Notts County
Sky Bet League 1
Meadow Lane, Nottingham, NG2 3HJ
Kick-Off: 3pm
Weather forecast: Light rain, 21°c
Referee: Trevor Kettle (Rutland)
Stevenage travel to Notts County this weekend with both teams looking for their first win of the season. With Notts County also enduring a tough start to the 13/14 campaign, both sides will be eager to get the victory needed to kick-start their season.
Last time we met:
Stevenage did the double over the Magpies last season, securing a 2-1 win at Meadow Lane last October thanks to a late comeback which saw goals from Lucas Akins (pen) and Robin Shroot. We met again in February and got off to a flyer; Sam Hoskins scored after 25 seconds to set Boro on their way before Marcus Haber wrapped up the points in the 89th minute.
Boro: Arnold, Gray, Roberts, Comminges, Chorley, Tansey, Dunne, Morais, Akins (Freeman), Beleck (Haber), Hoskins (Grant).
Subs not used: Day, Charles, Shroot, Lopez.
Team news:
Notts County welcome back Gary Liddle from suspension but the defender may have to settle for a place on the bench. Otherwise the Magpies are expected to be unchanged.
Stevenage could be without Luke Jones and Sam Wedgbury after both missed last weekend’s game through injury.
The Notts County Scout Report:
Recent form:
Yoann Arquin came off the bench last weekend to earn the Magpies their only point of the season in a 1-1 draw at Walsall. Despite the low points total, Chris Kiwomya and his men will point to their tough start to the season – away at Sheffield United, home to Peterborough and away at Walsall – a difficult first few fixtures for any team. A major concern for the club is that after having the worst disciplinary record in the league last season, they’ve already picked up two red cards. Their first took only 15 minutes, as Gary Liddle was sent off for a dangerous tackle against Sheffield United and during their Capital One Cup win over Fleetwood, Manny Smith was sent to the changing room after a second bookable offence.
Possible County line-up for Saturday:
Bartosz Bialkowski; Mustapha Dumbuya, Manny Smith, Dean Leacock, Alan Sheehan; Callum McGregor, Joss Labadie, Mark Fotheringham, Jamal Campbell-Ryce; Danny Haynes, Enoch Showunmi
Subs from: David Bell, Yoann Arquin, Adam Coombes, Fabian Speiss, Curtis Thompson, Greg Tempest, Andre Boucaud, Gary Liddle
Familiar faces:
The only link between the two squad’s current playing squads is that our captain, Jon Ashton made 4 appearances for County in 2002 whilst he was on loan from Leicester.
Key Men:
Danny Haynes moved from Charlton to the Magpies in July and has already got off the mark, scoring his first goal for the club in their 3-2 League Cup win over Fleetwood. The pacey striker/winger is already a football league veteran at the age of 25, having played at Ipswich, Bristol City, Barnsley and Charlton before making the move to Nottingham. Haynes has a knack for scoring important goals in derby games and gained immense popularity with Ipswich fans for his scoring antics against Norwich. He continued this streak at Barnsley as he scored twice against Doncaster Rovers and twice again against local rivals, Sheffield United which condemned them to relegation. Haynes has been given the number 10 shirt at his arrival and is a big part of Chris Kiwomya’s plans, having started every league game for the club this season.
Boro fans may have reason to worry if they see Yoann Arquin coming off the bench; the striker has scored twice in three substitute appearances so far this season. The Frenchman spent the first part of his career abroad before joining Hereford in 2011, where he impressed greatly. A player with great pace, feet and strength he is known to score spectacular goals when given time and space.