Notts County play their first away game of the season on Saturday, facing Cambridge United at the Abbey Stadium.
After a goalless draw with Colchester at Meadow Lane in the season opener, the Magpies are looking to secure their first win of the campaign and inflict a second successive defeat on the hosts.
Cambridge’s season got off to a slow start as they were beaten 3-0 at Port Vale on the opening day, so they will be looking for a vast improvement.
With County touted as likely promotion candidates in pre-season, they will be looking to put down a marker to the rest of the division with a win on the road, but it is unlikely to be straightforward.
The U’s lost just five home games in League Two last season and are looking to extend their seven-game unbeaten run against the Magpies.
Notts’ boss Kevin Nolan says…
“We’re definitely hindered by their start to the season because they’ll want to turn that round and no two games are the same.
“They’re very strong at home and have been for a number of years now. That’s where they’ve picked up the majority of their points and it’s been a big part of them comfortably staying in this league.
“We know it’s going to be tough but we’ve got to make sure we match them and remain patient so that we can break them down.
“We’re a team in transition and no one can expect things to change overnight but there’s much more to come from us.”
Cambridge boss Joe Dunne says…
“Notts County were there or thereabouts last season and will be expecting to be there again this year.
“There was a bad feeling in this group after last week’s result, but we’ve talked about how losing one game isn’t the end of everything.
“Now I’m looking for us to get out there and compete against a good outfit because it’s still the beginning of the season.
“We know we’re better than we showed last week and when we’re at it we can be a good side in this league.”
Team news
Nolan hopes to have the majority of his players available for Saturday, with Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain still absent but making good progress in his recovery from a broken leg.
Andy Kellett has trained all week and the boss is hoping that Ben Hall will recover from a groin strain to take a place in the squad.
Dunne says his Cambridge side lacked identity last week and is pleased to welcome back Brad Halliday and Jabo Ibehre after both missed the opening-day defeat to Port Vale.
The U’s have had George Maris training with the squad all week after his proposed move to Rotherham failed to materialise but the game comes too soon for Jevani Brown and Harrison Dunk.
We’ve met before
Notts were beaten 1-0 when they travelled to Cambridge last season, where Medy Eito scored the only goal of the game.
At Meadow Lane, Notts came from three goals down inside the last 20 minutes to earn a point last season.
Lewis Alessandra kick-started the comeback in the 74th minute before late goals from Shaun Brisley and Jonathan Forte earned a point for the Magpies.
Notts last beat Cambridge in 2004 when Matty Williams and Chris Palmer scored either side of Shane Tudor’s goal to secure a 2-1 win.
What are the odds?
Sky Bet have Notts priced at 17/10 to pick up the three points, while the hosts are 8/5. A draw is priced 9/4.
A repeat of County’s opening day 0-0 is 17/2, while a 1-0 win for Notts is 7/1. Cambridge are 13/2 to win by the same scoreline.
You can bet on the game here.
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