Since we met... Rochdale

After the Magpies defeated play-off chasing Rochdale at Meadow Lane three games ago, a wave of optimism swept around Meadow Lane, and it appeared many thought that survival was a near certainty.

Hill... Hasn't let Meadow Lane loss faze him

Now it is all looking dodgy again as two draws and a defeat since has seen Mansfield Town close the gap on Notts with just three points seperating the rivals just outside and inside the relegation zone respectively.

Since Michael Johnson's solitary goal seperated Dale and Notts, Wrexham appear to have put themselves in a desperate situation and are now huge favourites to go down, with most having ruled them out of survival.

That is perhaps harsh with plenty of points still to play for, but the focus for most is on avoiding just one relegation position, the one presently occupied by the Stags.

Notts drew at Shrewsbury and then picked up another point in a nervy 0-0 draw at home to Mansfield. But it was the Stags' win over Wrexham three days later that had people concerned once more, and with Town drawing with Barnet on Saturday, and Notts losing at Bury, things haven't happened as they were expected to following the confidence boosting win over Keith Hill's men.

It is completely the opposite for Dale, who have won four times since their shock defeat in Nottingham, and they have scored eleven times in those games to surge well into the play-off zone, sitting comfortably in sixth.

They have dispatched of Rotherham, Brentford, Bradford and Grimsby in that time, all sides just outside the play-off positions. They suffered no crisis in confidence after a defense inspired win for Notts.

Personnel wise, Notts lined up with Hoult, Tann, Edwards, Johnson, Mayo,

Lee... To start at Spotland?

Butcher, Smith, Silk, Corden, Jarvis and Crow on that day, and that was the same line-up at Gigg Lane on Saturday, but expect a difference at Spotland, with Butcher, Jarvis and Tann possible casualties, the latter owing to injury.

Dale started with Lee, Ramsden, Stanton, McArdle, Kennedy, Basham, Jones, Perkins, Rundle, Howe and Le Fondre at Meadow Lane, but Le Fondre and Basham are likely to be on the bench, with Kallum Higginbotham a certain starter. He missed out through injury when we last met.

Rene Howe cut a frustrated figure at Meadow Lane, as Notts' supreme defending got the better of him and he missed two or three excellent chances, but a hat-trick at the weekend has him bang back in form while Adam Le Fondre's form has gone the other way.

He came into that game on the back of his own treble the game before, but is likely to be on the bench at Spotland.

For Notts, Danny Crow missed two sitters before Johnson's winner, but he finally broke his barren spell on Saturday and looked all the more confident for it afterwards.

Ryan Jarvis meanwhile, his strike partner, still hasn't added to his solitary Notts strike against Bradford City nine games ago, and his overall game play has been affected as a result and he could make way for Jason Lee on Tuesday night.