TT MATCH PREVIEW – NOTTS COUNTY (A) by Steve Harris

TT PREVIEW

Steve Harris – @steveharris84

Match details: Notts County vs Torquay United

Venue: Meadow Lane, Nottingham

Date: Saturday 28th August 2021

Kick-off: 3pm

Notts County fact file:

Year founded: 1862

Nickname: The Magpies

Last season’s league finish: 5^th National League

Notable honours:

FA Cup: Winners – 1894

Anglo Italian Cup: Winners – 1995

2nd Division/1st Division/Championship: Winners – 1896-97, 1913-14, 1922-23

2nd Division play-off: Winners – 1990-91

Head to Head:

Torquay: 8 Draws: 19 Notts County: 20

League Position and Recent Form:

Torquay: 14th – L Notts County: 1st – W

Manager: Ian Burchnall

After spending the bulk of his coaching and managerial career in Scandinavia, with Sarpsborg 08, Viking FK in Norway and Ostersund in Sweden, Burchnall was appointed Notts County manager on March 25, 2021 as successor to Neal Ardley. While at Sarpsborg 08 he was assistant manager to former Sheffield United, Leeds United, Benfica and Middlesbrough striker Brian Deane. Burchnall then went on to manage Norwegian side Viking before succeeding Brighton and Hove Albion manager Graham Potter as manager of Swedish Ostersund; In the 2018 Allsvenskan season he led Ostersund to a sixth place finish with 49 points – one place below their highest ever league finish and one point below their record points haul set during Potter’s reign.

In his first season in charge at Meadow Lane, Burchnall guided the Magpies to the National League Play-offs for the second year in a row and is once again aiming high in the 2020-21 campaign.

Player to watch: Ruben Rodrigues

Portuguese midfielder Ruben Rodrigues enjoyed a successful debut campaign with Notts County in the 2020-21 season after joining the Magpies from Den Bosch in Holland.

Rodrigues played a key role in helping County secure a place in the National League Play-offs, as he netted six times during May 2021 – which helped to earn him the National League player of the month award. He was also on target in the Magpies’ 4-2 National League Play-off semi-final defeat against Torquay United at Plainmoor last June.

The Portuguese made a flying start to the 2021-22 campaign when he netted twice in County’s 5-0 win over Barnet on the opening day.

Old boys:

Torquay: None

Notts County: Kyle Cameron, Aaron Nemane, Frank Vincent

Last time: Torquay 4-2 Notts County (AET) – 12th June 2021

GOALS: TUFC- Wright (1, 48), Hall (102), Moxey (105’+4 pen); NOTTS – Rodrigues (39), Chicksen (51).

TEAMS:

Torquay United: Covolan, Moxey, Lewis, Sherring, Wynter, Cameron (Andrews), Hall (Buse), Little (Waters), Randell, Lemonheigh-Evans, Wright (Kimpioka)

Notts County: Slocombe, Brindley, Ellis, Kelly-Evans, Reeves (Griffiths), Doyle, Chicksen (Rawlinson), Miller (Barnett), Boldewijn (Knowles), Rodrigues, Wootton