Notts And Alty Are Keen To Start Firing For The BT Cameras

There are more thrills and spills on the way, and the newcomers have sent out a little warning.

Alty’s forward line is ready to start firing - and there’s no way they will be daunted playing in front of the cameras at such a big venue.

The National League North Promotion Final winners struggled with the conditions on opening day, a blunt draw with Weymouth on a tricky pitch where they failed to really click into gear.

Notts would have gobbled up a point - a shattering blow at Dover meant it was a disaster of the first day following their late lapse in concentration.

Both clubs have the chance to set the record straight at Meadow Lane in midweek - but the Robins’ task is actually made harder by what went on in the final few moments on the Kent coast on Saturday.

Manager Phil Parkinson told Alty TV: “Notts County losing to Dover is not the result we wanted, really.

“A club that size, you would expect a reaction in their next game.

“It will be a special occasion - but we won’t be overawed. We went to Portsmouth last year and did so well in the FA Cup, so we’re going there thinking we can get something.

“This is actually the game we could have actually probably done with first.

“It gives you an idea of where you are, the level you’re at and the benchmark for the division as a whole.”

The home draw with Weymouth may not have been an easy watch but dropped first day points didn’t concern the manager in the first game back on home soil since clinching promotion at Boston United.

“It was a really positive performance, we can build on that, “ he added. “It shows we can get points at this level - and hopefully it will be the first of many.

“We kept a clean sheet and our midfield competed so well.

“Our frontline will get better - it’s a new frontline, but it is dynamic and on a better pitch than we had because of the conditions they will get goals. I’m excited to see what they can produce.”

The first day of the National League season saw nearly all of the promotion tips fail to take three points.

Neal Ardley knows there is some making up to do after the hard-to-take late defeat at Dover.

County haven't lost any of their last ten home matches in the National League - but the manager knows some costly defeats in front of their own fans early last season can’t be repeated.

“I just said to the players that we have to move on very quickly because you have to bounce back,” he said after the loss.

“You can’t get too high and you can’t get too low.

“I know that people will be annoyed that we can’t beat so-called 'little old Dover'.

“We do not want to be soft or be the Notts County who just play nice football,” he added.

“But obviously, it’s another set piece and the score line doesn’t really paint any other pictures other than they’ve got three points and we haven’t.”