Keeping Up With...The Magpies

Last time at the Theatre of Dreams, Adams’ men produced a superb performance to beat in-form Mansfield 3-0. 

County come into the tie on the back of a highly-entertaining 3-2 defeat to promotion-chasing Accrington. A goal from froward Billy Kee and a brace from former Pilgrim Rommy Boco saw Stanley race into a 3-0 lead before the hour-mark. Another former Green, Ronan Murray pulled one back for the visitors before Adam Campbell slotted in from close range nine minutes from time. John Coleman's side, however, held on for the three points.

The 24-year-old forward Ronan Murray joined the Argyle during the 2012-13 season on-loan from Championship side Ipswich. He scored one goal in 13 games under John Sheridan, as Argyle survived the drop. Ronan joined County during that summer and has scored ten times in 52 league matches since.

While at Argyle, Murray played in the same side as Jason Banton, who now lines up for County, too.. Banton's six goals in 14 games as the tail end of the 2012-13 season almost single-handedly retained Argyle's league status. 

Jason joined Argyle on a permanent basis the following January, but never recaptured that initial form. He joined Wycombe in the summer – and scored his only Chairboys goal against Argyle – but only made seven appearances for them. A short loan spell at Hartlepool followed, before he was released from his contract and joined Notts County, following a trial. He has played four times for the Magpies. 

A poor February has seen Jamie Fullarton's side win just once in four fixtures; a solitary 3-2 win away at Hartlepool has been their only points in the month. On that occasion, Jon Stead's 80th minute goal was enough after the Magpies had let a two goal lead slip. 

Their away form in 2016 has seen them win three of their five games on the road with a 1-0 win at Crawley and a 2-0 win at Luton adding to the win at Victoria Park. They have lost their last three home fixtures. 

Adams' side will need to be wary of midfielder Liam Noble and forward Jon Stead, who each have registered nine goals this season. 24-year-old Noble, who joined the club from Carlisle United in 2014, scored most recently in his side’s 3-2 win over Hartlepool but has also seen red twice this campaign. Stead surprisingly joined the club after leaving Championship side Huddersfield. The 32-year-old hit headlines last season as his goal and assist helped Bradford knock-out Chelsea, 4-2 in the FA Cup.

The two sides have met 43 times in history, with Notts having a great record having beaten Argyle on 23 occasions to the Devon side's 11. The Magpies lost the last meeting between the two however as a Reuben Reid brace was enough to claim all three points in front of Sky cameras in October's tie. For the most recent encounter at Home Park you would need to go back to December 2010, when Argyle defender Stephane Zubar's goal was cancelled out by Lee Hughes to settle a 1-1 draw.

The Magpies have scored one goal fewer than the Pilgrims - 46 from their 30 games - but also have shipped in a huge total of 54, the fifth leakiest defence in League 2.