That's All Folks

Last updated : 20 February 2007 By Paul Smith

As Jason Lee - once again - rose highest in the box to nod home Jay Smith's wonderfully flighted free-kick after 53 minutes of the seventh home defeat of the season, Magpies fans dared once again to dream.

Lee... Goalscorer gives optimism
Had the score stayed at 1-0, that would be just five points to catch, and a third game unbeaten.

There seems little point in delving into the usual archives of years of under achievement because we have done so all too often. However, as usual many have believed this season would be different.

A terrific first three months of the campaign under Steve Thompson and his brand new squad, seemingly awash with determined and never-say-die attributes, saw Notts sitting comfortably inside the Playoff zone.

Indeed, alongside the spirited Carling Cup run, Notts were performing extremely well in the league, with nine clean sheets in all competitions and players such as Ian Ross, Junior Mendes and Lee looking exciting going forward, optimism was abound. Notts had saw off expected promotion chasers Wycombe and Stockport, and refused to be beaten by Mansfield, Lincoln and Peterborough.

The away form was amongst the best in the league, and it has to be said still is, and Thompson's men had lost just three times in three of domestic action.

However, as Glenn Murray powered Rochdale level on 80, and debutant Ben Muirhead seized on an awful Kevin Pilkington error to give the visitors an 83rd minute advantage, the deflated fans became pessimistic once again - or rather realistic.

It means the time has come, once and for all, for NCM to categorically state that the season is now over. No more cups and now, despite being only one place from the Playoffs, no more chances of success.

The reality is eight points, with 39 points left to play for.

There are a whole clutch of teams close and chasing the Playoff's, all the way down to Bury in 18th will feel they may have a chance, yet it looks unlikely that any of the current Playoff seven will be caught.

It would take eight wins from thirteen games for Notts to stand a chance, and plenty of draws as opposed to defeats from the remaining five. Not impossible, but with the home form worse than third bottom Wrexham, and with games still to come against Hartlepool, Walsall and MK Dons, alongside big, fierce and open local derby matches with Mansfield, Boston and Grimsby and also away matches against fellow promotion chasers Shrewsbury, Bristol Rovers and Darlington, how will Notts find the 24 points Thompson believes they need.

Pipe... Where's the net?

Individual errors are proving incredibly costly, with Pilkington at fault on Saturday, this after a superb Man of the Match performance at Wycombe, incidentally Notts' solitary clean sheet in eleven games, highlighting individual inconsistency.

Despite Lee's fourteen league goals moving him into fourth in the goalscoring charts, Notts lack goals from every area. Lawrie Dudfield has impressed recently and notched a few, but alleged goalscoring midfielders such as Dan Martin, Andy Parkinson and Ian Ross have failed to regularly pitch in. As for David Pipe…

Harsh on Pipe as that may be, considering there is no doubting he is possibly Notts' best player, he doesn't look like scoring a goal, neither does Matt Somner, another regular in midfield.

With Dudfield and Lee set to pick up suspensions, and Notts looking unlikely to pick up a clean sheet on a regular basis, particularly with atrocious set-piece defending as on display in recent games against Barnet, Lincoln and Rochdale, Notts will struggle to win games.

Did you know it has been an incredible 24 games since Notts stayed unbeaten in three… this for a side chasing promotion.

They simply do not deserve it, and NCM tell you, they will not achieve it.

Thompson... Won't get 24 points
NCM rest of season predictions:

Tonight V Shrewsbury (away): Score draw. Notts have an awful record at the Gay Meadow, but may show some sort of bouncebackability (1 point).

Saturday V MK Dons (home): Score draw. The Dons have a potent attack, and are dangerous all over going forward. Notts should rise to the occasion to score a few themselves. It has high score draw written all over it (1 point).

Saturday 3rd March V Peterborough (away): Defeat. Notts never win at London Road, and with a host of new signings sure to have bedded in by then for the Posh, it is doubtful the bad run their will stop (0 points).

Saturday 10th March V Mansfield (home): Win. Same sort of story as recent Lincoln victory (3 points).

Saturday 17th March V Bristol Rovers (away): Win. Notts fans may be given renewed false optimism, with the Pirates as inconsistent as the Magpies (3 points).

Saturday 24th March V Bury (away): No score draw. Three wins on the trot is unlikely. However, Bury won't be strong enough (1 point).

Saturday 31st March V Grimsby (home): Win. Town don't travel well (3 points).

Saturday 7th April V Boston (home): Win. Boston are, quite simply, an atrocious side (3 points).

Monday 9th April V Wrexham (away): Score draw. Both sides may have something to play for, and a blood and thunder battle may ensue with them cancelling each other out (1 point).

Saturday 14th April V Walsall (home): Defeat. Walsall will desperately need the points for the title and will be too strong defensively (0 points).

Friday 20th April V Hartlepool (away): Defeat. They are impressive all over the pitch, far too good for Thompson's men (0 points).

Saturday 28th April V Darlington (home): Score draw. One of them nothing games that just peters out (1 point).

Saturday 5th May V Macclesfield (away): Defeat. They will need the points to stay up and get them (0 points).

Final tally: an extra 17 points, with Notts finishing on 63 points.