JOHNNIE Jackson can smile about it now. It will be six years' ago in February that the Notts County midfielder endured one of the worst nights of his career in the FA Cup.

Jackson, 27, was a second half substitute for Tottenham Hotspur when they lost 4-3 to Manchester City in a fourth round replay at White Hart Lane on February 4, 2004.

Spurs led 3-0 at half-time, with goals from Ledley King, Robbie Keane and Christian Ziege. And City were reduced to ten men at the end of the first half when Joey Barton was sent off.

Somehow, City staged one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the competition. Jackson still remembers it vividly.

He said: "We drew at Man City and brought them back to White Hart Lane and we were 3-0 up and lost 4-3!

"The second half of that game was not my finest hour.

"They had a player sent off as well, so they had ten men in the second half. We just collapsed.

"We were out when we should have cruised through. It was a strange night that one.

"I've not had the best fortune in the FA Cup in my career.

"The fifth round is the furthest I've been. For Notts that would be a decent cup run."

After scoring in the Magpies' 2-1 first round win against Bradford City at Meadow Lane on November 6 Jackson hopes to enjoy greater fortune by beating Bournemouth today and landing his boyhood club Arsenal in the third round.

"Hopefully this season it might be my turn to have a little cup run," he added. "If we get past Bournemouth we'll be looking for either a home tie against a side we would fancy beating or a good away day against one of the big boys.

"It would be nice to draw Arsenal or Man United away. We have to use the possibility of that reward as inspiration.

"We are hoping to progress up the leagues so it would be an invaluable experience for what we will hopefully encounter in a few years' time."

For now, a trip to the Emirates Stadium or Old Trafford, the Theatre of Dreams, is a dream for Jackson and his team-mates.

A formidable Bournemouth side stand in the Magpies' way of progression to the third round for the first time since the 2004/05 campaign, and Jackson knows it.

The Cherries, who currently lead League Two, have endured defeat at Dean Court only twice this season.

"To get drawn away against a side at the top of League Two and playing well at home is a difficult game," admits Jackson.

"But it's one we can win. We would rather have been at home, definitely. But we still fancy ourselves to get through although I think we will need to be four or five up at half-time if I'm in the team after what happened at Spurs!"

The Magpies also face Bournemouth at Dean Court on December 21 and Jackson is clear that he would take three league points ahead of the third round of the FA Cup.

"If I was asked which one is the vital one, it has to be the league," he said.

"But this tie gives us a chance to size them up ahead of that game. We know their strengths now and come the league game we will know even more what it takes to win there."

Winning is a habit Notts need to get back into, having only won twice in ten games and slipped to seventh in the League Two table.

"We are under pressure in every league game to win and in the last few games we haven't managed to do that," said Jackson.

"I don't know why that is. At Rochdale we conceded bad goals and made individual errors to lose 2-1.

"I think we have been on top in most games but not putting our chances away.

"I've had a couple myself and so have the strikers. Aldershot defended well (in a 0-0 draw).

"We're letting in too many goals. We need to sharpen up and tighten up and get back to the basics and playing like we are when we were winning games earlier in the season.

"I don't think it's anything major and sooner or later I feel we are going to score three or four against a team.

"We're all upbeat but we know we have to start winning games. We're seventh in the league and we want to be in the top-three. Ideally, we want to win the title.

"We will keep working hard and stick to our style of play because we know we will be successful that way."