- Notts County won the last H2H in the National League 2022/2023, 2-0.
- Altrincham are in decent form, winning two, drawing two and losing one of their last five.
- Notts County have won three, drawn one and lost one of their last five.
An FA Cup encounter with the potential to be a thriller
The odds for an away win for Notts County in this FA Cup clash look fair at around 27/50, although with Altrincham available at 393/100 and the draw at 7/2, there is clearly a preference on the goals markets (Over 2.5 goals at 61/100 and Both Teams To Score - Yes at 7/10). Indeed, this is a fascinating fixture with an interesting underbelly to it, as Notts County are a much faster-paced team than Altrincham, who will look to be compact and play on the counter. There may be a bit of a 'style clash' here, and it's difficult to predict exactly how it will play out, although County's superior League One athleticism should certainly stretch the Altrincham shape. Neil Gibson was appointed as Altrincham head coach on 25th November 2025, but he has clearly implemented a pragmatic setup that suits the players he has at his disposal. Altrincham will generally line up from a back three and play their wing-backs high to provide width, but they have a compact shape and don't look to press the opposition, instead looking to create structure for the ball and then play on the break.
County should have the edge
Martin Paterson has overseen a similarly compact structure since his appointment as Notts County boss on 22nd June 2025, but his players operate with a much higher tempo and a more aggressive press. County will also line up from a three-at-the-back shape, but their wing-backs sit higher up the pitch and they will look to win the ball in the opposition half and get forward quickly.
Altrincham followed up their 0-0 home draw with Kidderminster Harriers on the opening day of the National League 2026/2027 campaign with a 2-4 home defeat against Carlisle United, so their backline hasn't been the most solid. Notts County beat Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 at home on the season's opening day, but were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Stockport County, before going away and beating Mansfield Town 2-0 in League One 2026/2027.
Across all competitions, County have been a bit more up and down with four wins, two draws and four defeats in their last 10, while Altrincham have been in decent shape with six wins, two draws and two defeats.
Home advantage should keep things close
A cup tie can turn on a moment and home advantage is clearly on Altrincham's side here, so we're going for a Notts County win, but not the result that the odds suggest. The Magpies should have the quality to come out on top, but Altrincham's solid structure and home edge can keep things tight. The hosts have scored eight goals in their last five home games, so I'm expecting them to hit the net here, but ultimately, Notts County should have the class to see off the hosts.
