As the title states…

Today is the bosses birthday. Like all of us, it’s been a tough run for the last year or more, but this place is still ticking over, his family are all safe and well, of course, a win tonight would be a lovely birthday present for @Chris.

 

Many Happies mate.

Slocombe 7 Not a lot to do, commanded his area

Brindley 7 Comfortable and unlucky not to score

Ellis 7 Would be 8 but -1 for a back header that a better team would have punished

Chicksen 7 Again comfortable and no hurried mistakes in passing

DKE 7 Faultless effort down his side

Miller 8 A wing back that can pass his man, a real positive. Got into some great positions in their penalty area

JOB 6.5 Maybe a bit harsh, some nice play in the first half

Reeves 7 Looking much better offensively

Doyle 6.5 Ticking the midfield over

Ruben 7.5 Takes defenders to occupy him creating space for others. Nicely taken penalty, silly yellow card and was once dangerously caught in possession

Wootton 7.5 Took the punishment from their centre halfs. Collosus

Subs

Enzio 7.5 Great goal, turn of speed

Sam 6.5

Griffiths 6.5

 

It looks like we've sold our allocation for Saturday. Which of you are heading to Meadow Lane on Saturday? What stand are you in and how are you feeling about it? 

Ever so slightly jealous! 

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/21c59c2e9c52410b9278230ea7828acc

 

an integral monorail...Old Mkt Sq - Castle - Broad Marsh - Station - Meadows - Meadow Lane - Racecourse - Carlton - Netherfield - Gedling - Arnold - Daybrook - City Hospital

Broad marsh to look like:

Reeves goal 4min in

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Omotayo

Looked a handful in the air, but certainly no improvement on Wootton

Well ladies and gentlemen, it's squeaky bum time. Notts and Wrexham have identical win, draws and losses. Wrexham are ahead on goal difference. + 20 to + 18. Notts beat Wrexham 1-0 at Meadow Lane earlier in the season. Both teams have 3 games left. Both are on unbeaten runs and both know that a win here will put them 4 points ahead of 8th place with 2 games to go. Wrexham had a magnificent 3-2 win at Boreham Wood. They were 2-1 down in the 87th minute and their playoff hopes were in real danger. 3 minutes later they had won 3-2 and their playoff hopes had received a massive boost. That will give them momentum and confidence. Notts are coming in after a 2-2 draw with Bromley, but knowing they did enough to win the game. Notts should be confident based on recent results. It's a difficult one to call but I think Notts will nick it 2-1. A draw wouldn't be the worst result for both teams given that both have very winnable games next weekend. 

Slocombe 8 Confident in dealing with the inevitable high balls

Brindley 6 Never comfortable in defence but played positionally well to limit space

Ellis 8 Stood up to be counted, one great block

Chicksen 5 Sloppy passing again played us into trouble. 

DKE 6.5 Effort but final ball quality lacking

Miller 6.5 Good movement down the left flank

Doyle 7 Cool head, cool coach

JOB 6.5 Good running

Reeves  8 a worthy strike to win any game

RR 7.5 Occupies defenders by being further up, allows the room for our midfield trio to move into that space. Taken off as a precaution on a yellow

Wootton 7 Well marshalled by their defence

 

https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/football-news/alex-lacey-notts-county-injury-5425593

Remember when the FA Cup rounded off the season? It was the showcase of English football, watched by millions around the globe. Those days are gone but every now and then the FA Cup rises from the ashes and we get a feeling of what it was like in its heyday. Yesterday was one of those days. Leicester won the FA Cup for the first time. Fans were there to witness it. Grown men cried. Grown women cried. Kids cried. Gary Lineker went bananas. It was fitting that it a wonder goal won it. Just for a moment, I was 10 again, a happy time, sat in front of the telly watching the game I would grow to love. It was magical. 

Doyle has been a key link in moving to the backroom so far imo.

Would you employ him as full time assistant next season?

My slight concern is with him still being a player...has he got the contacts of who is available etc...compared to an older hand who knows the managers and agents well? (Or does that work in his favour that he knows more players still in the game?) Obviously we've got F Radar, but surely there is room for the previous knowledge as well and with IB not knowing the lower leagues as much, does he need a veteran assistant (not the laughing clown before anyone suggests him for a third spell lol)

I'm leaning towards keeping Doyle myself as Assistant, but we shall see...
 

The excitement was tangible. The ancient civilisation had disappeared thousands of years ago amid a terrible climate catastrophe. All they left behind were ruins. But now the archaeologists crowded around the mysterious metal box. Such boxes had been found before, but this one was unique in that it still functioned, even after the passing of millennia. What message could the ancients have in store? An image flickered on the screen - two black and white birds sitting atop a stripy shield. Perhaps these were the deities worshipped by this long-lost civilisation? And finally, like a hand reaching through the ages, a decipherable message: "the PON prediction league champion for 2020-21 is ..."

Fancy writing yourself into the history of mankind (and PON)? Or just want to make up a position or two before the music stops? Here's your chance! The three Championship fixtures kick off at the earlier time of 12.30pm on Saturday, and the rest at the usual time of 3pm. Oh, and remember your jokers!

 

Blackburn Rovers v Birmingham City

Derby County v Sheffield Wednesday

QPR v Luton Town

Carlisle United v Walsall

Port Vale v Mansfield Town

Salford City v Leyton Orient

Halifax Town v Boreham Wood

Wrexham v Yeovil Town

 

Bromley are a point behind us with a game more played. They really can't afford to lose tomorrow. That could play into Notts's hands. Bromley are on a 3 match unbeaten streak. It's going to be a tough game for sure but Notts are in fine form so it should be a home win. 3-1 to Notts for me. 

 

How happy are you with the way this season has gone so far?

With 5 games remaining I think Notts has done well to manage the injuries and COVID issues with postponements. I do feel the Neal Ardley situation could have been handled better, he should've been given the rest of the season but I think Ian Burchnall can still finish inside the playoffs. I find it hard to say what I would have one differently, I think Ardley could have done better to strengthen the strike force in hindsight. In addition to replacing Caper Sloth who walked, I think if he stayed we might have had a bit more about us in midfield.

I still feel that the players can put the poor results behind them and crack on with finishing in the playoffs.

That would be my minimum expectation I think but I wont call Burchnall if this does not happen. I just hope he gets the balance with the squad right and retains as many of the good players the club has without re-starting all over again.

Most fans should be content enough with how things have gone I feel.

 

Notts 1 up inside 10 minutes. Jim O Brien. Notts have started very well. 

Manny Parry

https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/maidenheadunited/teams/6424/player/manny-parry-873094

Although he gave away the penalty, thought he played well

Slocombe 7 Calm and assured. Always great positioning

DKE 7 Hard working as usual

Rawlinson 6 Defensivly sound

Ellis 6.5 Reads the game so well, good positioning

Chicksen 6 Some passing played team mates into trouble. Defensively did OK

Miller 7 A wing back that can beat his man .

Doyle 7 "Pirlo" passing especially for the first

Reeves 6  One major error went unpunished. Kept the midfield ticking

JOB 9 Certainly proved "legs" have not gone. Read the game well and got into those positions to do the damage

RR 8.5 Forward position helped his game and that of the team. Cool finish for the 4th

Wootton 8 one hundred per cent effort from 1st to last

https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/football/football-news/notts-county-maidenhead-player-ratings-5403219