The big news coming out of Notts County ahead of their visit to Huish Park is that 40-year-old midfielder Michael Doyle is due for a return to action.
The former Coventry City player was appointed as assistant head coach to manager Ian Burchnall and took a step back from his role as a player.
However, after seeing his side give up a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 against a ten-man FC Halifax Town on Tuesday night, the manager is looking to bring back the experienced head in the middle of the park.
Burchnall said: “We have discussed it and it’s not necessarily that we need Michael to play every game but there might have been a moment against Halifax where he could have come in and settled the environment.
“A lot of what we do will come from the way in which we train and I’ve said to Doyler maybe you need to get back on the training pitch and help the players understand from a coach on the pitch.”
The capitulation of the Magpies in West Yorkshire in the week and last weekend when they gave up a 1-0 win to lose 4-1 at home to surprise package Woking.
FROM THE MANAGER
Notts County manager Ian Burchnall described his side’s performance in the 3-2 defeat at FC Halifax Town as “junior football“.
Having led 2-0 when Halifax defender Tom Bradbury saw red, Notts collapsed to a 3-2 defeat with a 100th minute winner from ex-Yeovil Town man, Matt Warburton.
Speaking afterwards, Burchnall told the Nottingham Post: “We’ve got to understand that over the course of the season goals go in but we can’t have such a negative reaction.
“When they do we have to bring ourselves together and reorganise. Until the red card, when I felt the game unravelled a little bit, I thought it was a very good away performance.
“We were 2-0 up and looked very stable. We have to remember why we’re in that position and what put us there.
“We started to chase the game and chase the result even at 2-1.
“When we’re 2-1 up, I still felt like we’re so desperate to chase that third goal to close it, that we leave ourselves vulnerable and a bit open to counter-attacks.
“We just have to completely manage the game and kill the opposition at that moment.
“And I think that is a mindset to be able to do that, to stay focused and disciplined even with a setback within the game.”
TEAM NEWS
Goalkeeper Sam Slocombe has been missing since the middle of September after picking up an injury in training.
The club have brought in highly-rated Sunderland youngster Alex Patterson has played the last three matches, conceding seven times in his last two matches.
Slocombe’s injury was described as being “for around three weeks” when it was reported on September 24, meaning there’s a chance of him returning at Huish Park.
Central defenders Connell Rawlinson and Kyle Cameron, the latter signed in the summer from Torquay United, have been big misses through injury in recent weeks.
As with Slocombe, both were ruled out for “up to three weeks ago”…..around three weeks ago and may be brought back in to the fold this weekend.
Ex-Yeovil central defender Alex Lacey is recently back after a hip operation in the summer following a four-month lay-off, but returned to the side at the beginning of September.
He has been an ever-present in the Notts side since the 3-2 win over Aldershot Town and has scored twice in that time, including in the 3-2 defeat at FC Halifax Town on Tuesday night.
A FOOT IN BOTH CAMPS
On the pitch, there will be at least one player on either side of the weekend’s fixture facing their old employers.
In the green corner, Jordan Barnett arrived at Huish Park following his release by Notts at the end of last season, where he played 12 times scoring once….against Yeovil.
Barnett was on the bench for the goalless draw with Maidenhead United in midweek when his all-action display was lacking, so may return.
Midfielder Mitchell Rose, who played the full 90 minutes against Maidenhead, played more than 50 times for Notts during an 18-month spell between January 2019 and November 2020. He was part of the County side who dropped out of the Football League.
In the black-and-white corner, central defender Alex Lacey was a virtual ever present in his two seasons at Yeovil in 2015-16 and 2016-17.
In the latter season, he was was awarded with the Green & White Supporters Club and Community Sports Trust Player of the Season.
Having rejected an offer of a new contract in Somerset, he signed for League One Gillingham and arrived at Notts in November 2019 following his release from the Gills.
He signed a contract extension in August 2020 and (ominously) scored in the 3-2 defeat at FC Halifax Town in midweek.
Other players who recent experience playing for both teams include:
Francois Zoko – Notts County (2012-13), Yeovil Town (2015-2019)
Carl Dickinson – Notts County (2016-18), Yeovil Town (2018-2021)
Yoann Arquin – Notts County (2012-14), Yeovil Town (2018-2019)
Leroy Lita – Notts County (2015 – loan), Yeovil Town (2016)
Adam Coombes – Notts County (2013-14), Yeovil Town (2010 – loan)