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Notts County delivered a controlled away performance at The EV Charger Points Stadium, beating Cheltenham Town 2–1 to move back into the automatic promotion places. The Magpies came out with real intent, grabbing two goals before the break and keeping their heads as The Robins pushed to get back into it in the second half. From the first whistle, Notts found rhythm down both flanks. Keanan Bennetts and Nick Tsaroulla pushed high, while Scott Robertson and Tom Iorpenda kept the ball moving through midfield. A bright spell of corners brought early pressure. Lewis Macari headed over on seven minutes from a Bennetts cross after Sam Sherring conceded, and Robertson twice tested Joe Day from distance. The breakthrough arrived on 23 minutes from another set piece. After a Notts corner, Iorpenda kept the attack alive and slipped a neat ball into the box. Alassana Jatta reacted first and finished with his left foot into the bottom corner. It was a poacher’s goal and a fair reward for Notts’ front-foot start. Four minutes later the lead doubled. Tsaroulla, who had already won several free kicks in advanced areas, raided down the left and stood up a measured cross. Tyrese Hall attacked the space on the right side of the area and struck cleanly across Day into the same bottom-left corner. Notts almost had a third on 34 minutes when Tsaroulla rose to meet another Bennetts delivery, only to see his header come back off the right post. Cheltenham did rally just before the interval, but Kelle Roos and his defence blocked well, and the half closed with Notts two to the good after a composed, high-control display. The Robins made a forceful start to the second half. Crosses from Ryan Broom asked questions, and the hosts began to find second balls around the box. Roos made a key low stop from Jake Bickerstaff on 66 minutes, but from the follow-up phase Isaac Hutchinson kept his run alive and steered a right-footed finish from close range to cut the deficit. The stadium lifted, and Notts had to show a different side of their game. Martin Paterson’s team stayed organised. Lucas Ness and Jacob Bedeau won important headers, with Bedeau taking a booking for a robust challenge on 76 minutes after earlier cautions for Tsaroulla and Iorpenda. The bench helped steady things. Matthew Dennis replaced Conor Grant on 73 minutes to stretch the pitch, Maz Kouhyar came on for Bennetts on 83, and Oliver Norburn added know-how in the closing stages. Kouhyar soon created danger, swinging in a corner that Macari headed goalwards, only for a block to divert the effort. He then drove a shot just wide on 89 minutes after tidy hold-up play from Jatta. Cheltenham pushed late on, forcing corners and free kicks, but Notts managed the box well and cleared their lines when it mattered. The fourth official signalled three minutes of added time. Roos claimed high balls with authority, and the back line stayed compact. The whistle went at 2–1. The numbers underline the balance of the contest and Notts’ control for long spells. Possession finished 54.1% to 45.9% in Notts’ favour. Notts edged the stats with four shots on target to Cheltenham’s two and led 7–5 on corners. It was a gritty contest. Notts committed 11 fouls and picked up three yellow cards, while Cheltenham’s 12 fouls went unpunished. When it counted, Notts looked more dangerous going forward and stayed solid at the back under pressure. This was a strong, professional away win in League Two. The first half had fluency, width, and set-piece bite. The second half showed resilience, clear structure, and smart game management. Jatta’s instincts and Hall’s clean finish built the platform; Roos’ saves and the back line’s discipline protected it. At full time, with three hard-earned points secured at The EV Charger Points Stadium, Notts climbed back into the automatic places and sent the away end home happy. Head to the Pride of Nottingham match discussion to join in and share your thoughts on Notts County's 2-1 away win over Cheltenham. Take a moment to vote for who you believe deserves to be named Pride of Nottingham's Man of the Match for their performance tonight against Cheltenham.

Notts County head coach Martin Paterson believes his side’s growing resilience will be tested again this weekend when they face League Two leaders Gillingham. The Magpies head into the fixture on the back of consecutive league victories against Tranmere Rovers and Fleetwood Town, results that have lifted spirits and given Paterson the platform to build momentum. Paterson was quick to acknowledge the impact of striker Matthew Dennis, who was recently named League Two Player of the Month for August. But while pleased for his forward, the head coach stressed the award also reflects the work of the squad as a whole. “I think that when someone gets individual awards there must be credit obviously to the person because Matthew has done really well,” said Paterson. “But also it’s a case of understanding that it is his job to score goals, lead the line and work hard for the team. Other people are working hard to get him opportunities, other people defend for him to then go and release him forward. The team and the club should be rewarded as well as Matthew.” Paterson added that Dennis has impressed with his willingness to respond to coaching. “What I’m really pleased with is that he’s taken constructive criticism and coaching and propelled himself to be better every day,” he explained. “On Tuesday I filmed the training ground when the main session stopped. We had 12 players by themselves, not coach-led, practising heading, shooting and passing. That’s the culture I’m trying to set.” The head coach admitted Dennis required extra fitness work in pre-season but praised the effort he has put in. “When he came into pre-season I quickly assessed that he needed to get fitter. He’s worked hard on that aspect and still does,” said Paterson. “The work that’s gone into all the players has been a high volume of videos, a high volume of repetitions. It’s as simple as that. It’s hard work to your craft.” Paterson has also been encouraged by the wider squad’s response to his demands for extra practice. “When I first came to the club, it was me almost telling and dragging players back out there to do more. Now we see the start of a little bit of freedom for the players to be more accountable. I like the things I’m seeing at the moment, but it’s just a start.” Looking ahead to Saturday, Paterson views the clash with Gillingham as an ideal measure of progress. “I think it’s a great game. Unbeaten, top of the league. It’s the best challenge we can have. There’s a reason why they’re top, even though it’s early, and we’ve got to go there, be aware of that, but still be ourselves and challenge ourselves. It’s a really good challenge for us and a great game for the players.” Set-pieces are expected to play a key role, with Gillingham posing a serious threat in that area. Paterson confirmed his side has been working on defensive organisation during the week. “I think early on we were susceptible. I have to own that one, but I think we’ve made good adjustments over the last three or four games. Lots of teams at this level have big set play threats. There’s nothing wrong with it. We’ve just got to deal with it.” Paterson also provided a positive injury update ahead of the match. “Jodi Jones trained yesterday, so he’s fine. Lucas Ness is getting closer, probably next week he will play a part. Platt is a little bit longer, just settling down, but Jodi’s fine and Lucas will be pushing next week.” As Notts look to extend their unbeaten run to five, Paterson remains focused on keeping standards high and building on recent progress. Please take a moment to join the Pride of Nottingham, so that you can share your thoughts, engage with fans and help us when it comes to voting for our Man of the Match which we do after every league game. BeestonPie believes keeping the squad settled matters more than gossip, praising Notts County's handling of the rumours about star striker Alassana Jatta's head being turned earlier during the transfer window.

Notts County striker Matthew Dennis heads into tomorrow’s trip to Priestfield Stadium with confidence high after a flying start to the season. The 23-year-old forward has scored five goals and provided one assist in six games, form that has already earned him the League Two Player of the Month award for August. His performances have been central to Notts County’s early campaign, and his partnership with Alassana Jatta promises to give the Magpies another attacking dimension. Reflecting on his award, Dennis admitted the recognition felt special. “I'm delighted, I'm buzzing. Obviously it's a good achievement as a player, like I said before as well, there's a lot of players in the league too. It's a humbling experience that I've got chosen to be, you know, the League Two Player of the Month this month. Thanks to my teammates, coaches, everyone that believes in me as well. I'm pretty much happy and delighted.” Despite his fine form, Dennis is not resting on his success. He believes there is more to come from him and the team. “Yeah, I'm happy. I feel like I can do better and there's still things that I can work on to become an even better player. To be fair, I'm just focused on getting more wins as a group, as a team and climbing up the table.” Settling into life at Meadow Lane has not been without its challenges, but Dennis credits his focus and mindset with helping him adapt. “It's difficult, obviously. It's a new club, new surroundings, new city. You have to take your stride quickly. It's not been easy, but I just try to stay focused, stay grounded and concentrate on why I'm here and what I'm meant to do and how I'm meant to help the team and so on. I hope it keeps going and continues throughout the season.” Dennis arrived at Notts County in the summer after interest from several clubs. He explained that the club’s style of play convinced him it was the right move. “I had a few options. Obviously, at the time Roberto was here, I had a good conversation with him. Told me what the club's like and what they wanted. It's not too far from home as well. Great city as well. And to be fair, what kind of pulled me was how Notts play football and their DNA. How they like to play football and the way they do stuff. It kind of represents me. I felt like it would have been a good start for me based off of that as well.” In recent weeks, Dennis has been joined in attack by Alassana Jatta, who has returned to the side following injury. The two strikers already look a promising pairing. “It'll be good, obviously. Everyone knows that he's a good player. Very, very good player. Physical, strong, can do a lot as a striker. I know as time comes, as we play with each other and get comfortable with each other, we'll get a lot of goals between us, a lot of assists. I feel like me and him can hold the team as well. Nah, he's a good guy, great player. I'm looking forward to the rest of the season playing with him, alongside him. Yeah, I can't wait.” Tomorrow brings the toughest test so far, with Notts travelling to league leaders Gillingham. Dennis expects a difficult encounter but is confident his side can deliver. “Yeah, I mean, yeah, good team, good opposition. They're obviously doing well, started off well. But I have confidence that we will go there and do the job and come back with three points. Pretty sure.” Dennis has now scored in five consecutive games, but he insists that personal records are not his focus. “To be fair, I'm not really focused on that, I'm just trying to stay grounded, stay focused and try and obviously do my best in every game that I play in. Obviously, at the end of the day, a goal is good but it's a bonus. I'm just trying to help the team out up there and just see if we can get as many wins as possible. Like I said, the goals is a bonus and I'm obviously thankful for that. But on beat, the run I'm on, I'm not too sure.” As Notts County prepare to take on the early pacesetters, Dennis’s form and attitude underline his importance to the side. His focus on team success over personal accolades reflects the approach Stuart Maynard will hope can carry the Magpies through one of the season’s toughest fixtures. How would you line-up Notts County ahead of Gillingham, do you feel Jodi Jones should be placed straight back into the team? Share your pre-match thoughts on the Pride of Nottingham's match discussion. Take a moment to read about what the Pride of Nottingham community thinks about Matthew Dennis being named the EFL League Two Player of the month. Click here to share your thoughts and to congratulate Dennis.

Notts County defender Jacob Bedeau hailed his side’s resilience after the Magpies earned their first clean sheet of the season with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Fleetwood Town at Meadow Lane. The victory extended County’s unbeaten run to four matches and brought a sense of reward for a squad that had come close on several occasions earlier in the campaign. For Bedeau, the conditions on the day meant that it was less about style and more about substance. “Yeah, I think because of the conditions, obviously we've had problems with the pitch,” he explained. “We knew it wasn't going to be a normal game. We weren't going to be able to play the football we normally play and at times we'd have to go a bit longer and look into AJ and Matty Dennis. To be fair, I think it worked. Obviously it was a battle, a bit like last week as well and you're going to have games like that in this league. And I'm just delighted to get the three points really.” The Meadow Lane pitch had undergone a morning inspection, and while it was playable, Bedeau admitted it impacted how the side approached the game. “It probably stopped us playing kind of the game we wanted to play. But at this level and in the length of a season, you're going to have kind of things you have to get over and have to overcome. And I think we did that today. And obviously the ground staff here are top draw and I'm sure that pitch will be back to normal soon.” County’s defensive record had been under scrutiny after conceding goals in earlier fixtures, many of which came from set pieces rather than open play. Saturday’s clean sheet marked a significant milestone, ending a run without one since April. “I think there's been a few games where I thought we'd been unlucky there,” said Bedeau. “And I think even the start of the season, it was a lot of set pieces and teams weren't getting chances. They were just nicking one goal, two goals against us. So I think the lads deserved it today. It's not just the defenders, not just the keeper, it's the whole team. And yeah, we've deserved that and it's been coming.” Fleetwood’s late push for an equaliser required focus and discipline, but Bedeau felt the squad handled the pressure well. “Yeah, they're a good team. They've got quality coming off the bench. So we knew when we took the lead, obviously we had a couple of chances after and it would have been nice to get one of them in and have a bit of a break. But yeah, sometimes you have to weather the storm and I think, man to man, we did that today.” Bedeau also credited the calm approach from head coach Martin Paterson at half-time, which helped the Magpies maintain control. “To be fair, the gaffer was very calm. He kind of said, keep doing what you're doing. Keep trying to look for AJ and Matty Dennis in behind because they're such a threat at this level. To have them two in the team is going to be one hell of a strike force over the course of the season. I think it showed today with AJ playing Matty in and then I think AJ had a chance off Matty the other way around, so it was good to see them linking up.” After the final whistle, the squad celebrated in front of the Kop, a moment Bedeau said reflected the connection between players, staff, and fans. “Yeah, of course. When the fans are on it here and they get behind us, it's such a fortress. And obviously because it's such a good stadium and such a nice pitch, usually teams come here and really kind of want to beat us. And so when we're together, the team, the staff, the fans, it's just a great club to be at and a proper atmosphere to play in.” Notts now find themselves unbeaten in four, a run that has built confidence without encouraging complacency. “I don't want to jinx it, so I'm just going to say we take each game as it comes,” said Bedeau. “But I think even the other games over the course of the season, if you look at Barrow, the last minute goal when we're down to 10, Salford here, Newport was a draw, but we should have won that game really. So I think the signs were there before the run started and the gaffer made sure we all stayed calm, no one panicked. And I think we're reaping the rewards for that calmness now.” Looking ahead, the defender believes the depth of the squad will be vital in sustaining momentum. “Yeah, I think so. Obviously, I think there's not many injuries at the moment. Obviously, there's only a couple. We've got a good squad, a big squad and everyone wants to kind of play every game. So there's real competition for places, training's intense every day and that just breeds success, really. So I'm really looking forward to the rest of the season and seeing what we can do.” For Bedeau and his teammates, getting a clean sheet against Fleetwood was about more than just solid defense. It showed how well they work together and how strong their team spirit is, which could really make a difference as the season goes on. Pride of Nottingham member McPie has asked fans to share their thoughts on the Reedtz time at Notts County; click to join in with his review and share your thoughts. Take some time to digest and look at the popular dashboard page here on the Pride of Nottingham. We welcome your feedback, thoughts, and insight into our community content.