularly well, losing only by one goal (and a slip up at that). A very encouraging performance, it is hoped that this is a sign that Shaun Derry is slowly growing into his role and will oversee a turnaround at Meadow Lane. Hampered by international call-ups, today's team saw Alan Sheehan, Manny Smith, Gary Liddle and returning old boy Kieron Freeman in defence, Callum McGregor, Joss Labadie, Mark Fotheringham and Jamal Campbell-Ryce in midfield, and Ronan Murray partner Marcus Haber in attack. 4-4-2 was the formation, with ever reliable Bartosz Bialkowski in goal. Wolves, who has managed to hang on to ten players from the 2011/12 Premiership season, started the brighter side, as Jake Cassidy and Bakary Sako had the first concrete chances of the game, even though Notts got a corner as early as the 3rd minute. The first Notts chance came courtesy of McGregor, who was on the pitch despite playing for Scotland U21's earlier in the week. His right-footed shot from outside the box was blocked. On 19, Smith got two chances, one after the other, as his header bounced off a crowd of players, while his follow-up shot was deflected by Richard Stearman. Danny Batth committed a foul worthy of a red card as he upended McGregor on 22, but to the crowd's amazement, he was only booked. Five minutes later, Jake Cassidy unleashed a powerful drive from outside the box, but this was saved by Bart down to his left as the ball dangerously curled away from him. Another dangerous Wolves tackle came courtesy of David Davis, his lunge striking Liddle. Comically, the away player hurt himself in the process, receiving a booking for his misdemeanour. Towards the end of the first half, Bart showed why is so valued with a brilliant diving save to thwart a James Henry shot destined for the top-left corner. The second half saw JCR get a shot from outside the box on 48, but this missed, swerving to the right of the goal. Meanwhile, Sheehan was responsible for a great block to thwart Sako on 56. McGregor, always with an eye for goal, had two good attempts on 62 and 64, but the Wolves defenders were able to block both of these. Tackles (and indeed cards) were also flying, as the young Scot, plus Fotheringham and Freeman, all received yellows during the course of the second half. Sadly, Notts' great rearguard action was finally thwarted on 76 as Ethan Ebanks-Landell made the most of a Notts slip up to score, after Henry's delivery was not dealt with by the defence. Despite this, Notts were determined not to go down without a fight, kept pushing forward and tried desperately to net an equaliser. McGregor came agonisingly close in the final ten minutes, but sadly, Wolves were impenetrable, and thus the match finished 1-0.

Wolves have played Notts twice since the turn of the century: On 21st September 2010 in the Carling Cup, where Wolves won 4-2, and again just over a month ago, 8th Oct 2013, in the Johnston's Paint Trophy, where Notts won on penalties after a 0-0 draw. This however will be the first visit of Wolves to Meadow Lane this century. Prior to the 2010 clash, you have to go back all the way to 1994 for the last encounter between these two: a 1-0 defeat in Division 1 (second tier). That's nothing, however. The longest period of time between Notts and Wolves facing off is from January 1935 to November 1976 - a huge 41 years! To put that into perspective, Elvis Presley was four days old at the time of the 1935 fixture, while the 1976 fixture was just nine months before his untimely passing. A warning to Notts: Wolves retain an impressive TEN players who played a part in their ill-fated Premiership campaign of 2011/12. They are: Wayne Hennessey Carl Ikeme Richard Stearman Matt Doherty George Elokobi David Davis Anthony Forde Jamie O'Hara Kevin Doyle Kevin Foley Wolves boast three top flight titles, four FA Cups and two League Cups, in addition to four Charity/Community Shields. That places them on a par with Newcastle United (13) and just under Manchester City (15) in terms of total trophies won in their history. Many key players will be missing from both sides due to injuries, suspensions and international call ups. Dean Leacock, Danny Haynes, Mustapha Dumbuya, Jack Grealish, Greg Tempest and Andre Boucaud are unavailable. Callum McGregor may feature. Wolves, meanwhile, will be missing Sam Ricketts, Kevin Doyle, Matt Doherty, Anthony Forde, Aaron McCarey and Wayne Hennessey. Notts' disciplinary record has not been good this season: four red cards and 39 yellow cards in all competitions. It makes Wolves' 30 yellow cards (no reds) look positively tame. Shaun Derry needs to fix the back line problem as soon as possible: Leigh Griffiths, Bakary Sako and James Henry, who should all be available, have NINETEEN goals between them this season in all competitions. They will be coming up against a backline which has shipped ELEVEN in the last three.

On an evening that began promising so much, it all crumbled to bits and finished with Notts County having to be put out of their misery. Humiliated, insulted and injured. Oldham Athletic, a team which hasn't exactly been setting the League alight, ended up playing us off the park in tonight's Johnston's Paint Trophy quarter-final and smashed five goals past us, all but annulling what should have been a joyous occasion for Ronan Murray, who bagged his second in two games. Shaun Derry's second game in charge saw Fabian Speiss resume JPT duties in goal after his stellar display against Wolves in the previous round, while Manny Smith began at centre-back and young Murray was slotted into attack. The game started with Oldham on the front foot, Danny Philliskirk getting two shots in the first ten minutes, the first a curler which hit the post, the second going wide. Meanwhile, Jonson Clarke-Harris fired another shot towards Speiss, which was deflected courtesy of a great one-handed save. The signs were there for a Notts attack, though, with a Gary Liddle attempt early on, which was blocked, and a Sheehan free kick claimed by Paul Rachubka. Then came the breakthrough, as young Murray beat his marker and latched on to a pass from Joss Labadie before driving it under and past Rachubka for the first goal of the match. Thirteen minutes gone and it was 1-0 Notts. It really should have been 2-0 but for the unmarked Liddle's missed header from up close. Labadie was next to threaten the goal but his low shot from 25 yards was caught. This after the Notts front pack had been causing trouble in the Oldham area. Sadly, this was to be the last time Notts would be in the lead this game, as James Tarkowski made up for his earlier lapse by finishing a move started by Korey Smith's cross on the half hour mark. Arquin did very nearly surprise the home team and crowd with a long range volley, but sadly it dipped too soon and was saved. However, the same player was responsible for a rash tackle in the Notts box that led to a penalty kick being awarded to Oldham, which Philliskirk made absolutely sure to convert. And so, Notts would go back into the dressing rooms 2-1 down. Things were to get much, much worse, however. First came the red card for Dean Leacock for an off-the-ball incident with Clarke-Harris. The same player then fell in the Notts box under pressure from Manny Smith, but despite a rabid home crowd baying for Magpie blood, the referee denied Oldham the opportunity of a second penalty. James Dayton then scored goal number three after being played into space on 67 minutes and slotting the ball past Speiss. If that wasn't game over, then Philliskirk made sure it would definitely be with goal number four, as he controlled a low cross into the penalty area from the right-hand side and fired a shot past the shellshocked Speiss into the top-left corner of the goal. Jordan Bove's horrendous tackle on Notts old boy turned debutant Kieron Freeman - who's played for each of the big three Nottinghamshire clubs plus Derby County, and is only 22 years old - resulted in the home player being sent off, restoring the balance from a numerical perspective. However, there was no balance when it came to the quality of football and, crucially, the scoreline, particularly when goal number five came, the lone siege repeller Speiss doing well to block Philliskirk's shot but unable to do anything about Clarke-Harris' rebound. Out of the FA Cup. Out of the Johnston's Paint Trophy. Eleven goals conceded in the last three games alone. Rock bottom of the table... All is not good at Meadow Lane.

Shaun Derry's first match in charge of Notts County sadly ended in defeat at the hands of Hartlepool United in the first round of the FA Cup. Even though Notts gave a great account of themselves towards the end of the game having pulled it back to 3-2 in the last ten minutes, the scoreline remained the same at the final whistle, knocking the Magpies out of the competition at the very first hurdle. Derry's debut side had three changes from the one that lost at Coventry last week, with Yoann Arquin replacing Danny Haynes, Curtis Thompson slotting in at right-back. Jordan Holt's place in the team lost, and Jamal Campbell-Ryce in instead of Greg Tempest. The first attack of the game came from the dangerous Luke James, who ran past Thompson on the wing and attempted a low cross, winning a corner as Dean Leacock forced it behind. The first ten minutes saw another two chances, both by Jonathan Franks, first firing wide on the volley from outside the area after a free-kick and then a closer effort being blocked by Alan Sheehan. On the quarter-hour mark, the League 2 side broke the deadlock, as a Simon Walton free-kick was headed home by Jack Baldwin. Notts, however, responded in fine fashion, a Joss Labadie shot rebounding off Walton and Leacock to make it 1-1 just two minutes later. Notts had a good spell thereafter, Leacock having two further attempts on goal, one wide and one saved, while Callum McGregor fired a low shot but was saved comfortably. In between, Baldwin fired a header towards Bart from a Hartlepool corner, but was saved. On 41 minutes, Hartlepool then regained the lead, which they wouldn't relinquish. Andy Monkhouse's shot from the edge of the area was nicely parried by Bart, but the rebound was prodded in by James. The first half over, there was plenty to mull over for Derry. The second half began with Hartlepool imposing themselves once again, James Poole having two attempts at 50 and 55 minutes, but the pendulum would swing Notts' way as the away side began pressing. Even though we had mustered ten corner kicks by the 70th minute, we still weren't threatening the goal properly, and sadly, we'd come to rue those missed opportunities, because on 74 minutes, a scramble in the Notts goalmouth saw James once again smash the ball into the net for 3-1. A deflated Notts did however manage to net a consolation, substitute Ronan Murray firing into the net from a good Sheehan cross, but despite the away side's continued pressing, they were unable to pull it back to 3-3, and so Notts are out of the FA Cup and will miss out on the chance to make it to the glamorous Third Round.

Earlier this week we played well against Oldham, winning 3-2. The optimist in me hoped this would be the turning point. The cynic in me was wary of believing this, as we've had several false dawns already this season that came to nothing. I may as well have trusted the pessimist, because the one step forward that was Tuesday evening was followed by three steps back today against Coventry City. A reckless sending off on the stroke of half time and not one, not two, but three soft goals conceded by Notts meant we left Northampton (temporary home of CCFC) pointless, our goal difference worsened, at the bottom of the table, and with suspensions for Joss Labadie and Danny Haynes. Steve Hodge made one change from the Oldham victory as Dean Leacock, back from illness, returned to captain the team at centre-back. Young Jordan Holt remained at left-back, Alan Sheehan partnered Leacock in the centre, and Gary Liddle was today's right-back. The first twenty minutes were pretty actionless, save for two Coventry corners and a foul on Jack Grealish. The 19th minute brought the first chance of the game, Noel Clarke following on from Coventry skipper Carl Baker's good work to fire at Bartosz Bialkowski. On 26, Franck Moussa's right footed shot from outside the box was well blocked, and three minutes later, it was Notts' turn to threaten, Callum McGregor's cross being headed over by Grealish. The 31st minute saw Clarke get two chances in, but Bart was on form to thwart them both. On 32, McGregor's long range effort was blocked by the Coventry defence, before a lull which was broken on the 40th minute, with Conor Thomas' shot going well over. Two minutes later, our young Scot, our top scorer so far this season, had a great chance to open the scoring, but his shot from the centre of the Coventry box was too high. Then came the rush of blood and potentially the moment Notts threw the match away - a dangerous, throat-high challenge by Haynes catching Jordan Clarke. The referee had no choice but to dismiss the striker on the spot. Another dangerous challenge followed in injury time on Greg Tempest, but Baker was let off lightly with a booking. The first half ended 0-0, but after the break, it took just two minutes for Coventry to change all that, as left-back Blair Adams provided a low cross-pass to Clarke, who smashed it in from close range into the top left corner. The rest of the game would be all Coventry. Quite literally too, as Notts didn't muster a single chance on goal after half time. The "home" side sliced through our buttery defence twice more, Clarke getting his second after seizing on a botched Mark Fotheringham pass and chipping over Bart, and Callum Wilson rounding the keeper and firing into the empty net after the County back four missed a routine clearance. So there we go. A very poor performance which will have consequences beyond this game, courtesy of Labadie's yellow for his dive and Haynes' stupid red card seeing the two suspended for one and three games respectively. We're back at the bottom, with a paltry 10 points from fifteen games. Meanwhile, Bristol City, on the same points total but with a better goal difference, could well rise out of the relegation spots if they win their game in hand. Positives? Well, if the new manager, whoever he may be, can really give the players a kick up the backside, restore confidence both at the front and at the back, stop leaking so many silly goals, and get the forwards scoring, maybe we can gain some sort of consistency with our results and we may climb out of this quagmire. Hopefully.

In Notts County's first match following the departure of Chris Kiwomya, the Meadow Lane faithful were treated to a five-goal thriller against Oldham Athletic which, we are glad to announce, went the right way, as the Magpies won a topsy-turvy match 3-2. Danny Haynes got on the end of a great Greg Tempest cross to head his side into the lead, before Adam Rooney bundled the ball into the Notts net on the stroke of half-time. The hour mark saw Notts triple their tally courtesy of Yoann Arquin and Callum McGregor, before a free kick from Johnson Clarke-Harris and twenty minutes of extensive pressure from Oldham ensured the home fans wouldn't need nail clippers for the next few weeks. Caretaker manager Steve Hodge opted to give Academy defender Jordan Holt his debut at left-back, in a makeshift starting eleven which excluded Mustapha Dumbuya, Marcus Haber, Dean Leacock and Adam Coombes. Bartosz Bialkowski and Jack Grealish would return to the team, though, after their respective short-term injury spells. Notts had a good start to the first half, Haynes crossing to Tempest on five minutes, the youngster heading wide, before the former had a chance of his own two minutes later. Grealish also managed to get two quick corners in succession and Joss Labadie was put clean through by Curtis Thompson, the move sadly disallowed for offside. Tempest and Haynes linked up again on 20 minutes, the striker's effort being deflected wide for a very significant corner - taken by Sheehan, Tempest got on it, then crossed over to Haynes for a very well placed header into the back of the net. Oldham tried to push forward following the goal, but succeeded only in obtaining the first yellow card of the game, courtesy of David Mellor's foul on Labadie. Grealish was next to try his luck, his header from the centre of the box going just wide. Sheehan was key there with a great cross. On the half hour mark, James Wesolowski tried to pull one back for Oldham with a shot from outside the box, but this went well wide. More half-chances would continue to be traded, though Labadie found himself one-on-one with Mark Oxley on 38, a great chance, but the Oldham keeper did just enough to deflect the shot. The next significant act in the game was, sadly, yet another of those sucker punches which Notts have been suffering from all season. After a scrappy exchange between the two teams, Rooney managed to connect his head onto the ball and it did just enough to breach the goal line. The linesman awarded the goal, and on the cusp of half-time, 1-1 it was. The start of the second half saw Manny Smith replace Thompson because of an injury, Gary Liddle shifting to right-back in the process. The first significant contribution of the half was from the Latics, James Dayton breaching the Notts defence but overhitting his chip past the goal. On 52, the same player attempted a right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left hand side of the Notts goal, but luckily it was just a bit too high. After several more Oldham chances, courtesy of Mellor and Clarke-Harris, it was Notts' turn to do the sucker-punching after the game seemed to be slipping from beneath them. Liddle's cross was duly converted by Arquin on the hour, and 2-1 it was, to the joy of the three and a half thousand Notts fans in the stadium. The pendulum would swing Notts' way, as the next ten minutes would all be Notts - courtesy of attempts by Haynes and McGregor - before the young Scot, stellar all season for the Magpies, then got his sixth league goal of the season thanks to a sweet left footed shot which sailed past Oxley. There was a catch, though. We weren't to go into the 70th minute without Oldham getting a goal back. A soft free kick by Clarke-Harris pulled it back to 3-2. The rest of the game was virtually all Oldham. Rooney and Anton Rodgers weighed in with shots, but thanks to a great defensive display in the final twenty minutes, Notts ground out the win. The Magpies find themselves off the foot of the table and in double figures for points. Though we can't declare we've turned a corner just yet - it would be the third time this season at least - it's a positive, and combined with the departure of Chris Kiwomya, it looks like real change is finally coming to Meadow Lane at last.

Another match day, another defeat. It seems almost like Notts County are starting matches a goal down. Today's visitors at Meadow Lane were Preston North End, and despite Notts' overall decent performance, Iain Hume's 74th minute goal was unanswered, and at this stage of our season, we cannot keep throwing points away. Chris Kiwomya's squad suffered several injuries prior to the game, meaning changes had to be made. Fabian Speiss replaced Bartosz Bialkowski, Alan Sheehan filled the centre-back role vacated by Manny Smith, and Curtis Thompson played as a right-back. Mustapha Dumbuya was slotted in the left-back position. Also, Joss Labadie and Danny Haynes replaced Mark Fotheringham and Yoann Arquin. The Magpies had to withstand a barrage of shots from Preston, riding high in the league, in the opening minutes of the game. On the 11th minute came the first Notts chance, Greg Tempest curling a shot towards the bottom left corner. This was saved by keeper Declan Rudd. More Liliwhites chances came knocking in the ensuing period, Stuart Beavon and Keith Keane firing just over. On 22 minutes, some good passing set free Adam Coombes, but he fired wide. On 33 came the next big moment, Speiss having to be sharp to thwart Beavon's strike following a defensive slip-up. Preston would get increasingly physical as the game went on - Haynes was impeded on 33 but nothing was given, while just a few minutes later, Kevin Davies went in with an elbow on Sheehan. This was only given a yellow card. On 37, Haynes capitalised on a Preston defensive slip-up, but like Beavon earlier on, this couldn't breach the respective net. Notts had a good little spell after that, Thompson drawing a foul, and Sheehan's free kick falling to Andre Boucaud. His shot saved, Coombes then headed wide. John Welsh then launched in with a nasty tackle on 44, for which he was booked, while a minute later, Haynes received a yellow of his own for a foul on Bailey Wright. Half time out of the way, the second half restarted with Callum McGregor receiving a Coombes pass and firing just over, before later providing a cut-back for Tempest, whose great effort was saved well by Rudd. On 52, County had the upper hand, a Boucaud free kick testing the Preston defence to the limit and allowing McGregor to come close again.The ensuing corner forced Rudd to make another good save, this time from Coombes. On 69, Josh Brownhill burst through on goal, but a brave save thwarted him, the rebound from Hume going wide. Sadly, the substitute player scored just five minutes later, tapping in from close range after Scott Laird beat his marker on the left wing and produced a great cross upon which the finish was applied by Hume. The rest of the game was virtually all Preston, as Laird, Hume and Keane kept pounding away, but they will be happy with the goal, the clean sheet and the three away points as the final whistle blew on the game. Frankly, if we can't break this cycle of one step forward and three steps back, the final whistle will be blowing on our spell in League 1.

Notts County started well, and they finished well, but the middle bit left a lot to be desired as they slipped to another defeat, this time away to Gillingham. 2-1 was the final score after Chris Whelpdale and Danny Kedwell netted two goals in the space of five first-half minutes, strikes that shouldn't have gone in. Wonderkid Callum McGregor's strike in the second half, fantastic as it was, proved nothing more than a consolation. Chris Kiwomya began the game in a 4-3-2-1 formation, Yoann Arquin the lone striker in front of a midfield of McGregor, Jamal Campbell-Ryce. Greg Tempest, Andre Boucaud and Mark Fotheringham. Manny Smith partnered Gary Liddle in centre-back, the latter named as captain. The first chance of the game fell to former Notts player Myles Weston, whose right footed shot went wide. Notts were decent in the opening spell, enjoying a fair bit of possession and winning several free kicks. JCR managed to get a shot in early on too, while Sheehan also joined the action, his left footed shot falling straight to Nelson on the eleven minute mark. Except for a chance by Charlie Lee on 16 minutes - courtesy of some slack defending, a sign of things to come - it was mostly Notts doing the threatening, JCR and Fotheringham weighing in with chances of their own. Then, and how many times have I written it this season, came the sucker punch. Whelpdale capitalised on defensive errors to slot the ball into the bottom corner on 24 minutes. Barely five minutes passed when the Gills doubled their lead, this time Kedwell doing the damage, again being given the opportunity on a platter from the Pies. Notts, the wind out of their sails, did manage a great shot which rattled off the crossbar pretty soon after, courtesy of the returning - Campbell-Ryce, but on the whole, more goals could have been conceded if not for the Gills' profligacy in front of goal. Likewise, Notts were able to get quite a few crosses into the Gills box, but with nobody to get onto the end of them, it meant the scoreline remained 2-0 at half time. Bartosz Bialkowski was once again on top form, stopping balls from Michael Harriman, Weston and Whelpdale, while outfield for the Pies, JCR worked his socks off and got several chances in towards the hour. The Gillingham clean sheet was finally breached as McGregor unleashed a powerful left-footed shot from outside the box on 79 minutes, right past ex-Notts stopper Stuart Nelson, to make it 2-1. Between 82 and 86 minutes, Notts managed four corners. One a minute. And yet, they weren't able to make anything from those. Gillingham successfully weathered the storm, and as it was, the match ended 2-1 to the home side. Notts remain in the drop zone, and after seemingly taking several steps forward after the Tranmere and Crewe games, we have stumbled a dozen steps back.

After what felt like an eternity of international football, Notts were back in action at the County Ground against Swindon Town, but sadly, despite Bartosz Bialkowski's heroics, they were unable to withstand the barrage from the home side, losing 2-0 after two first half goals from former Newcastle prospect Nile Ranger and Danny N'Guessan. An injury to on-loan Villa prodigy Jack Grealish meant Adam Coombes was slotted in his place, Chris Kiwomya keeping the 4-3-3 side which had been so successful prior to the international break. The Magpies began well, as they created chances early on. Two of Alan Sheehan's free kicks threatening in the first ten minutes, However, Swindon drew first blood in the 11th minute, Ranger's header from an Alex Pritchard corner breaching Notts' clean sheet. Bart stopped the scoreline from becoming 2-0 just moments later, his deflection denying Pritchard's header after the restart. Mustapha Dumbuya and Dean Leacock then proceeded to clear the danger. Callum McGregor unleashed one of his trademark long distance howitzers on the quarter hour mark after finding space in the Robins' half, but keeper Wes Foderingham was equal to it. On 28, Dumbuya fouled Nathan Byrne on the byline, thus conceding a penalty. N'Guessan made no mistake from the spot. 2-0 down, Notts wouldn't take it lying down. McGregor tried another long range effort which flew just wide, while Danny Haynes managed to nutmeg the keeper and into the net, but this was ruled out for offside. Andre Boucaud, the Magpies midfield maestro, sent Dumbuya clear on the right wing, but the subsequent cross was dealt with on 36 minutes. while just before half time, Gary Liddle was at hand to deny another Ranger effort. Notts were under the cosh straight away after the restart, but Bart made a great save from a Swindon free kick, before being saved by the woodwork just after. On 53, Jay McEveley attempted his best Callum McGregor impression with a 30-yard shot, but this was just over the bar. This would continue for a while, as Swindon began to run rampant. Ranger would have several more shots, as would Yaser Kasim and Massimo Luongo. Bart made impressive saves each time. Then came the lifeline. Boucaud played in Haynes, who then threated through to McGregor. The young Scot was then felled in the box, prompting the referee to blow for a penalty. Haynes would take, to take the scoreline to 2-1 and give Notts a chance... but sadly he fired well over. 2-0 still. More chances continued to be traded, McEveley firing wide not long after the penalty and Haber unable to control the stray ball after Foderingham attempted to clear off his line. Another McGregor shot went just wide on 78, before Bart made yet another amazing save from Byrne on 84. Two more chances would be on the cards, Fotheringham (that's the Notts midfielder) heading against Foderingham (Swindon keeper), while at the other end Byrne once again bothered the woodwork. An exciting game eventually finished 2-0, but the scoreline could have been so different were it not for Bart's immense saves and were we a little more clinical in front of the Swindon goal.

Notts County made the most of a bumper crowd on Saturday to record an emphatic, crushing win against Crewe, scoring four past them and keeping a clean sheet in the process. Callum McGregor was undoubtedly the star of the game, scoring two superb goals in the first half, before playing a hand in Danny Haynes' goal for Notts' third. Marcus Haber then wrapped up the comprehensive victory with a fine looping header. Chris Kiwomya, having been suitable impressed by the victory against Tranmere and the positive display away at Carlisle, kept the same starting eleven as in those two games. On the bench, Romello Nangle made way for Adam Coombes. Courtesy of the reduced ticket prices, just under 6,000 people sat in the home stands at Meadow Lane, and it wouldn't be long before they would be treated to some action (after a quiet first ten minutes). Mustapha Dumbuya, assisted by McGregor and Jack Grealish, saw his cross/shot blocked, and shortly after, Grealish then hit the bar with his cross. Alan Sheehan would suffer an injury and have to come off on twelve minutes, Greg Tempest coming on for him. Joss Labadie then came agonisingly close with a header from about two yards out, bouncing out literally a foot outside the post. Notts would impose themselves on the game in the first thirty minutes, and although Crewe would get a couple of half-chances, the home side dominated possession and play. Then, on the 33rd minute, the impressive McGregor found space and lashed a marvellous shot past the keeper and into the goal from 25 yards. 1-0 Notts. Crewe, missing several key players, kept plugging away in a bid to restore parity, Byron Moore and Max Clayton getting some decent chances in, but the unstoppable McGregor produced another moment of magic to double Notts' lead, his left-footed shot from the centre of the box beating Steve Phillips once again on 41 minutes. Dumbuya was instrumental in this goal, courtesy of his good work on the right wing. The Notts players were treated to a standing ovation at the end of the first half for their efforts and two-goal lead, but much better was to come in the second half. Grealish was Ronaldo-esque in his play, and despite getting fouled repeatedly by the Crewe players, he was unfazed. On 51 minutes, his backheel pass fell to McGregor, who fired just wide. A shame, for that would have certainly been a contender for Goal of the Season. Not to worry, because Notts weren't finished yet. A Mark Fotheringham free kick on 55 minutes very nearly went in and proved a signal of intent. Just after the hour, Grealish's chipped shot wasn't dealt with appropriately by Phillips, and all Danny Haynes had to do was smash it into an open net from six yards. 3-0 Notts, the fans unable to believe what was happening given their league position. Tempest was also on fine form, marauding into the Alex half at every opportunity and providing fine crosses, one of which nearly led to Labadie heading it in. The youngster did manage to bag himself a worthy assist, however, on 83 minutes, as his delivery was met by the head of Haber - on for Haynes who suffered an injury - for the fourth. A great looping header, it provided the icing on the cake for what was an absolute pleasure of a matchday for the Notts fans. Notts have benefited greatly from such a display and result - they're now out of the relegation zone, and the four unanswered goals have gone some way to restoring a goal difference statistic battered by the games against Leyton Orient and Peterborough.

Unlucky. Hard done by. Sucker punched. Just a couple of words to describe our game today against Carlisle. Having dominated the majority of the first half and taken the lead through Callum McGregor, the home side then equalised through a soft free kick by Matt Robson. The second half saw Carlisle take the lead through David Amoo, before shutting up shop - their keeper, Mark Gillespie, was incredible, and unfortunately those factors made all the difference. Chris Kiwomya picked an unchanged team from the good win agaist Tranmere, playing a 4-3-3 for Notts. The starting 11 consisted of Bart, Sheehan, Leacock, Liddle, Dumbuya, Labadie, Fotheringham, Boucaud, McGregor, Haynes and Grealish. Interestingly, Notts legend Mike Edwards was out for Carlisle, as was Troy Archibald-Henville and Lee Miller - three of their best players all out. A quiet first ten minutes saw nothing more than a knock in the first minute for Carlisle defender Sean O'Hannell, free kicks for both sides and some good passing football from Notts. On fifteen minutes, a great chance by Boucaud was smartly saved by Gillespie - that was after the same player accidentally played in David Amoo, but Bart was equal to it. On 25 minutes, Carlisle's Mark Beck was guilty of missing a gilt-edged chance after a cock up from Bart, his clearance completely miscued. Notts eventually took the lead 27 minutes in, after Boucaud played in Callum McGregor, who then unleashed a great long rage low shot. Carlisle were clearly second best, and aside from a couple of half-chances, never quite threatened. However, they still managed to pull a goal back - a soft free kick was conceded by Joss Labadie, and the ensuing set-piece was drilled through the Notts wall by Robson and past Bart. From then on, the rest of the half was swings and roundabouts, Carlisle having good possession and another chance by Amoo, but Notts finishing it strongly, with Dean Leacock rampaging into the home box and McGregor finding the side netting. The second half began emphatically, with Amoo getting close to the Notts box, before a Haynes chance from a tight angle flashed across the goal, both of these in the first few minutes of the half. Sheehan had a good chance from a set piece on 53 minutes, but it went straight to Gillespie. From the counter-attack, Carlisle surged forward, and James Berrett's chance was saved by Bart, but the rebound came to Amoo, who slotted the ball in from a tight angle. And from leading the game, Notts were now behind. The away side tried to come back sharpish, Sheehan's tackle near the Notts box setting up a counter attack for a chance which was fired wide by McGregor on 57. After a lull in terms of chances, the ball fell to Robson, who had all the time in the world to take a shot, but luckily it hit the side netting from long range. Just a minute later, Amoo and Symington combined to once again threaten the Notts box. Undeterred, Sheehan and Boucaud lined up to take their chances on 72 and very nearly pulled level but for Gillespie's great saves. The ensuing corner by McGregor was saved by the keeper, having such a great day that he found himself receiving applause by the home crowd. The next few minutes were also bedlam, McGregor trying another long-range shot before another one of Carlisle's good counter-attacks which was fended off by Notts, Beck trying his luck. Just two minutes later, Haber was next to try his luck, but by this point, Gillespie was playing like a man possessed, his legs keeping Notts out once again. Coming into the last ten minutes, and Notts found themselves a goal-line clearance away from equalising, Gillespie actually beaten at this point but Leon McSweeney at hand - or at foot? - to bail him out. More exchanges took place in the last ten minutes from both sides plus injury time, including a great headed chance by the substitute Manny Smith and a foray into the Carlisle area by our Bart himself, but the immovable object of Gillespie just couldn't be moved, and 2-1 was the final score. Notts were considerably hard done by today, having played so well, but those soft goals conceded, combined with Mark Gillespie's outstanding performance between the sticks, meant the points were Carlisle's, their third victory in a row. Notts are in 23rd, off the bottom solely on goals scored. The wooden spoon after today falls to... Sheffield United.

Notts County finally, after seven games and six weeks of hurt, managed to secure the first win of the season with a convincing win against Tranmere Rovers. The first goal came within the first five minutes of the game, as Joss Labadie's header drew first blood. After an exciting game of football in which Jack Grealish showed off his stellar talent and Labadie pulled the strings in midfield Andrea Pirlo-style, the victory was all but secured with substitute Marcus Haber's tap-in. In all fairness, Tranmere were lucky to leave Nottingham having conceded just two goals! Chris Kiwomya reshuffled his team once again after the horrendous 5-1 defeat away at Leyton Orient, playing a 4-5-1 formation with Danny Haynes leading the line. Notts began the game very well, with Haynes getting an early shot and some good link up play between him, Labadie and McGregor. That was a precursor to better things, though, as, following on from a Notts free-kick, Alan Sheehan got a cross in, which fell to Haynes' head. His knock on was then headed in by Labadie for Notts County's first lead since the Peterborough game in August. 1-0 Magpies. Notts would continue to assert their dominance over Tranmere for the next half hour or so. On 12 minutes, McGregor set up Haynes after a one-two, which was blocked, while Boucaud had a shot on 22. Shortly afterwards, Sheehan got his head on the ball which went just over. Grealish was ever-present in the first half, constantly troubling the Tranmere defenders in the box, and very nearly got on the scoresheet several times, as well as winning several corners. Tranmere weren't totally anodyne, as they weighed in with several chances of their own. on 32 minutes, Akpa Akpro's shot was wide, which was just as well as it should have been stopped for handball. Moments later, Max Power's shot from 30 yards was saved by Bartosz Bialkowski. And in the final minute of the half, Evan Horwood had a free header, but Bart was again at hand to stop it. The second half picked up from where the first left off, the brilliant Grealish firing just over from outside the box on 47, while the equally brilliant Boucaud, pulling the strings in midfield, threated the ball through to Haynes, whose shot was saved and rebounded against the post. Akpa Akpro was undoubtedly the dangerman for Tranmere, his volley early on in the second half troubling Bart and his header smashing against the woodwork on 74 minutes. On 80 minutes, things got twice as good for Notts, as Mustapha Dumbuya's ball fell to substitute Marcus Haber, who tapped it in to double the home side's lead. Even with the victory secured, County had more chances to make the scoreline a thorough drubbing, Sheehan and Haber coming very close in the dying stages. Finally, the whistle was blown, and the Notts fans who had kept the faith - just over 3,500 - jumped for joy and relief after being thoroughly entertained and seeing their team quadruple their total points tally in the space of the afternoon. Final score: Notts 2 - 0 Tranmere.

Just when you think things couldn't get worse for Notts County, they do. Yes, an away trip to a team that won their first six games on the bounce and boasting a goal difference of +12 was always going to be a tough ask, but to lose 5-1 marks a new low. Leyton Orient was the team which administered such punishment to the Magpies on a cold Tuesday evening in September, as if things couldn't get any frostier over at the club. Chris Kiwomya decided to completely reshuffle his team and formation, starting in a 3-5-1-1 formation with Enda Stevens and David Bell as the right-backs. A back three of Gary Liddle, Dean Leacock and Alan Sheehan, a midfield of Callum McGregor, Andre Boucaud and Mark Fotheringham, and Jack Grealish behind Marcus Haber in attack. In all fairness, Notts didn't begin too badly. McGregor and Grealish had shots in the first fifteen minutes, while Romain Vincelot's cross nearly looped into the Notts net. Vincelot's shot was the swing of the pendulum towards Orient, as Kevin Lisbie headed wide just a minute later and Tommy Mooney unleashed a powerful shot which was saved by Bartosz Bialkowski. On twenty minutes, a free-kick was swung in and nearly threatened, but for Nathan Clarke's inability to connect. Notts did have several more chances, courtesy of Grealish and Haber, but sadly, Notts found themselves behind - as has pretty much always been the case this season - in the 28th minute to dangerman Lisbie, who was practically unmarked as he headed in from Lloyd James' free-kick. 1-0 Orient. Notts did gain the upper hand in terms of play from then on, with an inspired Andre Boucaud doing particularly well, and Fotheringham did get a decet shot after some good play in midfield. But the equaliser didn't come. The only thing that came was the next setback, the sucker punch, the doubling of the Orient lead on the stroke of half time, courtesy of that man again, the former Charlton player - back when they were in the Premiership - Kevin Lisbie, with a poacher's rebound after Dean Cox's shot. After the half-time break, during which Manny Smith and Yoann Arquin came on in place of Fozzy and Stevens, Notts came out with intent, Bell showing some skill on the wing before attempting a low cross which was saved, before a tame free kick chance where Leacock's header was comfortably saved. And then... 3-0 to Orient. The defence was caught napping again, and Cox, given way too much time on the ball, lashed a powerful shot into the net, with some help from the right-hand post. Credit to Notts, they never quite gave up, Sheehan and Bell with some good chances, before the young McGregor weighed in with a woodwork-bothering effort on 65. Eventually, the Magpies did breach the O's clean sheet, substitute Danny Haynes heading the ball into the top corner on 71 minutes, but there was no chance of a Liverpool-style comeback this time, because the home side, brimming with confidence even before the game, took advantage of a weak and unattentive Notts defence to score another two, courtesy of Shaun Batt and Jayden Stockley. So here we are. Rock bottom, one solitary point out of a possible 21, having just conceded five in one game. The 154 travelling Notts fans couldn't even look forward to a positive trip home, despite having made such an effort to travel down to London on a weeknight to see their team.

Notts recorded a sixth defeat in seven league games this season after going down 2-1 to a spirited Milton Keynes Dons side away. Former Man Utd reserve Luke Chadwick scored within the first five minutes after a defensive howler by the Notts defenders leaving him clear through on goal, before a curled free kick from Shaun Williams on 37 doubled the Dons lead. Although Notts managed to pull one back in the second half through Callum McGregor, their eagerness to push for an equaliser left them exposed at the back, leaving Patrick Bamford to net in injury time, securing all three points for the team formerly known as Wimbledon. Although Notts managed to pull one back in the second half through Callum McGregor, their eagerness to push for an equaliser left them exposed at the back, leaving Patrick Bamford to net in injury time and secure all three points for the team formerly known as Wimbledon. Chris Kiwomya began the game in a 4-4-2 formation, drafting Marcus Haber in attack alongside Danny Haynes. Gary Liddle went into midfield as Manny Smith and Dean Leacock lined up in centre-back. The 430 travelling Notts fans didn't have to wait too long for another farcical setback this time, Bamford taking only five minutes to seize on a dreadful headed backpass to thread through to Chadwick for an easy goal. 1-0 MK Dons. It could have been 2-0 just a minute later, but the subsequent MK chance was offside. Notts did get a good chance on the quarter-hour mark, however, when McGregor's cross met Haber's head and troubled home keeper David Martin. For the majority of the half, however, it was all Milton Keynes. Stephen Gleeson, Samir Carruthers and Bamford all had fine chances to increase their lead. As has been the case often this season, any potential progress from Notts was thwarted by poor refereeing decisions, as was the case when Haber was tripped by Williams in the home box, but no penalty was given. To add insult to injury, the same player was then responsible for doubling the Dons lead, with an exquisite free kick from the edge of the box. Bartosz Bialkowski had no chance. In all fairness, Notts were lucky to only go back to the changing rooms 2-0 down, as two more great chances were just short, from Carruthers and Danny Green. The Magpies came out in the second half determined to give their fans something to smile about, and they began well, Haynes' half volley ricocheting off the advertising boards. Dons would keep threatening with efforts from Chadwick and Bamford, but Notts had a bit more edge to them, Haber mustering a half chance from a David Bell cross. The next major chance came on 69 minutes, with a Bamford shot oly just being deflected away by Bart. On 76 minutes, Notts finally drew blood, Sheehan's brilliant through-ball falling to McGregor, who proceeded to fire into the bottom right corner to make it 2-1. The rest of the game, however, would all be MK Dons, with a Carruthers shot (kind of) and substitute Izale McLeod's chance when clear through on goal. Eventually, victory was secured for the home side with a Bamford rebound from a Bart save crossing the line and making it 3-1. Game over, Notts County find themselves rooted at the bottom of League One with one meagre point from six games.

The feel-good factor following the Liverpool game lasted for all of thirty-seven minutes today at Meadow Lane, as an initially sprightly and confident Notts County fell to pieces once again, this time at the hands of Rotherham, who left Meadow Lane with all three points following a 1-0 win. The Millers took a lead against the run of play through Kieran Agard's close range strike, and never looked back, as Notts' atrocious form continued and left them deep in the relegation mire, behind only point-deduction sufferers Coventry City. Chris Kiwomya began the game with a 4-5-1 formation, Dean Leacock returning to defence and Yoann Arquin the sole striker behind a packed V-shape midfield. Buoyed by a crowd eager to watch the team that so thoroughly tested Liverpool in midweek, Notts began with swagger and confidence, and within five minutes had their first chance, but Millers keeper Scott Shearer was able to get to it. The first proper opportunity for Notts came in the thirteenth minute, when David Bell fired a shot from the edge of the box which tested Shearer. In the same spell of action, JCR whistled a cross across the goalmouth but Arquin was unable to convert. Rotherham's initial attempts were all well over, as the likes of Lee Frecklington blasted the ball in a manner befitting a rugby conversion. Gary Liddle in particular was on great form in defence, always getting to the ball just in time to block potentially threatening shots. There was even an amusing moment when Shearer completely misjudged a Leacock clearance, seeing it bounce right over his head. However it was nowhere close to goal. One disappointment during this good period was that JCR had to be subbed off with an injury. Adam Coombes, the young Chelsea loanee and scorer of the equaliser against Liverpool, came on in his place. Once again, Notts ended up conceding against the run of play. On 37, Mustapha Dumbuya, who in all honesty wasn't playing to his usual standard, conceded a free kick on the edge of his box due to a handball. The defender cautioned, Rotherham then whipped in a free kick, and following a chaotic goalmouth scramble, Agard was on hand to poke the ball home. Following the goal, Rotherham began asserting their presence in the game, and half time came at just the right time, allowing Notts to regroup. In theory. After a very enjoyable half time Cornish pasty which actually turned out to be the highlight of the afternoon in hindsight, business resumed from where it left off at the whistle. In all fairness, Notts were the victims of several questionable decisions by the referee in the second half, many of them relating to Rotherham's rough and tumble style, which intensified over time as they tried to see how much they could push their luck. But the more minutes ticked by, the more Notts just drained in confidence, and by the end of the game they just ceased to threaten the Rotherham goal and miscuing several crosses and passes, much to the chagrin of the home crowd. There were a couple of isolated instances in the second half where Notts threatened, when Coombes took a shot from the left hand side on 68 minutes following Enda Stevens' free kick, and later on when a penalty appeal was waved away following Coombes' marauding run in the box, which was impeded by two Rotherham defenders. The game, however, would end 1-0, and there were few positives that could be taken after such a display. Notts have one point from 15 and sit in the relegation places, behind a team whose points tally is in the minus following a points deduction. If we can just close the book on a dire August - League Cup run aside - and start afresh in September, it would be best. Baby steps must be taken to claw back points and confidence, then if we can start slowly climbing back up the table, then good, but we need to take it step by step, for this is now a relegation battle.

Could he, god forbid, knock him out? As it was, Apollo prevailed, just about, but nobody could begrudge Rocky for his titanic effort, especially when coming back down from an insurmountable position, and in the process, gained the respect and appreciation of the sporting world. Apollo tonight was played by Liverpool Football Club, while Notts County were sublime in their role as Rocky, taking the Premier League club into extra time and threatening a shock, before the Reds were able to finally labour to a 4-2 win against the Magpies. Chris Kiwomya began in a 4-4-2 formation, with new signing Enda Stevens, a loanee from Aston Villa, in the left-back position, while Gary Liddle, Manny Smith and Muzzy Dumbuya completed the defence. David Bell, Joss Labadie, Mark Fotheringham and JCR were in midfield, while Callum McGregor was pushed up front alongside Yoann Arquin. For Liverpool, their starting line-up was a signal of intent that they were taking the competition seriously, fielding Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson, Kolo Toure and Daniel Sturridge in their starting 11. Things did not start well for Notts, as the first chance for the Reds, in the fourth minute, was also their first goal. Raheem Sterling, the highly-rated England youngster who terrorised the Scotland Under 21s just two weeks ago, weaved through the Pies defence, before firing a shot which slipped past Bartosz Bialkowski's grip. 1-0 Liverpool. The first twenty-five minutes were virtually all Liverpool, and included chances from Gerrard and Sturridge, while a free-kick from the Reds skipper was smashed against the post by the head of Daniel Agger, subbed on after an injury to Aly Cissokho. When Notts enjoyed their first spell of possession on twenty-six, the passes were greeted with enthusiastic "OLE!"s from the travelling contingent. Manny Smith had a half-chance which went straight to Reds keeper Simon Mignolet, while at the other end, Jordon Ibe and Sterling threatened the Notts goal. On the half-hour mark, it seemed like Notts' night was crashing around them, as Liverpool got their second. Gerrard, unplayable at the best of times, played a beautiful defence-splitting through ball to Sturridge, who then smashed it past Bart. 2-0, and I won't lie, the words "Spain versus Tahiti" began flashing into my head. Notts would be lucky not to concede any more in the first half, as the defenders stepped it up a gear - JCR was playing like a man possessed, both in attack and in defence, while Liddle was responsible for a great charge down against Toure. Then, Bart's amazing reaction stop on 34 denied Agger a certain goal. Dumbuya's miscontrol on 37 allowed Liverpool to break through, but Liddle's intervention denied them, an action whereby he was lucky not to have given away a penalty. The final meaningful chance saw Gerrard smash the ball against the post on 40. The second half saw Notts make an effort to retain possession, which worked well to unsettle Liverpool. For a while, the Reds lost their groove and couldn't manage more than a few half-chances. On the hour, Notts stepped it up a gear. McGregor was responsible for winning the first of two corners, before attempting a powerful long shot which was saved. Just two minutes later, a foul on Labadie led to a free kick just outside the box. Then it happened. Smith's superb latch-on from the Fotheringham free kick was met by the head of Arquin, and so the ball went into the Liverpool net. 2-1, Liverpool rattled, Notts ecstatic at having breached the Premiership side's clean sheet and seeing where they could go on from there. From then on it was a very even game, Toure once again striking the post on 69, while Sturridge chanced a header from yet another great Gerrard ball. This would carry on until the 82nd minute. When something even greater happened. Dispossessing Liverpool in their own half, Notts played a wonderful passing game, getting the ball from McGregor over to Arquin on the right hand side, before the striker advanced deep into the Liverpool box and playing a loose chip-cum-cross into the path of Adam Coombes, who smashed it through the Reds rearguard... and so it was 2-2. Cue raucous celebrations from the home fans and disbelief from the wider world of football fandom and punditdom. And so the game would end all square... except League Cup games are decided on the night. And so the team with history and prestige couldn't beat Liverpool in 90 minutes... extra time it was to be. An even first half of extra time, where the only action of note was the injury to Toure, was sadly ended with a tame shot from Sturridge which trickled through Bart's fingers from a tight angle, while the second half saw Jordan Henderson finally apply the finishing touch to Liverpool's hard-fought victory with a burst through the Notts defence followed by a placed shot. 4-2 was the final score, but for the sheer fact that Liverpool had to go to extra time, the result not assured until the 110th minute, shows just how deep Notts County dug and how far they pushed Liverpool, particularly when you consider the home side were cruising at 2-0 after thirty minutes. An amazing atmosphere, an amazing match, and an amazing night for all fans concerned.

So, here we are. The cup competitions have gifted us with a fantastic tie against one of the big Premiership teams for the second time in three years. After the double header against eventual FA Cup winners Manchester City, Notts County prepare to travel to none other than Liverpool, one of the most successful and best supported clubs in England, for a League Cup Second Round tie. Liverpool need no introduction. Their history is illustrious and trophy-laden. They have won the league a massive 18 times - though it is best not to mention they've never won it under its current format. The Premier League - the FA Cup seven times, the UEFA Cup three times, and the pinnacle of European football, the European Cup / Champions' League five times. Most crucially for Notts, they are the most successful side in the League Cup, having won it eight times. It's a competition they thrive in. All of the above makes it sound like a tall order for Notts County. To knock out a side of such pedigree in the second round would send shockwaves throughout the footballing world. Notts, though, have played several big teams in the last couple of years, and the majority of the time, have given a very good account of themselves. We were ten minutes away from a famous win against Man City in 2011, held Juventus to a 1-1 draw in the Juventus Arena later on that year, and against Galatasaray, lost out only to a final-minute howitzer from World Cup finalist and Treble-winning Wesley Sneijder. So they should be able to step up their game and give it a good go. They'll have to, after the display against Stevenage. Liverpool are in good form at the moment. They've won both their Premiership games 1-0 and have plenty of players that are in top form, such as Daniel Sturridge, who scored against Villa. The Reds are expected to field a second-tier side, however, but this doesn't lessen the threat for the Magpies. Raheem Sterling's recent display against the Scotland Under 21s was nothing short of scintillating, while Fabio Borini netted twice against Manchester United U21s a week ago. Iago Aspas had a marvellous pre-season, netting four and assisting three, and the veteran Martin Skrtel is expected to line up in defence. All in all this will prove a difficult game for Notts, but as I mentioned before, if the players can give it all they've got on the day, then who's to say we can't at least give them a scare? COYP!

Four league games into the season, Notts County still have just one point to their name, after a toothless, substandard performance against Stevenage FC at Meadow Lane. In a match where both teams struggled to gain a foothold into the game, the Hertfordshire side pounced on a defensive error to score in the final minute, courtesy of James Dunne. As has been mentioned here before, a curious refereeing performance hindered Notts on occasions, but they should have come away with at least a point against lacklustre opposition. The Magpies recalled Gary Liddle to defence, after his three-match ban for his sending off in the season opener against Sheffield United. The side was slightly weakened, however, as Alan Sheehan, Dean Leacock and Danny Haynes were all missing. Greg Tempest, Manny Smith and Adam Coombes were in the starting XI in their place. The first meaningful action of the game involved the Stevenage goalkeeper, Chris Day, handling the ball outside his box after a long punt by Notts keeper Bartosz Bialkowski which was within the reaches of Coombes. Normally warranting a red card, Day wasn't punished. Not long after, David Bell's free kick caused havoc in the Stevenage box, pinballing into the path of Liddle, but his volley wasn't a problem for Day. On twenty minutes, Tempest's good cross fell to Yoann Arquin, but he failed to control and Day once again saved. The covering left-back provided another good cross on 25, but Roarie Deacon did well to flick it away. On 33 minutes, Stevenage finally threatened, Robin Shroot firing a 30-yard shot which was easily saved. Four minutes later, Bart was finally called into action, Darius Charles' curled shot being acrobatically palmed away. Up until then, Notts had been huffing and puffing, without quite blowing the defences away. Just before the interval, Callum McGregor and Shroot, for Notts and Stevenage respectively, fired over the opposition crossbars. After the fifteen-minute break, in which yours truly checked the football results to see whether his accumulators were holding up, a cigarette in the designated smoking area and the purchase and consumption of one of the very tasty Cornish pasties from the catering section, the game restarted with Notts nearly taking the lead, a Liddle header nearly falling to Coombes, before Jon Ashton headed over his own crossbar and to safety. After a couple more half-chances, Charles split the Notts defence wide open, allowing Shroot a one-on-one opportunity against Bart. However, he and Liddle did enough to thwart the danger. On 72, Jeremy Balmy made his debut, in place of Adam Coombes. The referee, regularly calling fouls on seemingly innocuous Notts challenges while letting Stevenage tugs and tackles slide, kept incurring the ire of the home fans in the Kop, the chants reaching a nadir when Mark Fotheringham was booked for dissent. Notts continued to push for a goal, but the vast majority of play was conducted through the wings as opposed to midfield, and virtually every cross was deflected away from goal by the Stevenage defence. Balmy, in particular, may have not been ready yet for the first team, for he made several mistakes in the final third. Stevenage are known for being a bogey team for Notts in recent years, and sadly for the sanity and blood pressure of the home faithful, this trend continued when Shroot's ball took a deflection and fell to Dunne, who converted from close range in the final minute. One of the most frustrating performances I have seen from Notts, there are things which need to be addressed urgently, because I do not wish to be supporting a League Two team next season. More cohesion is needed, less focus on single players - Bell was the key man today, and even though he was good, we cannot rely on one player all the time - and more care and thought needs to go in the substitutions, because today they were not very well executed.

A determined Notts finally got their first point of the season as they battled to a 1-1 draw away at the Banks's Stadium against Walsall. Romaine Sawyers opened the scoring at the start of the second half, before substitute Yoann Arquin levelled with just over fifteen minutes to go. However, controversy reigned as Arquin had a perfectly good goal not given, and another given offside, both late in the second half. Chris Kiwomya reinstated Manny Smith to the heart of defence, the ex-Saddler back from his suspension, so Alan Sheehan and Mustapha Dumbuya were back to their rightful full-back positions. Tempest was on the bench after his game at left-back last week. Notts started brightly, Danny Haynes firing a shot within the first minute which flew across the face of goal. At the other end, Ashley Hemmings attempted a chip, but it was well-blocked. A lot happening within the first few minutes, a mistake by Mal Benning allowed Enoch Showunmi to thread through to Jamal Campbell-Ryce, whose shot was rather innocuous, before, again at the other end, ex-Notts player Craig Westcarr failed to control the ball properly after rounding Bartosz Bialkowski. The lively start continued with Sawyers fouling Joss Labadie on the fifth minute, giving Notts a free-kick 25 yards out. Labadie fired a powerful shot which was skilfully saved by Richard O'Donnell. The Notts midfielder would get booked just three minutes later, his reprisal on Sawyers sending him into the book. More half chances continued to come the way of both teams, before Callum McGregor came very close to opening the scoring, but the Walsall keeper managed to get just enough on the ball to prevent this. The fouls and subsequent free kicks kept coming, with Westcarr coming under particular scrutiny from the Notts defenders, but the middle period of the second half didn't see anything more concrete materialise. Dean Leacock also went into the book after half an hour for getting one too many fouls in after Westcarr was targeted again. Towards the latter end of the first half, Danny Haynes received a knock and was subbed off, to be replaced by ex-Chelsea forward Adam Coombes. The half ended with a cracking chance to put Notts 1-0 up, again by Scottish starlet McGregor, with an effort which sailed just over the bar. Sadly, as with other games this season, Notts found themselves at the end of a sucker-punch, because within the first few minutes of the second half, Walsall found themselves 1-0 up, Sawyers' powerful right-foot attempt from 25 yards beating Bart on 49 minutes. A shell-shocked Notts struggled to pick themselves up from this setback, as Westcarr and Hemmings added to the Walsall chances within a few minutes. Just before the hour, Mark Fotheringham had a good attempt to equalise, but his shot went wide. Westcarr countered with a good run and shot for Walsall which shook the net - from the back luckily. David Bell's introduction, in place of JCR, seemed to invigorate the team, as Notts pushed on in a bid to get this equaliser. Bell had several cracking chances on 64 and 68 minutes, which gave the travelling Notts fans a bit of a kick-start after the setback. Better was to come for the Magpies, as substitute Arquin, who scored the equaliser against the Saddlers six months ago, repeated this feat by levelling the score with a close-range header. Credit goes to Sheehan for providing a great cross from the left wing. As the invigorated Notts fans called for a winner, a controversial goalmouth incident took place on the Walsall goalmouth, as Arquin beat O'Donnell to a header and it looked to have gone in, but the linesman didn't give it. In injury time, Arquin again had the ball in the net, but this was given as offside, and as a result, the game finished 1-1. A hard-earned away point as Notts finally take themselves off nul points, but what will it be made of the disallowed goals at the end of the second half?

This Saturday Notts will make the relatively short trip to the Black Country to take on Walsall at the Banks's Stadium. The Magpies have started the season badly, losing both league games against Sheffield United and Peterborough, while the Saddlers have a 100% record so far in competitive football this season, winning both their league games and their Capital One cup tie. Furthermore, Walsall haven't yet lost a competitive game at home this calendar year - their last loss was on Tuesday 13th November 2012, crashing out to Lincoln City in the FA Cup Second round. Their defeat to Swindon Town a week before was their last loss in the league. The head to head record doesn't reveal much - the last game between Notts and Walsall was just six months ago, when the teams shared points in a 1-1 draw at the Banks Stadium. The reverse at Meadow Lane, in August 2012, saw the Saddlers win 1-0. The 2011/12 season, however, saw Notts defeat Walsall twice in the league. In addition, the West Midlands team haven't beaten Notts at home since 2006. The player to watch for Walsall is winger James Baxendale. Having recently signed a three-year deal at the club, he is full of confidence at the moment, and his last two games saw him scoring in each. Meanwhile Craig Westcarr, the ex-Notts player, netted a brace against Tranmere in the season opener, and always relishes encounters against his old club. Both team have relatively full squads to pick from, with Manny Smith back for Notts after his suspension. Gary Liddle, who received a straight red in the first game of the season, will have completed his suspension after today. Walsall, meanwhile, have defender Andy Taylor on the sick list, still recovering from an injury. Even though it's early days, Notts crucially need to get points on board sooner rather than later, but Walsall are in form and may provide a stern challenge. My prediction: a 1-1 draw. Joe Jones

Notts County were on the receiving end of a 4-2 beating today as Peterborough United's experienced strikeforce cut through the Magpies' makeshift defence on various occasions. The Notts defence, missing Gary Liddle and Manny Smith, saw Alan Sheehan playing centre back and young Greg Tempest at left back. Chris Kiwomya opted for the 4-4-2 formation which worked well in the 3-2 win against Fleetwood in midweek, Danny Haynes and Enoch Showunmi lining up front together. Notts began brightly, winning a corner within the first two minutes, but at the other end, a dangerous Peterborough tested Bartosz Bialkowski just two minutes later, the Pole reacting superbly to deflect the shot with his legs. A high-octane start to the match continued with a shot by Jamal Campbell-Ryce, who fired a threatening shot from outside the Posh box, before the Posh came raging back at the other end, Britt Assombalonga claiming a penalty as he fell in the box, but this wasn't given. Notts then threatened again, Callum McGregor and Tempest combining to set up JCR for a long-range shot which was deflected to safety. On eleven minutes, Haynes was brought down by Posh captain Tommy Rowe outside the box, but Sheehan's free kick was off the mark. Further shots were traded between the two teams, before Notts finally broke the deadlock, Magpies skipper Dean Leacock powering a header into the Posh net. 1-0 to Notts, credit going to Mustapha Dumbuya for the pinpoint cross which was brilliantly converted by Deano. Unfortunately, this lead wasn't to last more than a few minutes, as Peterborough, awoken from their semi-slumber, stepped it up a gear, Tommy Rowe converting the corner after Grant McCann's attempt was saved by Bart. The next ten minutes would be all Posh, as an Assombalonga goal was blown offside, while Tyrone Barnett also threatened with a back-post header. The pendulum would swing County's way for the final five or so minutes, as McGregor came close twice. However, half-time would be deadlocked at 1-1. The second half saw Notts step up the pressure once again as they did in the latter stages of the second half, Haynes, Enoch Showunmi and JCR coming close, but then came the sucker punch: Peterborough managed to break, and from the counter-attack, completely split the Notts defence, and a virtually unmarked Barnett tucked it away past Sheehan and underneath Bart. 2-1. Things were to get worse as a Lee Tomlin was fouled in the box by Mark Fotheringham, and a penalty was gifted to Posh. McCann stepped up, and to add insult to injury, fired a beautifully chipped shot which Antonin Panenka and Andrea Pirlo would have been proud of. 3-1 Posh, Notts with a mountain to climb. Outrageously, a cast-iron penalty appeal, which was clearly handed in the area, was turned down, which incensed both the Notts crowd, who rang with some of the loudest boos heard in a long time at Meadow Lane, and the players, who made their disbelief vehemently clear to the referee. And to compound Notts' misery, a mis-hit header by Tempest, who had been impressive and solid all game, gifted possession to Assombalonga, who had an easy run on goal before firing past Bart. 4-1, a crushing scoreline reflective of the Magpies' makeshift defence and the powerful Posh strikeforce. Notts did eventually pull a goal back, as Gabriel Zakuani handled in the area, this instance being seen and awarded by the referee, and Yoann Arquin converted to make the scoreline a bit more respectable. 4-2 was how the game would end. The Notts performance wasn't at all deserving of such a battering scoreline, but defensive mistakes cost us dear. It is hoped that this kind of scoreline is merely an exception, and once Manny Smith and Gary Liddle return, with Sheehan restored to left-back, this won't happen again.

Notts County made it to the second round of the League Cup for the first time in three years with a nervy 3-2 win against Fleetwood Town. The Lancashire side took the lead and were on top in the first 25 minutes, but the Magpies equalised with a superb Enoch Showunmi header. They added two more superb goals in the second half, but David Ball's last-minute goal made for a tense finish. Another sour point was the sending off of Manny Smith, who will now miss the Peterborough game. Chris Kiwomya began the game with a 4-4-2 formation, Smith replacing the suspended Gary Liddle, and Greg Tempest and debutant Callum McGregor also in the starting eleven. Notts enjoyed a bright start, winning a corner within the first two minutes, and just four minutes later, nearly scored, but for an awkward bounce taking the ball too far away from Enoch Showunmi. At the other end, Tempest bravely blocked a goalbound shot, before bombing down at the other end and forcing another corner, courtesy of a deflected cross. Two corners in the first seven minutes were promising signs, and attempts from Danny Haynes and Showunmi in the following few minutes further emphasised Notts' intent to win this game. One of the main talking points about this game was the return of ex-Notts midfielder Hughes to Meadow Lane, and he made his presence felt with a good one-two before heading towards the box, but Smith charged him down. Sadly, Notts' early pressure couldn't stop Fleetwood from drawing first blood. On sixteen minutes, Gareth Evans coolly and skilfully chipped the ball over Bartosz Bialkowski after beating Smith. Notts, for the second time in two games deflated after quarter of an hour, pushed on for an equaliser, Joss Labadie's ambitious free-kick sailing over the bar, but the visitors piled on the pressure for a good ten minutes as they had their eyes on consolidating their lead. Much like a pendulum, however, the momentum then suddenly swung Notts County's way. On 25 minutes, Haynes headed wide after Showunmi's flick from Mustapha Dumbuya's throw. Just two minutes later, the provider then attempted a header of his own. Again, wide. However, the third headed chance in quick succession finally yielded that crucial equaliser for Notts, as new kid McGregor's brilliant ball was stunningly converted by Showunmi. The provider and scorer combined again to great effect as, on 33 minutes, the Celtic loanee's pass to Showunmi was crossed into the Fleetwood half and very nearly led to an own goal, courtesy of Mark Roberts. Just a minute later, the same man very nearly succeeded in lobbing the Fleetwood keeper, much to the surprise of Notts fans who hadn't been used to this much confidence and pomp from the Nigerian international in the previous season. He even showed off some showboating skills! Soon after, Haynes managed to steal some of Showunmi's thunder by powering in a second goal, a classic poacher's goal and his first for the Magpies, after Mark Fotheringham's cross and Labadie's post-rebounding effort. Fleetwood threatened first in the second half, Antoni Sarcevic's shot going wide of the left-hand post, but Notts countered with the excellent Tempest nearly combining with Labadie for a potential chance. The pendulum would swing towards Fleetwood again, a half chance coming on 52 minutes, before Bart's great save from a Matty Blair shot just a few minutes later, going down low to thwart the opposition player. On 56 minutes, an unfair challenge by Smith on Sarcevic led to his booking, the second Magpies yellow of the game (first came to Labadie for a tackle on the old boy in the first half) but his free kick was blocked and cleared. Notts eventually got a third to ease pressure on the Magpies players and fans, the superb debutant McGregor curling a fantastic left-footed effort into the net. One assist and one goal for the Celtic loanee, you can't ask for much more on your debut! The final ten minutes were nerve-wracking for Notts, however. Smith's challenge on David Ball was deemed worthy of a second yellow by the referee, and so Liddle's replacement walked. A second Notts defender to be sent off in the space of two games. In the 88th minute, the comfortable 3-1 scoreline was suddenly made a lot more precarious by David Ball's right-footed shot from inside the box, which pierced the Notts net. 3-2 with injury time beckoning. Fleetwood, invigorated by the goal and sensing an opportunity to equalise against a Notts side now increasingly beset by nerves, pushed on, and very nearly scored on a number of occasions, but Bart, showing how indispensable he is to the club, came out on top, saving from Ryan Crowther's dead-cert shot. Tempest and Dean Leacock also contributed with great clearances and blocks, before, to the delight of the Notts fans, the final whistle blew, and Notts County were in the second round of the League Cup for the first time in three years!