League Two promotion hopefuls Notts County test their mettle against League One outfit Shrewsbury Town in the second round of the FA Cup at Meadow Lane on Friday night.
While the visitors are looking to progress beyond the second round for the seventh successive season, the hosts will endeavour reach the third round for the first time in six years.
Match preview
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Notts County have experienced an inconsistent run of form in recent weeks as they have won five and lost five of their last 10 matches across all competitions, scoring 20 goals and conceding 19 in the process.
The Magpies have alternated between defeat and victory in their last four fixtures, most recently responding to a 4-2 away loss at AFC Wimbledon with a 3-1 home win over Crawley Town last weekend – the same team that they beat by a 3-2 scoreline in the FA Cup first round in early November.
After successfully steering Notts County to promotion from the National League last season, head coach Luke Williams now sees his side sitting sixth in the League Two table, but they are only one point behind second-placed Wrexham, while Stockport County are five points further ahead at the summit.
Before preparing for fourth-tier fixtures against Walsall, Harrogate Town and Stockport in the coming weeks, Notts County will shift their focus to a first-ever FA Cup meeting with Shrewsbury on Friday and the first versus the Shrews in any competition since losing 3-2 in League One back in February 2014 – a game in which the Magpies were leading 2-0 with Jack Grealish scoring the opener.
Notts County will relish playing in front of their own fans on Friday as they have won four of their last five matches at Meadow Lane, while they have only lost two of their last 11 FA Cup ties on home soil.
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Competing in League One for the ninth successive season, Shrewsbury have yet to set the world alight this term and comfortably sit mid-table after 20 matches, eight points clear of the relegation zone and nine points adrift of the playoffs.
While Matt Taylor's men have impressed on home soil, winning nine of their last 13 matches at New Meadow in all competitions, their efforts on the road have left little to be desired as they have failed to win any of their last nine away games, failing to score on eight of those occasions.
The Shrews have scored just 12 goals both home and away in the third tier so far this term – only basement club Cheltenham Town (10) have netted fewer – and they most recently drew a blank in Tuesday's goalless stalemate at Exeter City.
Nevertheless, there is reason for Shrewsbury to be optimistic heading into Friday's FA Cup clash with Notts County, as they have already beaten two League Two teams this season – claiming a 3-2 win over Colchester United in the FA Cup first round on November 4, 10 days before beating Walsall by the same scoreline in the EFL Trophy.
Shrewsbury have also progressed from each of their last 14 FA Cup ties against lower-division clubs since suffering a 3-1 defeat at Hereford United back in November 2012.
Team News
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Notts County midfielder Matt Palmer is ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury and is joined in the treatment room by fellow long-term absentees Geraldo Bajrami and Cedwyn Scott.
John Bostock, Connell Rawlinson and Richard Brindley, who were all dropped to the substitutes' bench last time out, will be hoping to force their way back into the first XI, with the former pushing to start in centre-midfield ahead of Sam Austin.
Macaulay Langstaff and David McGoldrick have scored 24 goals between them so far this season, and the attacking duo are expected to lead the line once again, with in-form playmaker Dan Crowley – who has contributed with one goal and four assists in his last three games – set to operate in the number 10 role.
As for Shrewsbury, Tom Flanagan is ruled of "for months" with a knee injury, while Morgan Feeney is facing a spell on the sidelines with a "freak" kidney issue according to Taylor.
The Shrews are also having to cope without Tom Bayliss, Elliott Bennett, Taylor Perry, George Nurse, Kieran Phillips, Ryan Finnigan and Brandon Fleming due to injury, the former of whom is facing six to eight weeks out with ankle ligament damage.
Taylor is therefore working with a depleted squad and is not expected to make too many changes, if any, to the side that drew with Exeter in midweek, with Daniel Udoh – the club's top scorer this term with five goals – set to join Max Mata and Ryan Bowman in attack.
Notts County possible starting lineup:
Slocombe; Rawlinson, Baldwin, Cameron; Nemane, O'Brien, Bostock, Jones; Crowley; McGoldrick, Langstaff
Shrewsbury Town possible starting lineup:
Marosi; Dunkley, Pierre, Anderson; Sobowale, Winchester, Kenneh, Shipley; Mata, Bowman, Udoh
We say: Notts County 2-1 Shrewsbury Town
A closely-fought contest could be on the cards on Friday considering that there is little to separate these two teams. However, when taking into account Notts County's strong home form and goalscoring prowess, coupled with Shrewsbury's poor away record and lack of threat in the final third, we believe that the hosts will do enough to secure their place in the third round.
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Top tip
Oliver Thomas
