From the second worst side in the division indoors to the worst; we’d better catch ourselves on and make the most of this kind run of fixtures at the mo. As sure as Mark Lawrenson is predicting that Liverpool will – once more – avoid defeat for the 17514th consecutive Premier League outing, someone somewhere will be saying “there’s no better time to be playing Notts County”; at home, away or on the plains of Outer Mongolia.
No other team in the Football League has made as naff a start to the 2018-9 campaign as County. At least we think that’s true; we can’t be arsed to double check. A nil-nil draw on the opening day against Colchester now looks well out of sync with what has followed. That draw hasn’t aged well for the Us either. Use your Betfred promo code on an away win here; anything else …
Notts County v Stevenage: The Lowdown
The Referee
P4 W0 D1 L3 F2 A5; last result: Stevenage 1-1 Notts County, 11/11/2017
Well, ain’t that a thing? It’s 10 months since last bumping into Ross Joyce. And it was only this lot we were up against that day. At home, yes, but still. Don’t bet on Ross being a good omen, though. The draw with County indoors last term is the only time in four we’ve not been on the wrong end of a result when this particular ref gets involved. We don’t want to say it’ll be like playing 12 men this week, but it might make you think. Or not.
The Opposition
P13 W5 D2 L6 F11 A12; last result: Notts County 2-0 Stevenage, 24/02/2018
Like a wasp at a picnic or a potent bottom burp, we can’t seem to shake off Notts County these days. Except for one season after our relegation from League One, we’ve met (at least) twice a year every year for seven years. Sadly for us, County shade it in the head-to-head at the moment; not least ‘cos we’ve won just once in the six meetings since they kindly joined us here down in League Two. It’s not quite bogey club territory yet.
The good folk at kickoff.co.uk are back in the game after a summer slumber with our head-to-head in pics:
The Form
How do you polish a turd as potent as Notts County’s recent form? It’s six defeats outta six; knackering their Goals Against counter in the process. In each of those six games, County have let in at least three goals. Last weekend’s 5-1 tonking at the hands of Exeter is the worst of the lot. They’ve already conceded 21 goals and we’re only seven games in. But they’ve only failed to score in two of their seven so far. It ain’t all bad.
In fact, County have scored as many times as we have. The goal split in County games is spread across the full 90. It has, however, been ‘usual’ for their opponents to lead at the break. That could suit us; four of our seven goals have come between the 16th and 45th minutes. With just seven goals to our own name, though, are we ready and able to plunder County’s leaky defence? Or is this the feeding time we’ve been waiting for?
• MORE ABOUT ‘EM: Notts County club profile
