NOTTS County have been in freefall since promotion-winning manager Luke Williams left for Swansea.

The Magpies have lost five of their last six games under new boss Stuart Maynard as they slide down League Two.

It has been some fall from grace for a team strongly expected to match Wrexham again and charge straight through the division on their EFL return.

Notts County sat fifth at the end of last year after convincing wins over Doncaster and Morecambe over the holiday period.

But they have picked up just five points from nine games in 2024 and are currently second bottom in the form table.

Maynard has endured a torrid start since being appointed from National League side Wealdstone six weeks ago.

County hit a new low in midweek when they were beaten 4-3 at home by Sutton – as the bottom club completed a winning double.

The team were booed off at the end with claims of players involved in confrontations with angry supporters.

Williams said: “I don’t think anyone enjoyed it. The fans deserved to show their frustration and I take it on the chin.

“It’s a performance I’m not proud of. I feel embarrassed, especially in the manner we’ve conceded goals once again.

“It’s the first time since we’ve been here as a management team where the performance level was nowhere near good enough.

“We’ve got a group of lads who run about and give everything but when you keep making errors like we are, then it’s just not good enough and that’s where we’re at.

“This is a group of players who in the last 18 months haven’t had difficult periods like this. Internally we’ll stick together and come out fighting in our next game.”

Notts continue to score goals for fun with their tally of 69 from 34 games the highest in the division.

Red-hot striker Macaulay Langstaff, who netted twice in the 4-2 win over City at Meadow Lane, is now up to 24 after his monumental 42 in last year’s non-league promotion campaign.

But they continue to have real problems at the other end with 66 goals conceded.

Williams switched to three centre halves on Tuesday but may revert to a flat back four at Valley Parade. Jaden Warner is struggling after rolling his ankle.

The manager’s only win was on the road at Newport and he feels they are currently playing better away from Meadow Lane.

“The only thing you can look at is we’ve been good away from home. We’ve got to make sure we take that positivity into our performance at Bradford.

“When you look at our away performances, they deserve way more. They have been very good and we’ve got to make sure we go away again and perform to a high level.”