Notts County stretched their unbeaten run to four games in League Two with a goalless draw at home to local rivals Mansfield Town this afternoon in a highly competitive derby.

Before a 10,000+ crowd, the first-half was a tight affair that saw the visitors come closest to opening the scoring midway through the half as Nathan Arnold's right-foot shot from inside the area came crashing back off the woodwork.

In this full-blooded local derby Notts put the visitors under pressure at the start of the second half with Danny Crow and Wayne Corden both going close.

However neither side were able to make the breakthrough - and the game ended goalless.

Notts boss Ian McParland had something of a selection headache ahead of this massive local derby, and he opted to go back to the side which defeated Rochdale 1-0 at Meadow Lane one week ago with fit-again Michael Johnson and Mike Edwards recalled to the centre of defence after shaking off the knocks which forced the duo to miss the 0-0 draw at Shrewsbury on Bank Holiday Monday.

Lee Canoville and Stephen Hunt were the duo to miss out, and both were named on the substitutes bench for the crucial game - while Mansfield were at virtual full-strength for the local derby.

Goalkeeper Russell Hoult picked up an injury in the pre-match warm-up, but despite initial doubts he was named in the starting line-up. Tim Sandercombe was initially not on the bench, but he was called up in place of Neil MacKenzie at the last minute.

He took to the field as Notts kicked off aiming for back-to-back home wins, but the early pressure in the opening minutes came from the Stags, with Hoult called into action on eight minutes to dive to his left and dive onto a header arrowing towards the far corner by Jefferson Louis from a right-wing D'Laryea cross.

The opening stages were, as you would expect from a local derby, full of passion, plenty of running and determined challenges - and with a cracking atmosphere to the game had all the ingredients for an exciting local derby.

Mansfield almost drew first-blood on twenty-five minutes, but after Boulding's excellent ball in behind the Notts defence picked out the run of Arnold in the box the frontman's effort crashed off the angle and post and bar and rebounded away to safety.

That was the start of a real bout of pressure by the visitors, who also tested Notts with Louis' header straight at Russell Hoult and Boulding's turn-and-shot in the area which was also straight at the Magpies' giant goalkeeper.

Notts' only attempts of the half came from long-range, but Pau Mayo and Richard Butcher were both unable to beat Carl Muggleton from outside the area.

After that spell of pressure, the half passed by without either side being able exert pressure onto the other - meaning a half-time stalemate at Meadow Lane.

Half-Time: Notts County 0-0 Mansfield Town

The second half began with Notts putting the visitors under pressure, but two balls into the box from Corden just didn't fall kindly for the Magpies' frontmen and Crow also lashed a long-range effort wide of Muggleton's goal.

At the other end a long ball over the top almost caught Notts out ten minutes into the half, but Boulding was denied by a fine defensive header by Johnson which initially looked as if he was heading towards his own goal - but he had read the situation well and mopped up quickly to clear.

The same defender made another fine clearance two minutes later with a towering header to clear after Boulding had smartly flicked the ball over Adam Tann in the area as the Stags upped the pressure as they sought a much-needed goal in their fight for survival while Matt Hamshaw curled a long-range shot straight at Hoult.

Despite huffing-and-puffing and bags of commitment, neither side were dominant as the game passed the hour mark - but with twenty minutes to go Notts almost broke the deadlock as Butcher and Crow combined well to allow the latter to shoot towards goal from the edge of the box however his shot was straight into the grateful arms of Muggleton.

Corden also fired at the visiting goalkeeper two minutes later as Notts sought a way through the stubborn Mansfield backline, and the introduction of Spencer Weir-Daley in place of Ryan Jarvis ten minutes from time indicated Notts were still very much going for the win with Jarvis running himself into the ground with another hardworking display.

In injury-time Matt Hamshaw spurned a glorious chance to win it for the visitors in injury time, but he blasted over from a few yards out at the far post from Simon Brown's cross from the left while at the other end Spencer Weir-Daley's goalbound shot was blocked by the body of Jake Buxton at the expense of a corner.

Another point on the board cannot be sniffed out by the Magpies, despite wanting to claim those local bragging rights. Another chance for Mansfield to close the gap has gone - and once again Notts kept a clean sheet which was their fourth in a row.

Assistant Manager Dave Kevan admitted prior to this game he was expecting a tight and tense encounter - and that's exactly what we got.

Four unbeaten and another game closer to safety, the Magpies will certainly be content with this point which keeps them seven points away from those bottom two spots in this full-blooded and competitive derby.

Full Time: Notts County 0-0 Mansfield Town

TODAY'S GAME WAS SPONSORED BY HILLSIDE MEDICAL SUPPLIES

Notts County: Hoult, Tann (C), Edwards, Johnson, Mayo, Butcher, Silk, Smith, Corden, Jarvis (Weir-Daley 79), Crow
Subs Not Used: Lee, Sandercombe, Canoville, Hunt.
Booked: Edwards.
Sent Off: None.
Goals: None.

Mansfield Town: Muggleton, Mullins, Jellyman, D'Laryea, Hamshaw, Dawson, Boulding, Buxton (C), Baptiste, Arnold, Louis (Brown 71).
Subs Not Used: White, Wainwright, Horlock, Briggs.
Booked: Buxton.
Sent Off: None.
Goals: None.

Match Referee: Mr M Haywood

Attendance: 10,027 (3,317 Mansfield Town Fans)

nottscountyfc.co.uk Man of the Match: Michael Johnson