Jamal Campbell-Ryce felt that the Magpies needed to give more in Saturday’s 2-1 loss to bottom of the league Hartlepool United.
Pools’ tireless display saw them claim a much-needed three points in their bid to remain in npower League 1.
Campbell-Ryce had no arguments about the final scoreline and insisted that Notts need to show more fight against teams scrapping for their lives at the bottom of the table.
The Magpies missed out on a great chance to close the gap on the top six to just two points, which deeply upset the former Bristol City winger.
“They dug deep and we didn’t - that’s the bottom line,” he said.
“When you come to places like this - teams that are bottom of the league – that’s what they’re going to do and we’ve got to expect that.
“I was told when I was a kid that on my ability alone I wouldn’t make it as a professional footballer.
“You’ve got to work hard and that’s the same out there when you’re playing.
“You’ve got to dig in and do the horrible side first, earn the right to play your football and then go and play.
“You’ve got to work hard and I thought maybe we fell short of that.”
He added: “If we’ve got any chance of going up or getting into the Play-Offs, we’ve got to be coming to places like this and, no disrespect to Hartlepool, we should be turning them over.
“We’re Notts County and the way that we play football and the chances that we create, we should be burying teams like this and it’s highly frustrating.
One highlight of the day was Campbell-Ryce’s second half equaliser, a superb finish after he beat two players from the right wing.
“It’s always nice to get on the scoresheet and obviously I enjoyed the goal very much,” he continued.
“I just wanted to make amends, because obviously I got done for their first goal, which I was frustrated at.
“The lad’s had a good touch, which was a tad fortunate, but it was a good goal nevertheless.
“It helps to get on the scoresheet and I’m just disappointed that we conceded again and lost the game.”
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