Final thought - Just how bad are things at home?

For a long time everybody closely associated with Notts County have known how bad the clubs home form is.

Meadow Lane has become an easy place for mediocre teams to hunt down at least a point, and on many occassions three as the likes of Macclesfield, Bury

Meadow Lane... Easy pickings for visiting teams

and Lincoln City have illustrated this term. That's not forgetting Conference South minnows Havant & Waterlooville in the FA Cup second round.

But with Notts currently enjoying a decent run on their travels, where they haven't been defeated since Bradford City eased pass them 3-0 on January 15, home form seems even more incredulous.

Six trips have passed since defeat at Valley Parade, with five draws and one win (against the freefalling Chester City).

Nobody anticipated getting anything from Saturday's visit to London Road, home of Peterborough United who led the way in League Two at the start of the proceedings having scored more than anyone else in the division.

Field Mill... Worse record for Mansfield

But a superb display from Notts eaked out what could turn into a crucial point, not least because of the psychological boost it must surely bring.

But they have to take it into their home form where they must start winning games. County have only four home matches left, and it is fair to say that at least three of them must be won.

Rochdale are the next visitors, while Mansfield, Accrington and Wycombe must also come to arguably the finest stadium in the division.

So far, in the league, the Magpies have lost ten of their 19 home games, winning just five and drawing four. Just 16 goals have been struck at Meadow Lane for the black and whites highlighting the persistent problem.

Only Accrington Stanley and fellow strugglers Mansfield Town and Chester City have lost more home games, with all three having picked up less home points than Notts.

But the problem runs deeper than just this season, as fans will only testify

McParland... Struggles to sort out home woes

with Meadow Lane far from the fortress it needs to become to allow Notts any chance of success.

Ian McParland has revealed how he sees the players freeze, almost frightened when at home, and the dwindling attendances and lack of atmosphere is down to the performances and results on the picth, and at home ultimately.

Since the turn of the Millennium, Notts have won 60 of their 180 league games at Meadow Lane, incredibly exactly a third of them at 33%.

More games have been lost than won in this time, with 63 home league defeats at a percentage of 35%. That leaves 57 draws, meaning the remaining 32%.

Shocking statistics highlighting how terribly inconsistent Notts have been in this decade at home. It is a statistic that must be improved before the end of the season for Notts to stand a chance of staying up and remaining in the Football League for another year.

Ian McParland's men are on course for their worst ever year at home, with the ten defeats equalled only by the ten suffered in the 2004/05 season - the first following relegation from League One.

Supporters can only hope this season doesn't take that unwanted record otherwise a whole host of different mediocre clubs will have the chance to come and take three points from the finest ground in the Blue Square Premier.