Notts County secured a vital 1-0 victory over Accrington Stanley at Meadow Lane this afternoon, thanks to Ryan Jarvis' first-half goal.

The Magpies had been urged ahead of this game by Ian McParland to grasp the opportunity of having their fate in their own hands, and Jarvis grasped his opportunity on thirty-seven minutes with aplomb by lashing home from just inside the Accrington area.

Jarvis, Jason Lee and sub Lawrie Dudfield all had chances to extend Notts' lead, but Jarvis' goal was enough despite late pressure from the visitors.

Ian McParland opted to make just one change to the eleven which started the 4-2 defeat to Rochdale in midweek. Myles Weston came off the bench at Spotland and put in an impressive display, and he was rewarded with a start in place of Wayne Corden.

Stephen Hunt shook off a pelvic knock to start, while Paul Mayo and Adam Tann shrugged off their injuries to take their places on the bench although Jay Smith and Gary Silk joined Kevin Pilkington and Gavin Strachan in missing out.

Roared on by a massive following in the Kop Stand the Magpies made a bright opening and took the game to the visitors in the opening stages.

Myles Weston saw plenty of the ball down the left in the early stages, and after two forays past Accrington defenders in the first six minutes he created the Magpies' first clear-cut opening on thirteen minutes.

After Richard Butcher did superbly well in the middle of the park to win two challenges he was able to release Weston down the middle in a three-on-three situation, and the youngster slipped the ball through to Jason Lee who fired a low effort towards goal from just inside the area.

But, after bagging his first of the season in midweek at Rochdale, his effort was straight at Arthur although a slight deflection off an Accrington defender carried the ball towards the goalkeeper even more. Weston's pace in the early stages was really worrying Accrington.

Despite the real lack of clear-cut openings, it was Notts in control of the game.

That was until 37 minutes, when Notts took a deserved lead. A corner from midfielder Neil MacKenzie was one that Accrington just couldn't clear, and Notts made the most of the opportunity.

The ball fell kindly to Ryan Jarvis who from twelve yards out worked the room to lash a powerful right-foot drive beyond Arthur and into the back of the net. Full of power, the goalkeeper had no chance in the world of saving it and Jarvis was able to celebrate his second goal of his loan spell from Norwich.

He almost had a second before the break, but he volleyed just wide from the edge of the box and Notts went in at the interval deservedly in the lead.

Half-Time: Notts County 1-0 Accrington Stanley

The Magpies almost made a perfect start to the second-half on fifty minutes, but Jason Lee rose to meet Neil MacKenzie's free-kick with a header which was just off target at the far post.

Just after the hour Ian McParland replaced Danny Crow with Lawrie Dudfield in attack. The second-half had begun at a slow pace, with neither side taking the game by the scruff of the neck.

It led to very few opportunities, but Dudfield almost made an instant goalscoring return after two months out injured with a fractured arm. He turned his marker smartly down the left and let fly with a powerful right-foot shot which Arthur spilled but no-one was close enough to the Accrington goalkeeper to take advantage of the loose ball.

At the other end Whalley almost caught Notts unawares as a long ball was latched onto by the Stanley substitute, but after working his way into the Notts box he drove a low effort just wide when he should have done better.

Accrington's Edwards was lucky to remain on the pitch twenty minutes from time when he hacked Weston down in full flow as Notts caught the visitors on the break, but amazingly he only saw yellow when the young winger had a clear run towards goal as Notts began to dominate proceedings.

Corden replaced Weston in the final ten minutes, but six minutes from time it was the visitors who came so close to drawing level with Ian Craney letting fly from outside the area with a ferocious right-foot effort which was just wide of Hoult's left-hand post.

The Magpies defended well as they came under pressure late on, hanging on to a priceless victory in their fight for survival.

This was a game Notts had to win, McParland and Danny Crow said as much on Thursday in the pre-match press briefing. League status ahead of performances and anything else right now is what Notts want, and three vital points given to them by Jarvis will go a long way to securing that League status.

The large band of supporters in the Kop Stand were called upon to play their part today, and they did - roaring the team on when it really mattered allowing Notts to head to bottom side Wrexham next Saturday in confident mood.

Full Time: Notts County 1-0 Accrington Stanley

TODAY'S GAME WAS SPONSORED BY COCA-COLA

Notts County: Hoult, Canoville, Edwards (C), Johnson, Hunt, Jarvis, Butcher, MacKenzie, Weston (Corden 78), Crow (Dudfield 63), Lee.
Subs Not Used: Tann, Mayo, Weir-Daley.
Booked: Crow, Hunt.
Sent Off: None.
Goals: Jarvis (37).

Accrington Stanley: Arthur, Cavanagh (C), Proctor, Mullin, Edwards, Branch, Webb, Grant, Craney, Todd (Whalley 46), Mannix (Harris 46).
Subs Not Used: Dunbavin, McGivern, Murphy.
Booked: None.
Sent Off: None.
Goals: None.

Match Referee: Mr C Boyeson

Attendance: 5,525 (101 Accrington Stanley Fans)

nottscountyfc.co.uk Man of the Match: Ryan Jarvis