The Euros maybe starting today but locally, a more prominent game will take place this weekend as Notts County travel to Torquay United in the semi-final of the National League playoffs with a place in next weeks final at Ashton Gate, and more importantly the chance to compete once again in the football league for the team in the last four to win their next two successive matches.

Jim O’Brien should be back in contention with Alex Lacey and Cal Roberts certainly out of action. Notts will be hoping for a similar performance to their second half show against Chesterfield in the round previous at Meadow Lane but fans will be hoping the trip to Plainmoor is not near as nail-biting as the thrilling late win against the Spirites.

Last time against each other the two sides shared the spoils in an entertaining 2-2 draw in Devon, a game Notts should have won after taking a 2-0 lead in. Two late goals for ten man Torquay including a 98^th minute leveller rescuing a point in the end for the Gulls.

Torquay also drew their last four games of the regular campaign as they faltered to a second place finish behind leaders Sutton United who went on to win the championship by four points and gain promotion to the football league for the first ever time. Ahead of Notts this weekend, United Manager Gary Johnson said “We absolutely know what we are coming up against – they have hit a good bit of form, as all the teams in the play-offs did at the end of the season. They all hit great form.”

“The only thing that we have got over and above what Notts County have got is of course home advantage. And that’s going to be absolutely massive as we saw in both of the preliminary play-offs.”

Ian Burchnall the Notts County Head Coach is also in positive mindset stating “We’ve been through the Chesterfield game – the good bits and the bad bits – and established where we want to improve.”

“We’re really focused. We haven’t sleep-walked into this week thinking everything was perfect. We’re all hungry to see if we can improve this weekend.”

The match kicks off at 12pm on Saturday with home fans allowed inside the stadium, the game will be shown live on BT Sports.

*Main image @Official_NCFC Ian Burchnall focused ahead of the game.