FOREST GREEN boss Mark Cooper will be wary of the Neil Ardley factor when struggling Notts County visit the New Lawn on Saturday.

In a tumultuous season, the Magpies have parted company with Kevin Nolan and Harry Kewell this season, but under Ardley they showed plenty of fight last weekend by bagging a point against league leaders Lincoln City in a bid to secure their Football League status.

The Magpies made eight new signings over the last month with three players arriving on deadline day in Middlebrough’s Sam Stubbs, Nottingham Forest’s Virgil Gomis and Coventry veteran Michael Doyle. Seasoned Craig Mackail-Smith was also brought in from Wycombe until the end of the season

Seven points from safety is still a significant gap to vanquish, and against a backdrop of the club being put up for sale by chairman Alan Hardy.

Rovers beat Cooper's former side 3-1 at the Meadow in September. They took the lead in the first-half when Liam Shephard lashed in past Ross Fitzsimons. Notts' hopes of finding an equaliser went from bad to worse when Dan Jones was dismissed for a two-footed tackle on Lloyd James in the second half.

The visitors then made sure of the points when Reuben Reid struck. Substitute Jon Stead then scored to give Notts hope, but Rovers sealed the win when substitute Dayle Grubb curled in.