Game 44 - The Us (A)
Team - Cambridge United
Date - 11/04/2026 14:00
Where - Abbey Stadium

What would your starting line-up be? What will be the key areas for the Magpies to get a victory? What do you think the final score will be?

Have your say below, join in with the Pride of Nottingham match discussion.

What a fantastic game we have lined up.

Couldn't be more meaningful or crucial. Full, tight little ground, top atmosphere. Either them or us could take a giant stride towards League 1 with a win.

After watching them V Swindon, I thought they were way better than Salford. Definitely could see why they're 20 goals better than them in GD and lost 8 fewer games.

They maintained their breakneck speed by and large, but they put so much effort into the first 30mins that they did inevitably flag later in the game. Only then could Swindon get a foothold in the game, they were mauled in the first half. Knight, Brophy and Mpanzu were the dangermen on that night.

Like we just about managed at Salford, we have to avoid being blown away in the first 30mins. I say that because we're still missing a big chunk of our spine - Platt, McDonald, Robertson, Jatta plus creative players in Jones and Tangan.

Edited April 9Apr 9 by theAnticlough

Looking for 1 Adult ticket if any spare, PM me please

No doubt that this game is probably the most important game of the season for both sides. A win for Notts would put their promotion future in their own hands. Cambridge only need a draw because they have a game in hand over Notts.

I think Notts will be hoping that Jodi Jones will be fit enough to return even if he starts on the bench. They will still be without striker Alassana Jatta who will be serving his 2nd game of a 3 game suspension.

Some good news from Martin in his pre Cambridge presser, that he expects some of the injured players to return for this match.

Cambridge have been very strong on the flanks this season & Notts have been vunerable from crosses, corners & free kicks into the box, so I think this will be a key area, & Notts will need to stay solid defensively.

I think that striker Lee Ndlovu will start & Jayden Luker will replace Dennis for Notts, with Iorpenda in an attacking midfield position alongside Luker. Matt Palmer may partner Ollie Norburn in central midfield. Alternatively, Conor Grant may start ahead of Luker.

I think it will be a very close contest befitting the importance of this game. Both sides won't want to give anything away, so it may not be the free flowing spectacle that everyone expects. The match could easily be decided by 1 goal either way. If Notts play at their best, they have a chance of getting the win.

Never give up,stay positive. Only pass when you know it's on. Tight from back to front. Together we win, devided we fall. Strong and hard in all we do.

Captain Matt lead us to victory. Ollie Norburn please stay on the pitch. Undivided love from all your fans. Nothing but the best for all the game. Treat the game like a cup final. You match all these and were going up.

COYP............

There’s no doubt this is going to be a tough match Notts need to be at their very best, if we can get a win by any means and bring three points home I would be very optimistic of our chances of promotion.

Come on, we can do it, BELIEVE!

Remember

It always seems impossible until it's done. ⚽

Notts team to face Cambridge. Jodi on the bench.

I'm nervous, very.. I don't normally feel like this but I don't want the result to not go our way, and for fans to feel disappointed. We need to remain optimistic and hopeful that the automatics can be earned. I just hope the lads don't allow the pressure to build and impact how they go about their performance, Notts needs to be strong and determined.

It's good to see Jodi Jones on the bench, but I hope we only bring him on if we need to.

The starting lineup I am happy with, I hope Lucas Ness continues to shine as his presence in the squad has been exactly what we need. Cambridge United are a good side, I doubt it will be straight forward and I expect them to make it difficult. I just hope we take our time, make good movement and work on creating goalscoring chances. Combining that creativity with unity at the back, staying alert to danger and protecting James Belshaw.

On 09/04/2026 at 18:39, Paris Sandwich Man said:

Looking for 1 Adult ticket if any spare, PM me please

I hope you managed to source one, me and my friends weren't able to get hold of tickets. I've seen you a few times at away games, I think certainly one was Newport at the beginning of the season.

(1) Match is underway

Cambridge 0 Notts 0

(1) Goal for Cambridge. The worse possible start for Notts.

Cambridge 1 Notts 0

Update.

(11) Cambridge all over Notts at the moment.

Cambridge 1 Notts 0

Update

(27) Goal number 2 for Cambridge from another scramble

Cambridge 2 Notts 0

Update.

(32) Goal number three for Cambridge

Cambridge 3 Notts 0

Defensively, Notts are being too soft and we are allowing them to out muscle us. It's difficult to see how we can get into this when Cambridge United are playing so well. They look really up for it, and I fear a third goal would make any comeback hard.

I believe Notts does have the quality to salvage the game but watching it unfold, we might need a change at half time.

We have looked okay in spells, moving the ball around but we rely too much on moving behind the ball than going into space in front. Cambridge just press and look threatening every time they get the ball, and unlike Notts they are willing to run with the ball. That forces things to happen, makes defences panic but we are just very passive right now. 2-0 down, it doesn't look good.

3-0 this is a nightmare.

There's no doubt that the I juries and suspensions have hurt us. But unfortunately we fail against the same old opponent's tactics time after time.

PiesPlayer is broken, I appear to be watching a replay from 2019. How do I fix it?

How can anyone defend Jake Eastwood for clearly handling the ball outside of the box? I thought the referee wasn't going to issue the red card, but even Maz was being fouled in the penalty box when trying to turn with the ball. Being shoved and pushed, it might seem like a soft call but it was two incidents back to back. The defender should have been carded.

6 minutes ago, StarkMallard said:

PiesPlayer is broken, I appear to be watching a replay from 2019. How do I fix it?

Have you tried signing in and out again?

A glimmer of hope, let’s hope Notts can make the most of Cambridge being down to 10 men.

Half Time

Lots of work to do against 10 men in the 2nd half.

Cambridge 3 Notts 0

10 minutes ago, Chris said:

Have you tried signing in and out again?

I did that and a goalkeeper disappeared. Not that they needed a goalkeeper anyway.

As I alluded to in my first post in this thread, I saw this coming - the real danger of being blown away in the first 30mins, just like Swindon were (they were so lucky it was only 1)

I don't agree with our backline being blamed. A midfield line of Kouhyars-Palmer-Norburn-Bennetts is nowhere no good enough, and MP should know that... with 2 non-goalscoring AMs ahead of them, it's a poor side we put out today.

At least Jones, Luker and Dennis on for the dreadful Bennetts, Norburn and Grant might give us an outside chance of getting into this in the second half

(46) Back to it.

Luker & Dennis on for Macari & Grant.

Cambridge 3 Notts 0

Update

Goal for 10 man Cambridge.

Cambridge 4 Notts 0

Browne and Enoru on. MP has evidently decided there's no point risking Hall and Jones for a complete lost cause and is trying to get minutes in legs instead.

As well as losing a game we couldn't afford to, we're getting humiliated by ten men and we've completely shot our goal difference, which was almost the same as Cambridge's at the start of play. Well done Notts.

Martin has done his level best with this squad to get Notts where they are.

Stuart did the same last season. A Head Coach can only work with the players he has.