Looking to bounce back from only their second home defeat of the campaign, Notts County will begin their adventure in this year's FA Cup by welcoming Crawley Town to Meadow Lane on Saturday afternoon.
The Magpies were unable to get a result against newly-found rivals Wrexham last time out, while the Red Devils of Sussex suffered a disappointing loss at strugglers Forest Green Rovers to extend their winless run.
Match preview
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For the first time since being pipped to the National League title by Wrexham during an enthralling non-league promotion race last season, Notts County faced off against Phil Parkinson's men in the Football League last Saturday, and once again the Welsh club came away with the result.
Despite making a host of exciting signings during the summer window, it was some of Wrexham's old guard who returned to haunt County at Meadow Lane, with strikes from midfielder Elliot Lee and veteran forward Ollie Palmer condemning Notts to only their fourth defeat since their arrival back onto the League Two scene.
The clear step-up to the fourth tier has been relatively easy for the Magpies, who currently sit second in the league standings under the expert stewardship of Luke Williams, with the Nottingham-based club only five points behind league leaders Stockport County after 16 games of the term.
County moved decisively in the summer to recruit plenty of players with Football League experience such as Jodi Jones and former Sheffield United striker David McGoldrick, but it has been a familiar face firing in the goals for the hosts this campaign, with Macaulay Langstaff netting 11 league goals so far after bagging 42 in the National League in 2022-23.
Being formally recognised as the oldest professional club in the world, it is no surprise that Notts have an FA Cup triumph to their name, but Williams's side have struggled to make a significant impact in the competition in recent times, failing to reach the third round in each of the last five seasons.
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Crawley extended their winless run across all competitions to six matches last Saturday with a less-than-inspiring defeat at The New Lawn against a Forest Green outfit who started the weekend inside the bottom two, and the visitors from Sussex were left ruing missed chances on the afternoon.
The Red Devils looked set for their maiden victory of October when midfielder Ronan Darcy netted his fourth goal of the season after seven minutes, but the hosts staged an impressive second-period comeback, with Salford City loanee Callum Morton bagging a brace to lift his side out of the relegation zone.
Following a four-game winning run to round off a sensational September, Crawley found themselves joint top of League Two alongside Saturday's hosts Notts County, although the month of October yielded just a single point for Town, meaning they now sit 14th in the fourth-tier standings.
After starting the campaign as most pundit's favourites for relegation to the National League, the work Crawley boss Scott Lindsey has completed has not gone unnoticed, and there were worries this week that the 51-year-old may be taking up the vacant managerial role at Gillingham, with the Englishman reportedly being interviewed by the Kent club.
Like most of the sides in the lower reaches of the Football League, the Red Devils have not experienced much success in the FA Cup in their history, although a run to the fourth round in 2020-21 was viewed as a massive achievement for the club and set up a tie with Premier League side Bournemouth.
Team News
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Notts County captain Kyle Cameron has insisted his side are in a very good place despite defeat to Wrexham last time out, and the 26-year-old should start alongside Aden Baldwin and Lewis Macari in the hosts' backline on Saturday.
Daniel Crowley is enjoying a prolonged stint of first-team football after difficult periods at the likes of Birmingham City and Cheltenham Town, but Williams might opt to rest the Arsenal academy graduate this weekend.
There is a battle for the title of first-choice goalkeeper at the Magpies, and although 35-year-old Sam Slocombe currently has that crown, summer arrival Aidan Stone will be handed a place in between the sticks at Meadow Lane for this one.
Crawley are expected to make a couple of changes to the side who were defeated at Forest Green last weekend, meaning the likes of Aaron Henry and Jack Roles could be brought into the starting XI.
Despite the Red Devils' struggles over the past month, forward Danilo Orsi is enjoying a productive campaign since his move from Grimsby Town in the summer, with the 27-year-old netting five goals in 14 League Two appearances.
Last weekend's goalscorer Darcy will be looking to join Orsi at the top of the visitors' scoring charts, and the 22-year-old should be partnered in the engine room by Liam Kelly and Jay Williams.
Notts County possible starting lineup:
Stone; Macari, Baldwin, Cameron; Nemane, O'Brien, Palmer, Jones, Crowley; McGoldrick, Langstaff
Crawley Town possible starting lineup:
Addai; Henry, Wright, Maguire; Gordon, Darcy, Williams, Kelly, Tsaroulla; Lolos, Orsi
We say: Notts County 2-0 Crawley Town
Notts County will be desperate to return to winning ways after a hard-to-take loss against rivals Wrexham last time out, and we can see the Magpies progressing into the second round quite comfortably.
Crawley are enduring a rocky run of form of late and are likely to exit this year's FA Cup at the first hurdle on Saturday afternoon at Meadow Lane.
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Top tip
Carter White
