Time to take advantage

Last updated : 03 March 2009 By Dane Vincent

Take it on the road: McParland wants to take the impressive home form on the team's travels.
Notts County will be hoping to rub the salt into the wounds of tonight's cash-strapped hosts Darlington.

The Quakers were plunged into administration last week as a combined result of dwindling attendances and the recession.

A 10 point deduction was also incurred meaning that Darlington suffered a huge blow to their play-off push.

Loan players have been sent back to their parent clubs and the West Stand has been closed off as part of cost cutting measures.

With a string of absentees - Ricky Ravenhill (suspension), Liam Hatch (collar bone) and Gregg Blundell (hamstring) - it looks as though Dave Penney's squad could be forced to call upon a few of his youth team ranks in these dark times.

Magpies' manager Ian McParland is hoping that his team can build upon their fantastic 3-1 victory over promotion chasing Bradford City on Saturday.

Notts have yet to collect an away victory in 2009 and McParland is urging his players to take their great home form on the road.

"We are winning our home games and it would be nice to win tonight," he said.

"I thought we deserved to win at Aldershot, but we didn't deserve anything at Rochdale and Bury.

"When you get a good result, beating Bradford convincingly, it makes me a little bit more confident.

"I am looking forward to the game [against Darlington] and putting a show on up there."

He added: "They have got a few injuries and a couple of suspensions and unfortunately they have gone into administration.

"I feel sorry for the manager and the players because they have worked hard and got themselves in the play-offs and all of a sudden they have been deducted ten points.

"They could be a wounded tiger, they will fight and scrap.

"We have to be positive and I think we can get a good result."

Phil Picken looks set to make the trip to the Norhern Echo Arena after recovering from an illness but Matthew Hamshaw (hamstring) and Russell Hoult remain sidelined.

A win could see County leap-frog tonight's opposition into the top half of the table.