March
03/03/09: Darlington 1-0 Notts County
At a time when Notts' boardroom squabbles were attracting murky headlines, the Magpies' players failed to provide some much-needed relief, suffering a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Darlington side just put into administration.
Cash-strapped Darlington were down to the bare bones and boss Dave Penney was forced to start 16-year-old Corey Barnes, but they were still too good for the Magpies, who have failed to win in roughly 14 years away from home in midweek.
Notts: Pilkington; Picken, Tann, Edwards, Clapham; Forte, Nowland (Butcher), Thompson, Weston; Forrester (Canham), Facey.
07/03/09: Shrewsbury Town 3-2 Notts County
An improved performance, but one that ultimately ended in defeat for Ian McParland's men, who tended to perform better against League Two's stronger sides in the past campaign.
In an open encounter, Richard Butcher gave Notts a 16th-minute lead but, crucially, missed two other chances to double the visitors' advantage and Notts were made to pay when they later conceded three goals. Jonathan Forte produced a fine individual effort late-on to give the Magpies hope, but Notts were ultimately unable to grab an unlikely equaliser.
Notts: Pilkington; Picken, Tann, Johnson, Hunt; Weston, Thompson, Butcher, Clapham (Hamshaw); Forte, Facey.
10/03/09: Notts County 0-2 Luton Town
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Just 2,500 supporters witnessed Notts fall to first-half goals from Chris Martin and Tom Craddock, with McParland further annoying those who did turn-up by a bizarre refusal to make any substitutions.
Notts: Pilkington; Picken, Tann, Hunt, Clapham; Hamshaw, Thompson, Butcher, Weston; Forte, Facey.
14/03/09: Notts County 1-1 Accrington Stanley
Notts were able to end their run of successive defeats, but home fans were hardly climbing the walls after seeing their side come from behind to scrape a draw at home to Accrington Stanley.
Notts fell behind after a bad error from Kevin Pilkington allowed Jimmy Ryan's shot to find the net and the visitors could have added to their advantage but for a goal-line clearence from Jamie Clapham.
The Magpies eventually levelled when Delroy Facey headed home after good work from Myles Weston, who had himself earlier missed a chance to find the net from close-range.
Notts: Pilkington; Picken, Edwards, Johnson, Clapham; Hamshaw, Nowland (Butcher), Thompson, Weston; Facey, Forte.
17/03/09: Notts County 0-1 Gillingham
Yet another mid-week loss for Notts, though more worryingly it was now five without a win in general as Simeon Jackson netted the winner in yet another turgid affair at Meadow Lane.
Jackson finished clinically in the 58th minute, though Notts did have chances to score, Facey twice squandering decent opportunities and Mike Edwards denied late-on my a goal-line clearence.
Notts: Pilkington; Picken (Canham), Edwards, Hunt, Clapham; Hamshaw, Thompson, Butcher, Weston; Facey, Forte.
21/03/09: AFC Bournemouth 0-1 Notts County
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Notts owed a huge debt of gratitude to keeper Pilkington, who produced a series of top-class saves to deny the hosts, but they did have chances themselves to extend their advantage, notably a Jamie Forrester penalty-kick that was saved by Shwan Jalal.
Notts: Pilkington; Picken, Edwards, Johnson, Clapham; Hamshaw (Forte), Thompson, Butcher, Weston; Facey, Forrester (Strachan).
28/03/09: Lincoln City 1-1 Notts County
A game between two underacheiving sides with little to play for predictably ended in a draw at a wet and windy Sincil Bank.
Visiting fans were still celebrating Delroy Facey's well-taken 64th minute opener, when Lincoln's Sam Mullarkey produced a brilliant equaliser just 30 seconds later.
Notts: Pilkington; Picken, Edwards, Johnson, Clapham; Hamshaw (Forte), Thompson, Butcher, Weston; Facey, Forrester (Fairclough).
Elsewhere...
Boardroom squabbles came to a head in the public domain as Notts' name was dragged through the mud in embarrassing circumstances.
The NCM messageboard was in meltdown as seven senior Trust members - including former Club Chairman Steve Thompson and former Trust Chair Keri Usherwood - tendered their resignations in protest at a perceived lack of information from Trust-elected Chairman John Armstrong-Holmes.
Armstrong-Holmes insisted that talks with potential investors were ongoing, while a protest-group - 'Care About Notts' (CAN) - was formed and put forward a vote of no confidence in Armstrong-Holmes and Eric Kerry, the other Trust-elected Director on the Notts County board.
For the final part of our season review - as Notts' season draws to a miserable conclusion - stay tuned to NCM in the upcoming days.