WHEN it comes to team talks, there will not be much left for Notts County manager Martin Allen to say.

After all, for the first time since taking over as Magpies boss last April, he felt his players had disappointed in their application.

Losing 1-0 in the FA Cup to Stevenage last Saturday, he felt his side had been out-fought in every single department during the opening 45 minutes.

And as well as a few choice words at half-time in that game, his feelings were still being made very vivid when he spoke to the media a few days later.

So when Stevenage visit Meadow Lane tomorrow in League One action, just a week on, his words will still be ringing in the ears of the Magpies players.

"In the first half they over-powered us, out-ran us, out-played us," reflected Allen, still hurting from what he saw.

"Since I have been here I have never had to say my players had been out-fought, out-battled, out-jumped. But that 45 minutes on Saturday, that certainly was the case.

"Stevenage might not be pretty but they are big and strong and they beat us up."

Allen also stated that sooner or later, something had to come Notts' way after a run of one win in 14 league games.

And on Tuesday night, he got exactly that as Lee Hughes fired his side to a 1-0 win at Walsall, ending a run of six consecutive league defeats on the road.

It has lifted the camp, boosted confidence. And with Stevenage the visitors this Saturday, the players need no more incentive when it comes to claiming back-to-back wins.

But to achieve it, they have to man-up if they are to see off a physical Stevenage side who are in the play-off places.

However, while Notts know they must win the battle this time around from the first whistle, on the eve of the match at Meadow Lane, first-team coach John Schofield also warned about not being fooled by Stevenage's reputation.

Yes, he accepts, they can be strong and direct. But they can also play football too.

"They are a side that is good at how they play," said Schofield.

"They do play some good football and I do not subscribe to this tag.

"They play some good, quality balls forward, produce good passing in the opposition half.

"That is what we try to do so it is not a revenge game, it is just the next game with three points up for grabs over the course of 46 games in a season.

"Our aim is to make sure when it comes to 4.50pm tomorrow, we have more points on our tally."

Despite their recent dip in form, the Magpies have lost just two of their 13 league matches on home soil this season.

"We have been playing well all season so we have to keep doing the good things," said Schofield. "And work on the little things we want to improve on, which we do on a daily basis.

"A lot of things people see about us is the hour and a half we play on a Saturday.

"That, ultimately, is what you are judged on but we work hard in training.

"Every individual, every unit we work on so there is a lot of hard work going on here all the time.

"It was great to get the win and clean-sheet at Walsall.

"We are all pleased with that but it is all about the next game now."

That is Stevenage. And while the hierarchy say it is not about revenge, manager Allen does not want to see the same mistakes happen again.

His critical words from last weekend will not have been lost on his players.

Tomorrow presents a massive opportunity for Notts to make inroads into the eight-point gap to Stevenage, who sit sixth in the table, occupying the final play-off spot.

In order to do so, they will need every quality that was missing in that first half at Broadhall Way last week.

Somehow, you feel the Magpies will need little extra motivation when they cross that Meadow Lane white line tomorrow.