Notts County will face Dorking Wanderers in a behind closed door friendly match at Meadow Lane tomorrow as both sides prepare for their own playoff campaigns which begin later this month.
Dorking currently play in the National League South having finished in seventh on a points per game basis imposed by a vote after the premature closings of football in March and in their first season after promotion from the Isthmian League have a chance at reaching the National League with an eliminator against Bath City a week on Saturday, ahead of a potential semi-final and final in the National League South Playoffs.
For both clubs this will all be about fitness ahead of bigger things to come and will be Notts County’s first match since the 4-0 thumping of Eastleigh almost four months ago. The Magpies are hoping that the game will be used to increase fitness levels ahead of their own playoff semi-final against either Barnet or Yeovil Town at Meadow Lane which will be played on Saturday 25th July.
The game this weekend will be self-officiated with club officials in charge of refereeing and whilst the score is not so important the match will give Notts Manager Neal Ardley a chance to look at his sides shape and fitness following a long layoff without competitive football.
Ardley stated “it’s not like a pre-season, come and have a look at our new signings type game, this is all about the legs, this is all about the 25th July, this is all about trying to get us in a spot when the fans do watch us on BT Sport that it can all pay dividends”.
When asked how things have gone since Notts return to training Ardley stated “so far so good” with the Manager saying “we’ve added the element of fitness we needed to training and now we are working a lot more tactically to try and get ready for the (playoff) game”.
As well as tomorrows match verses Dorking, ahead of the playoff semi-final Ardley said “We’re looking at trying to get a second friendly which is something we are working on and think we’ll be able to do. Again this would be against a team that has been tested and with no match officials, exactly the same process and again this is all for us to be able to perform on the 25th, not for singing and dancing about but totally behind doors and part of our training preparation”.
*Main image @Official_NCFC Meadow Lane will host Notts v Dorking behind closed doors tomorrow.
