Assistant Manager Dave Kevan simply felt Notts County 'ran out of ideas' after seeing the Magpies lose their unbeaten run at home to Darlington last night.

Notts slipped to a 1-0 defeat thanks to Ricky Ravenhill's strike at the end of the first half, and Kevan felt after an impressive first-half display Notts ran out of steam and also ideas.

He also admitted that losing a goal just before the interval was a bitter pill to swallow.

"We're obviously disappointed to lose the unbeaten run," admitted Kevan.

"Darlington showed they are not second in the League for no reason, and they showed they were a very good team.

"Early on their goalkeeper made a few good saves from a few good headers, and obviously if one of those had gone in it would have been different.

"We then went and conceded just before half-time and after matching them well in the first period we seemed to run out of air in the second half and we ran out of ideas.

"Opportunities were few and far between for us in the second half, which was frustrating. We didn't feel we were outplayed, but the frustration was obviously conceding just before the break."

Notts must quickly pick themselves up for the visit to Chester City on Saturday, and Kevan feels approaching the final quarter of the season there are certain to be ups and downs.

With that, he feels the squad must not feel too down following their first defeat since early January.

"It is a big game at the weekend against Chester, but they are all big games," he said.

"We're approaching the final quarter of the season now and we're in desperate need of some points.

"We will prepare in the right way, as we always do, and make sure we are organised and the lads put in a performance.

"We have to remain upbeat ahead of Saturday. Darlington are second, but that doesn't make the defeat any easier to take or come to terms with.

"There are sure to be a few ups and downs over the next few months, and we're obviously disappointed but by the time we get back to work later this week we will be looking forward again."