Northampton boss Keith Curle ready for Notts County's 'formidable duo'

Two clubs go head to head in the FA Cup this weekend

Northampton boss Keith Curle says Notts County's management duo are a formidable partnership and feels his old club will relish their underdog status this weekend.

The two sides meet in the FA Cup on Sunday with the Magpies hoping to cause an upset against a Cobblers side that are one of the in-form teams in League Two.

With Cobblers fans hoping for a promotion push this season, the same can be said of Notts under Neal Ardley who is hoping to lead the Magpies to the National League top seven.

Curle knows Ardley well having managed against him many times before and believes the former AFC Wimbledon boss, and his right-hand man Neil Cox, are an excellent duo.

"I have come up against Neal a few times and he knows what he is doing, and with his assistant Neil Cox they form a formidable partnership," said the Cobblers boss.

"They have good knowledge of football and know how to manage a team and a football club."

Notts drew with Northampton twice last season as they slid out of the Football League.

While Northampton are highly fancied by the bookies to seal their passage through to the third round, Curle says National League Notts will be glad of not being expected to win.

"Week in, week out now, Notts County are the big fish in that division which again comes with different expectations, " said Curle.

"That can lead to a different mindset, a different approach to games, when that expectation is on them not only externally, but internally as well.

"It will come as a welcome relief to them that they go into Sunday's game not being the favourites."