Notts County have stumbled upon positive amid more Jodi Jones woe | OneFootball

The Magpies will be encouraged by Will Jarvis' performance on Saturday.

Notts County were handed a boost on Saturday in the form of Will Jarvis’ performance.

The Magpies’ January purchase produced his brightest showing in a black and white shirt so far, which helped to offset the blow suffered in the first half when Jodi Jones was forced off the pitch with an injury.

Jones has since revealed that his issue is nothing serious, but Stuart Maynard and his team will still be pleased with what Jarvis showed on Saturday. The winger impressed with his ball carrying, helping to provide a direct threat to the Morecambe box on the left flank.

It was only the former Hull City man's fifth appearance for Notts so far, but there are already positive signs that he could become a useful member of the squad moving forward.

Will Jarvis’ performance on Saturday was his brightest so far

Opportunities to impress have been few and far between for Jarvis during his time at Meadow Lane so far.

New additions are very rarely thrown in at the deep end at Notts, with Maynard and his coaching team preferring to ease them into their new surroundings wherever possible.

This has also been the case for Jarvis, with the 22-year-old having played a total of just 106 minutes in League Two since his arrival for an undisclosed fee in the middle of the January window.

The Tigers’ academy graduate impressed during a loan spell in the League of Ireland in 2024. He notched eight goals and four assists for Shelbourne as they went on to finish top of the league. He even netted his first goal in a European competition, scoring the winner in a UEFA Conference League Qualifier against St Joseph’s of Gibraltar.

That impressive loan spell saw him make six Championship appearances for Hull in the early part of this season, before ultimately moving to Notts in January.

With Jarvis predominantly operating on the left wing for the Shels, it was previously unclear where he would likely fit into Maynard’s plans.

The Magpies use a wingerless system, instead preferring wing-backs and a pair of number 10s, who sit just behind a central striker. However, Saturday’s victory showed that getting Jarvis into wide areas where he can use his dribbling ability could be the key to getting the best out of him.

After replacing Jones in the 25th minute, he provided a real test for Morecambe full-back David Tutonda throughout the rest of the game.

The wideman looked a huge threat when carrying the ball and appeared to possess the kind of agility and balance that can make a winger look particularly dangerous with the ball at their feet.

Jarvis also looked capable of beating his man on either side, something which was highlighted in Notts’ opening goal, when his cross was palmed into the path of Charlie Whitaker by the Shrimps’ ‘keeper Ryan Schofield.

Notts will be delighted with the news that Jones Jones’ injury isn’t too serious

As impressive as Jarvis was at times on Saturday, everyone at Meadow Lane will be hugely relieved by the news that Jones’ injury doesn’t look to be cause for too much concern.

The Magpies’ star man hobbled off just 25 minutes into Saturday’s win and, given his well-publicised bad luck with injuries in the past, people were unsurprisingly fearing the worst.

However, the former Coventry City and Oxford United man suggested on Instagram earlier this week that the issue is little more than a minor setback. That is timely news for Notts, as he was just beginning to find his feet again after spending a large chunk of the campaign so far on the sidelines.

While Jarvis showed signs that he could be another shrewd addition to the squad last weekend, there is no doubting the fact that if Jones is fit, he starts.

Following a record-breaking 24 assists in the league last term, there is no disputing the fact that the 27-year-old is one of the biggest threats at the level, and it is no exaggeration to say that he would probably start for every team in the division.

Where Jarvis is concerned, Notts clearly have a large amount of faith in his ability, considering they have handed him a three-and-a-half year deal and, although he has had limited opportunities so far, Saturday showed the first signs of the player that Notts could develop him into.