Notts County Manager Shaun Derry spoke to the media on Thursday to preview this weekend’s Sky Bet League 1 game against Peterborough United.
A victory over Crewe Alexandra at Meadow Lane last weekend and a hard-earned point in a 0-0 draw away to Doncaster Rovers in midweek have seen Notts turn the corner after a difficult run of games over the festive period.
When asked if he was hoping that this could be the start of another good run for his side, Derry explained: “We’re hoping so. You can’t guarantee that, especially when you come up against the likes of Peterborough, because they’ll be disappointed with their past seven or eight weeks what they’ve had as well, but they’ve got some really good players, so we know that, on their day, they can beat anyone, just like anyone can at this level.
“But I’m pleased going into the game. I thought last Saturday’s performance was probably one of the best we’ve had here at Meadow Lane and we’ve backed it up with a real solid away performance, so I’m looking forward to the game, but it will be difficult though.”
The goalless draw at the Keepmoat Stadium on Tuesday came courtesy of a staunch defensive display by Notts and Derry was delighted by the manner in which his side kept their hosts out in the game.
“I was delighted with the clean sheet,” he added. “Earlier on in the season we prided ourselves on being hard to beat and the goals against was a fantastic record for us and then it went and it was always going to go at some point because, like I’ve stressed over the Christmas period, they were big teams that we played at our level, real big teams, and we found it difficult to impose ourselves on it.
“Along the way we conceded some sloppy goals, but I felt like the defending, the honesty and the bodies on the line on Tuesday night, from every angle, not just the back four, we defended really well from the front, and I was pleased, I was really pleased and that was the overriding thought for me on Tuesday.”
Notts played out a 0-0 draw with Peterborough when the two sides met at London Road earlier in the season and Derry is hoping that his team will again be a match for Darren Ferguson’s side this weekend, adding: “We made it difficult for Peterborough, who were on a real good run of form at that point, so hopefully we can reproduce something similar, with a little bit more attacking nous that we managed to deliver last Saturday.”
Subscribers can watch the full media session with Shaun Derry on Magpie Player.