Putting on a performance was what Ian McParland asked from his Notts County side before last night's friendly against Stoke City - and he was pleased afterwards with what he saw from his players.

Despite a 2-0 defeat to the Premier League newboys, the result meant little to the Magpies Gaffer who believed the game would be a big learning exercise for his players.

Instead he was keen to focus on how well his side applied themselves against the Potters; and that provided the Scot will plenty to be upbeat about ahead of the big kick-off in just ten days time.

"We certainly learned a lot from the game. I was delighted with how the lads performed and how they applied themselves," said the Notts boss after last night's game.

"Against a good side in Stoke City, a Premier League club, we performed well. I was pleased especially with the first twenty-five minutes where we played some good football.

"We then got caught out with two poor goals. The first looked blatantly offside, but I'll have to look at the DVD on that one.

"They got another where Pilks made an error, but these things happen.

"Apart from that, Pilks didn't have to make a save to make where as their goalkeeper had to pull off three or four saves in the second half."

The Magpies' neat passing football was pleasing on the eye, especially in the early stages as McParland said, and he was delighted with the way his central midfielders brought wingers Matt Hamshaw and Myles Weston into the game.

And that hard work put in on the training ground is beginning to come through more and more with each game, displaying a huge difference in style of football compared to last season.

He said: "We've worked very hard on playing more football and I think the fans can see that, and we've got two wingers who like to play in Hamshaw and Weston.

"We're trying to get Myles to believe in himself a bit more and produce with his end product, and Hammy is a player who likes to get on the ball and play football.

"The two lads give us width which is a new lease of life for us because we didn't have two wingers for long spells last season.

"Myles had his injuries and we struggled for a right-sided player. It was a problem position for us.

"It is also pleasing to see the work we are putting in on the training ground coming through to the games, especially the diagonal balls the central midfielders played out to the wingers."

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