06/09/2008 - Mayo makes case for defence
Paul Mayo believes Notts County's defence is more than capable, despite their costly late lapses in the last two games.
The Magpies looked set to claim their first league win of the season against Shrewsbury at Meadow Lane seven days' ago, before conceding a late leveller in the 2-2 draw.
And they looked certain to send League One outfit Scunthorpe United crashing out of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy in midweek, before the Iron struck twice in injury-time to inflict a cruel 2-1 defeat.
Mayo was gutted as he trudged off the pitch at the end of both games. But he is typically swift, honest and decisive in his defence.
He is adamant the Notts back four, which was one of the strongest in League Two last season despite the club's battle against relegation, has not gone bad overnight.
If anything, he says, the addition of right-back Jason Beardsley on loan from Championship side Derby County has made it stronger.
Adam Tann's inability to force his way into the team for any of the league games so far, despite his impressive cup performances, perhaps illustrates that even better - although Ian McParland admits the form of last season's Player of the Year gives him a big decision to make ahead of Bournemouth's visit to Meadow Lane today.
Mayo is not making excuses for the Magpies' defensive mistakes. He accepts they need to work hard on the training ground to cut them out as quickly as possible.
But he also points out that none of the teams they have played so far - the likes of Bradford City, Darlington and Shrewsbury, the so-called outstanding teams in the division - have ripped them apart. Quite the opposite.
Instead, he believes they are being punished for the slightest mistakes - although he admits they cannot afford to make even small errors if they are to get results.
Mayo said: "We deserved three points against Shrewsbury, but there was a mix-up at the back-stick and they nicked the equaliser at the end.
"It would have been a great three points for us.
"Even though the league is our priority, it was heartbreaking against Scunthorpe on Tuesday to concede two goals in injury-time.
"I have not played in a game like that before.
"But on the whole I don't think we have been too bad defensively. We seem to be getting punished for the smallest mistakes.
"Teams are not cutting us open but I think we need to stop crosses getting into the box.
"I don't think there is a lot wrong, but there are little things that need putting right on the training ground."
With two draws in their previous two league games against Darlington and Luton Town, Mayo admits victory against Shrewsbury last Saturday would have given their season lift-off.
But he is confident they can finally claim that elusive first League Two win when the Cherries come to Meadow Lane.
Bournemouth have made a miserable start to the season, with two draws, against Gillingham and Aldershot, and two defeats, against Exeter City and Port Vale, so far.
Mayo expects them to arrive with reinvigorated belief and purpose, following the appointment of new manager Jimmy Quinn.
He says the Magpies need to be wary of that, but he also believes if they produce the same kind of performance they have in previous games this season, they will prove too strong for their southern visitors.
"They have just changed their manager, which will make it a slightly harder game," he said.
"They will all be out to impress their new boss.
"Bournemouth are a bit of an unknown quantity, as they were in League One last year.
"But we won't worry about them. We will concentrate on our own game and I think if we are right and on our game we will do well.
"Everyone is confident we can get that first win and that will get us up and running."
Mayo believes Notts' tally of just three points from a possible 12 is unjust given the performances they have put in.
But he views the game against Bournemouth as the start of a sequence of games where they can string some results together and soar up the League Two table.
After today's game Notts face Accrington, Exeter and Aldershot.
"I don't think we have been rewarded with the amount of points our performances have deserved, which is a shame," said Mayo.
"I have looked at the fixtures after the Shrewsbury game and there are five or six games there that are maybe not as difficult as the previous four.
"Hopefully we can keep the performances high and pick up a few more points."