Notts County should heed Morecambe warning to avoid complacency: View | OneFootball

Notts must get back to their clinical best if they are to beat a Morecambe side who may not be as weak as the table suggests.

Notts County make the journey up to the North West on Saturday to take on a Morecambe side still searching for their first win of the 2024/25.

Stuart Maynard’s side were beaten 1-0 by a resolute Gillingham outfit last weekend, in a closely fought affair at Meadow Lane.

A couple of contentious decisions from referee Lee Swabey went against Notts, but on the balance of play, the Magpies created enough chances to have taken at least a point from the game, if not more.

It was the first time Notts have drawn a blank in front of goal this season, and the first time their finishing has been found wanting.

This is something that Notts must iron out ahead of their trip to face a Morecambe side that perhaps haven’t started as poorly as the table suggests.

Missed chances cost Notts against Gillingham

Notts were left with a sour taste in their mouths last weekend, after Sam Austin’s 87th minute equaliser was ruled out by a very late offside flag.

Maynard wasn’t best pleased with the decision, stating after the game: "We've had a goal that's been disallowed that we believe, and we've seen it back, is onside."

However, it was really missed chances that cost Notts and condemned them to their first defeat of the League Two season. They finished the game with an xG of 1.63, but with only three shots on target, highlighting what was a frustrating day in front of goal.

Nick Tsaroulla hit the post from close range in the first half and then David McGoldrick couldn’t get a good enough connection to turn a low cross goalward late in the game.

These were two of several chances created and then spurned, as the Magpies tried to breach the Gills’ defence.

It was the first time this season that Notts’ finishing has come under the spotlight for the wrong reasons and while it’s far from a big issue (the Magpies have still scored the highest number of goals in the league), it’s something that could cost them again against Morecambe, if they are unable to improve upon it.

Morecambe may be a more difficult proposition than the table suggests

Despite currently propping up the League Two table (and the entire Football League for that matter), Morecambe are likely to be a much tougher opposition than the league table currently suggests.

The Shrimpers have drawn two and lost five of their opening seven games in League Two, however, each one of those five defeats finished 1-0.

Their two draws finished 3-3 and 2-2 (against Colchester and Fleetwood respectively), meaning exactly half of the goals they’ve conceded so far this season came in those two games alone.

Although currently sat at the foot of the table, Derek Adams’ side are certainly not getting blown away in games and that should come as a warning to Notts. If they continue to miss chances like they did against Gillingham, they may be in for a much tighter game than many people are perhaps expecting.

Notts will also have to overcome a less-than-favourable record if they are to leave the Mazuma Stadium with all three points on Saturday, having won just once in their previous eight visits to Morecambe. Their one victory came on Boxing Day in 2017 when braces from Jorge Grant and Lewis Alessandra carried Kevin Nolan’s side to a 4-1 victory.

With Alassana Jatta potentially unavailable again, Notts may face the same lack of options up front as they did against Gillingham, something they must find a way to overcome if they are to secure an instant return to winning ways in the league.

With 15 signings arriving on the same day after their transfer embargo was lifted in July, Morecambe are a side thrown together fairly hastily, which could potentially account for their disappointing start.

But with the likes of Hallam Hope and George Ray in the squad, they undoubtedly have some very solid Football League experience, which suggests that once they’ve gelled as a unit they may not be struggling at the foot of the table for very long.

Notts must heed a warning from Morecambe's previous results as this weekend's game may be tighter than the table suggests.