I’m not convinced it was a smash and grab win. We weren’t at our best with the ball, but that was due to Barnet’s tactics. What we did was react to the situation they put us in and did it very well. They asked us to defend and we did! In that situation we only needed one bit of quality to win and we produced it. The takeaway is that we know how to play football and win an now we know how to defend and win.

Barnet put us under pressure, they kept playing forward and putting the ball into the box but on the whole we dealt with it really well. And I know they had 18 shots but how many of them were actually decent chances, one or two? We blocked 7 of them and 11 of their shots were from outside the box too. So we actually limited them very few openings.

I think going forward we still need to work on how to deal with an aggressive press. One big bonus is that we didn't play any kamikaze passes our play ourselves into trouble and give away a sloppy goal. But equally we can't just keep clearing the ball and giving it back to the opposition, on another a day a more effective attacking team could've punished us.

I think we did get lucky in the end and I mean in terms of our winner, I think we deserved at least a draw for such a solid defence display though. Can't take anything away from Hall, it was an excellent finish and he has really grown into the team now. I’ve not heard a moan about us missing Didzy for sometime now so that is a massive compliment.

On the subs, they have been really effective this season, almost to the point that I can’t remember us ever being so effective when it comes to making subs… Is this partly down to the technical board? At the start of the season when it was first announced they said: “The Technical Board will also develop a process to support the coaching team in making more effective in-game decisions. This will involve supplying a variety of data-led metrics, analysis and insights to the dugout in as near to real-time as possible”. Surely can't just be coincidence?

Interesting thought if MP is getting in-flight data during the game to make substitution decisions on 🤔

I’m liking Grant under Paterson this season, I think the change in style suits him because one of his biggest strengths is being able to press and force-turn overs. He was very good last night and I like the balance you get with him and Hall.

If was being super critical I thought we lacked the ability to control the ball for periods, I think we kept giving it back to the Swindon defence too often when we went direct and it wasn’t effective. Jatta, Hall and Grant had to chase a number of lost causes at times. I think keeping hold more and being patient would’ve been fine because at 2-1 we weren’t chasing the game.

Overall I think it’s a good point, 2 of the trickier away matches we’ll have this season and we’ve got 4 points. Win against Cambridge on Saturday and it’ll have been a pretty perfect 7 days.

Also can you get yellow cards rescinded? Jatta didn’t actually take his shirt off, at no point does it leave his body nor does it slow the match down or reveal a controversial message. Pretty sure any good lawyer says he was just adjusting his shirt because it was too tight, I’d be happy to put forward a case (and for a much smaller fee than a lawyer would charge!)

It's a shame we couldn't hold on (the first Swindon goal in particular was soft), but I think that's a decent result to cap a very good few days' work.

I was thinking about where we must be in the form table, given the poor start we had and the way we've recovered since.

Looking at Swindon’s two goals there were deflections involved in the build up to both of them. Having said that, we’ve had our share of deflections in recent times. Just goes to show the fine margins in football.

I don’t think this is good for football. It shows that money is behind everything, and if clubs are willing to spend it, they can move a match that should be played at home to somewhere completely different. I doubt many home or away fans will travel for it, and I hope they don’t, as a way of protesting the decision.

It’ll probably attract casual viewers and American fans who chant things like “Attack, attack, attack” or “Defence, defence” as if it’s basketball. It’s a very poor decision to let the game be played in America.

It’s a ridiculous idea and I can imagine the fans would protest most vociferously against this idea.

Update. LaLiga cancels Miami match amid player backlash.

Sky Sports

Call me cynical, but when I hear about vilage teams winning the league, my first thought it that they've been financially doped. If that's not the case, this is an amazing achievement.

Rod McDonald is included in the League 2 team of the week after his performance against Barnet.

Stanway must have had a hell of a game

Another good performance from Rod against Swindon. He's becoming Mr Consistency. Matty Platt will have to work hard to get on the bench near mind the starting eleven. Martin Paterson won't mind that at all.

Very sad story. Commiserations to his family & friends. A death in the family is bad enough, & a sudden death is very devastating.

its very sad, especially that he could have been saved with treatment but we sometimes battle on.

The Poll has now closed. Thanks to all of the 58 PON members who voted.

I'm absolutely delighted to announce, with an overwhelming 44 votes, Kelle Roos is the Pride of Nottingham's Man of the Match for his outstanding performance against Barnet.

I am very pleased for Kelle Roos, I hope this gives him some confidence knowing that he earned the fans vote and has been named the Pride of Nottingham Man of the Match.

Thank you to everyone who voted, and to Robbie for holding the poll for us as always.

I didn’t vote for Kelle Roos but a worthy winner nonetheless.

I thought it was a match where the intensity was there but the quality wasn't, we were definitely better in the second half but we defended really well through-out and then got that slice of luck right at the end.

We lost a lot matches like Barnet did yesterday, I feel like we've been on the wrong side of a 1-0 score line too many times, about time we started getting some in our favour!

On 18/10/2025 at 19:22, Robbie said:

Scenes

That's quite a photo. I know it's just a coincidence that RodMac and Robbo are the next two to the pile on...but it captures the warrior mentality of those two players.

It's fanciful, but for anyone who knows one of my favourite movies Apocalypto that's Zero Wolf (RodMac) and Hanging Moss right there (we don't have a Middle Eye, thankfully). I think Rod McDonald has not only played brilliantly this season, he's also proving himself to be a real leader of the team.

That picture @theAnticlough illustrates the passion and the will to win mentality that Martin Paterson has instilled in the team. I can’t remember the last time Notts celebrated a goal like that. That was definitely a well deserved win!

I would have preferred Woking myself, we know Neal Ardley quite well and whilst his teams are usually decently structured. They do not tend to be all that focused on attacking against good teams, more defensive.

I enjoy the FA Cup, and I agree it has been awhile since Notts has really blossomed in it. I think the focus on the league, at the cost of making use of such a large squad, tends to be a negative aspect. There's no reason why this game or future rounds should distract the club from the league.

It will only cause a distraction if it is allowed, so the right squad playing will be important to manage players minutes well.

I know many of a fan will be wishing for the club to focus on the league, but winning games especially cup matches can be something to ignite a season. We didn't start as our best, but there's no reason why we can't take each round as a chance to reward the players who are grafting.

If the 2nd round can be reached, it would at the very least give the players some excitement and momentum to encourage positive form.

it looks like north korea, or one of those countries ran by a dictator. i would rather have the reedtz, wait for the success and be stronger for it. forest overspend and their owner causes a lot of issues. the fact hes been reported to spit at officials, argue with opposition management. it does not look good.u

@liampie

I think it's the biggest piece of self harm I have seen at a club. Sacking a Head Coach that was doing so well with his style of football that other clubs last season couldn't cope with.

I think the whole shoddy situation just demonstrates again the state of Premiier League football in this Country.

He'd done well with them up to this season, but he's such a volatile character it's always seemed inevitable that it'll turn sour. There's a non-zero chance of us meeting them in League One in a couple of years.

The kind of Notts win today that gives hope that Notts can go places this season.

im looking forward to finishing work, i can feel the cold like others have mentioned. it cant make its mind up, if it will be sunny or cloudy and rainy. its the wind that makes it chilling.

yes, he looked very good. a lot of barnet players tried keeping it in the air early on but kanu looked a real threat when they switched to the floor.

Ryan Glover would be high on my list of players to watch, with Anthony Hartigan and Nnamdi Ofoborh not far behind. I thought Barnet played very well and stuck to their game plan, which they executed to make us struggle to pick out passes forward.

Idris Kanu does look like a good winger, and Barnet does have several very good establishing talents.

Adam Senior is another player to watch out for, as he's a good defender.

Yes @TheSkipper

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Senior He was impressive at Halifax too

Oh and no mention of the words 'board' and 'technical' in any particular order.

I think that's for the best, as it was a mistake which put unnecessary pressure on people and scrutiny of the process. Let that kind of thing happen informally

I wonder if the technical board was put in place because the owners didn't have the same confidence in Roberto Gagliardi as they do with Richard Montague? I think his increased responsibility seems to suggest they trust him more to deliver what they want.

RM was on the Tube after the game. He's still living in Swansea. Seems like an affable bloke. His return is most welcome.

That's the Problem when your Owner has a Massive Ego and Fails to Keep it in Check. Big Ange has always said he wins something in his Second Season. Trouble is Will He Get That Long?

I don’t see why Notts fans wouldn’t talk about other clubs nearby. Forest and Mansfield are part of the same area, and the rivalry makes it more fun. It’s alright to share news about them if you want to. Just talk about what you feel okay with.

I don’t think they’ll finish higher than 8th again. It’s good when they do well and get into the Premier League because it helps the area. But every club has fans that get on your nerves, even ours sometimes.

14 hours ago, Dripsey3 said:

I'm surprised Forest have doors big enough to fit Marinakis's ego.

I didn’t like that you stopped at ego, but yeah, double doors do exist.

So their latest Manager has been sacked after eight games. How things have gone pear shaped for them. Why oh why does a club change a successful Head Coach & break up the makings of a successful team? It's definitely looks like a case of self harm.

I'm so pleased that Notts have owners with sensible heads on their shoulders.

There is no rule against this and the richest clubs will want to do it, however this Country now has a football regulator in place thanks to government legislation.

I'm sure that the Government could introduce legislation to prevent League matches from being played abroad.

The wishes of the fans who support their Club either at home or away should be paramount & I'm convinced a majority of fans will be against this..

This development goes against the very spirit of the game where teams had home advantage & it was always more difficult for the away side

Allowing clubs to play league matches abroad also alters the mechanics of the league system where a club has, for example in the Premier League 19 home matches & 19 away matches.

Surely a club could rightfully feel aggrieved if they were beaten to the league championship by just a narrow margin & the other club got that narrow margin by winning a game at a neutral venue when that club was deemed the away side. This development will change the game completely.

Nice words from Brian Clough.

I remember that First Division Match between Nottingham Forest & Notts in October 1983 at the City Ground well.

The Notts team was

McDonagh, Worthington, Kilcline, Goodwin, Benjamin, O'Neil, Hunt, Harkouk, Fashanu, Chidozie, Christie

Sub, Richards

Notts Manager: Larry Lloyd

Notts lost 1:3 after taking the lead from a penalty converted by Trevor Christie.

Attendance was 26,658

I was there in the Bridgford end but can't remember much about it. Was that the one where one of our players, maybe David Hunt, got sent off late on for cleaning out a Forest player who was shielding the ball in the corner?

This was around the time Forest played Celtic home and away in the UEFA cup, incredible numbers of Celtic fans that night, came close to being a tragedy apparently.

It was even worse than that @Sheffield Pie Justin Fashanu got himself sent off as well as David Hunt in the 2nd half of that match.

What's happened to the Bass cash?

Valued at around £400,000, or so it’s said, you’d think there might be better bargains out there for that kind of money. I’m fairly sure the fee for Alex Bass is still sitting in the pot.

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/martin-turk/profil/spieler/700643

I would still be interested if he was available come January

This is a great outcome for him and Notts. All offences prior to him joining us and he wasn’t involved in the games - fair enough.

Excellent news all round really.

Great news for Lewis and the team. He can now concentrate fully on playing not having that hanging over him. A good all round footballer just been given the chance for glory. Please take it. 🙏

Probably a sensible decision made, as the offences were of a lesser nature than of Jamie Jellis at Walsall