Gary Ablett will have his fingers crossed this week that County can finally exit administration.

The 2-0 defeat against Charlton leaves the Hatters ten points from safety at the foot of League One, but the County boss is hoping for some good news off the pitch.

A consortium headed by ex-City striker Jim Melrose will take over at Edgeley Park if the Football League decide on Thursday to hand their Golden Share to the club's new owners.

Melrose was at the Valley to watch the game, as were investors Kevin Tatum and Mick Horton, who say they're confident the deal will go through.

But Ablett is refusing to get too excited just yet.

He said: "I've not spoken to Jim for a long time, but fingers crossed it goes through.

"It has to go before the League this week, and that's where it's broken down on previous occasions, so fingers crossed it happens for the two lads Kevin and Mick, because something needs to happen off the field to give the club a lift."

Bench

Ablett's problems were thrown into sharp focus when the Hatters conceded twice in the opening ten minutes, through a Paul Huntington own goal and a header from Akpo Sodje.

But with seven players out through injury or suspension, Ablett was forced to include four youth team players but still couldn't fill the bench.

Ablett says his team can still beat the drop.

"The table doesn't lie and we're in the position we are because we haven't been good enough, but I think there's been an improvement in the level of performance over the past six or eight games, certainly since the turn of the year, and that gives us hope."

If County are to complete their increasingly unlikely great escape, they will rely heavily on striker Jabo Ibehre, on loan from MK Dons.

Ablett said : "We've got to try and keep Jabo fit, and wrap him up in cotton wool because on his day he's an absolute handful."

COUNTY (4-4-2): fon Williams 6; Halls 6 Huntington 6 Swailes 6; Sadler 6; Partridge 6 Tansey 6 Turnbull 6 Perkins 6; Donnelly 6 Ibehre 7.

What do you think? Have your say.