Malta international Jones says Notts’ confidence comes from the costly home tie they lost just six days ago.
While they ended up a goal down on aggregate and lost two players who have contributed 39 goals between them, the Magpies did have numerous chances in an enthralling game.
Jones hit the post in the second half, while Wimbledon goalkeeper Owen Goodman made a number of excellent saves to deny Conor Grant, who also had a goalbound effort cleared late on by Josh Neufville.
“We opened them up and their keeper made some fantastic saves,” Jones said.
“It gives us full belief in the next fixture, that if we go and do what we did and have the chances that we did, we will put them away and it will be a different story.”
Even with Notts’ attack losing its two focal points, Jones remains defiant about his side’s chances of fighting back in the tie.
“They will probably be buzzing that he [McGoldrick] is not playing, but we will have something different now and I believe we have enough,” Jones said.
“Of course, people will say where are the goals going to come from? It’s a tough one to take, but we have enough quality in the squad.”
The Magpies also have recent pedigree for pulling off remarkable play-off results.
Jones was part of the Magpies’ remarkable National League campaign in 2023 that saw them promoted despite leading for less than 60 seconds across their two play-off games to go up.
He scored a last-gasp extra-time winner against Boreham Wood in their knockout semi-final at Meadow Lane as Notts fought back from two goals down, and he then went on to score in their penalty shootout win against Chesterfield at Wembley.
“We are Notts County and in the last play-offs we did it the hard way,” Jones said.
“That speaks for itself. You can see it all over social media, reminding the guys.”
