Pressure on Walsall - Notts County boss Maynard

Stuart Maynard took charge of Notts County in January 2024

Walsall will be feeling the pressure of the chasing pack closing the gap on them at the top of League Two, says Notts County boss Stuart Maynard.

Notts moved back up to second in the table by beating Morecambe 2-0 on Saturday.

And with Colchester United condemning Walsall to their third defeat in a four-game winless run on the same day, the gap to the top was reduced to six points.

It was only three weeks earlier that Walsall had been 12 points clear.

"Walsall were super consistent and got that huge gap but once you start coming into this stage of the season, the business end, it's not easy," Maynard told BBC Radio Nottingham.

"And the pressure is on when you are at the top and there is five or six of us all in and around it, all chasing the points tally down."

Walsall are the only side to have beaten Notts in their past 10 matches - a run in which they have won eight games to establish themselves as contenders for automatic promotion.

Still, the lead Walsall have on Notts in second is more than the Magpies themselves have on Crewe Alexandra, who are eighth in the table and just outside the play-off spots on goal difference.

"We just have to go one game at time and focus on ourselves," Maynard said when quizzed about the importance of reclaiming second spot.

"Everyone played their part today [against Morecambe] and we're going to need it from now until the end of the season."