Its the beginning of a new season and Notts County face a difficult challenge to start the campaign by playing Carlisle at Brunton Park.
Martin Allen will be hoping for a good start to the season and this time round he will be making it tough for the players to ensure they keep their feet on the ground and concentrate solely on the club.
Even at this early stage of the season their are stories about the first team having to clean up the away dressing room when they have finished.
Lets hope it works.
Vital Quotes:
Martin Allen: ‘You need people like Hughes. It will be a bit of a gamble if I play him in the first game but it’s a calculated gamble because he brings a lot to the team.’
Carlisle United Team News:
Carlisle manager Greg Abbott is hoping that defender Peter Murphy and striker Craig Curran will be ready for the opener.
Centre-half Murphy was withdrawn from the recent friendly win over Bradford with a lower back problem, while Curran sustained a dead leg in the same match, but both players returned to full training in midweek.
Abbott has only one other injury concern with striker Paddy Madden, ruled out for three months after breaking a bone in his foot at Workington in pre-season, undergoing surgery on Tuesday.
Player to watch: Stephen O`Halloran
O`Halloran was released by Coventry at the end of last season, he can play at left-back and centre-half and manager Abbott believes he will provide strong competition for his other defenders.
Notts County Team News:
Lee Hughes could be risked for Notts County’s opening game of the season at Carlisle.
The veteran striker suffered the bends while scuba diving on holiday and had to undergo a sinus operation three weeks ago.
Midfielders Neal Bishop (ankle) and Alan Judge (hamstring) will also face late fitness tests.
Former Carlisle striker Karl Hawley could be in Allen’s squad along with new signings Jeff Hughes, Alan Sheehan, Jude Stirling and Ishmel Demontagnac.
Defender Stephen Hunt (ankle) and forward Ben Burgess (hamstring) are out.
Player to watch: Lee Hughes
If he plays he is always likely to score
Last Four Meetings
2010/2011
League One 22 Jan 2011 Notts Co 0 – 1 Carlisle
League One 09 Oct 2010 Carlisle 1 – 0 Notts Co
2005/2006
League Two 17 Apr 2006 Carlisle 2 – 1 Notts Co
League Two 22 Oct 2005 Notts Co 0 – 0 Carlisle
Match Prediction:
If all goes well, we might get a draw out of this one, cant see anything better than that.
Next Fixtures:
Carling Cup Tu 09Aug 2011 Nottm Forest v Notts Co
League One Sa 13Aug 2011 Notts Co v Charlton.
League One Tu 16Aug 2011 Notts Co v Tranmere
League One Sa 20Aug 2011 Sheff Wed v Notts Co
