Notts County boss Martin Paterson is refusing to let anyone get carried away after his side edged past Chesterfield in the first leg of their League Two play-off semi-final. Despite a gritty 1-0 victory on Sunday, Paterson made it crystal clear that the tie is far from over, warning that only an "absolute fool" would think the job is done.

The Magpies head back to Meadow Lane on Friday with a slender lead, thanks to Jayden Luker's first-half strike. It was a historic moment for County, marking their first-ever away win in a play-off tie after seven previous failed attempts. But Paterson is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

"Absolutely not—I think you'd be an absolute fool to think that," Paterson told BBC Radio Nottingham when asked if the tie was wrapped up. "We're halfway into two games, so it's irrelevant how it looks right now. What matters is at the end of the second game. But there are positives to take, a lot of positives, and that will be a good thing to show the players. We looked really threatening in moments. We're halfway there, and it's a tough, tough game coming up."

Notts County had lost their previous three meetings against Chesterfield, so this win was a welcome change of fortune. They even survived an early scare when Chesterfield's Lee Bonis slammed a penalty against the post, giving the visitors a crucial lifeline. Luker then capitalized to put County ahead, and the defense held firm under intense second-half pressure to secure the clean sheet.

Paterson acknowledged the rocky start: "I thought we started the game ever so well in the first five minutes, and they won a penalty the first time they got in our box. When I looked at it, I thought, 'It probably is.' But I thought in the first half we were good. In the second half, they did certain things where we had to contain. So it was a first-half performance, and the key thing is there will be no getting carried away—we've got another game to play."

For Notts County fans, the dream of promotion is still alive, but Paterson's message is clear: stay focused, stay humble, and prepare for a battle at Meadow Lane. The second leg promises to be a nail-biter as the Magpies look to punch their ticket to the play-off final.