Notts County manager Ricardo Moniz has insisted that his side can still secure League One survival this season.
The Magpies lost 3-1 to promotion-chasing Preston North End at Meadow Lane on Tuesday evening, which leaves them two points adrift of safety with two games remaining.
Moniz says that he can take great encouragement from the performance that his side put in against Preston.
"We deserved the equaliser and had a great chance through Garry Thompson," Moniz told the Nottingham Post. "There was also a handball in the build-up to Preston's second goal. At 2-0 it is difficult and I feel bitter because we deserved a point.
"But defensively we brought them into the game and it's always the same scenario. The devil is playing with us. But I am proud of my players for the way they performed in the second half. I must pay respect to the crowd because they stayed right behind us.
"I am very disappointed for them. But we are still not dead. We are still alive. We need two wins and I told the players to carry on what they did in the second half. That has to continue and whoever thinks we are dead has made a mistake."
Notts face Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.
Steven Toplis
