Notts County Football Club

Notts worked hard for the shutout, as countless blocks and a string of fine saves from goalkeeper Bartosz Bialkowski frustrated the U’s. 

This was the Magpies’ first clean sheet since the start of October and the first under manager Shaun Derry. 

Liddle believes that team is looking increasingly solid and is confident that County’s defensive armour can continue to improve. 

“The clean sheet was as important as the goals because we haven’t kept too many of those this season,” he told Magpie Player. 

“Bartosz is as disappointed as anyone that he’s been conceding goals but it’s not his fault, of course, because he’s been magnificent this past month or two.

“As a team we haven’t defended as well as we could have but since the new backroom team has come in we’ve been a lot more resolute, I feel.

“Not just the back four but in and around the back four as well and hopefully we can continue that and get another victory and clean sheet at the weekend.”

Liddle hopes that the home fans will turn out in force for this coming Saturday’s big game against Bristol City to witness the recent improvements for themselves and spur the team onto a third consecutive win. 

He continued: “It promises to be another great game with an ex-manager coming and against a team who are lingering at the bottom of the league as well as we are.

“We’re in a very confident mood from the last two victories we’ve had and the three or four performances, where we’ve been unfortunate to get a couple of losses as well as the draw at Bradford.

“We need to get as many fans as possible down to the Lane to help drive us on because we’d like to think we can put on a decent show and score some more goals.”