Berry and Williamson on score sheet in United win at Meadow Lane
Ben Williamson’s 55th minute goal gave Cambridge United all three points at Meadow Lane, as the U’s extended their unbeaten run in Sky Bet League Two to six games with a 2-1 win against Notts County.
Luke Berry’s 13th goal of the season gave Shaun Derry’s side an early lead before Haydn Hollis cancelled it out shortly before half time for the Magpies. However, Williamson was on hand from three yards out to bury the ball in the second half and clinch victory to keep their play-off hopes alive with two games of the campaign left to play.
An unchanged U’s side were straight back into the form that had earned them a record Football League win against Morecambe earlier in the week, with Luke Berry quick to pounce on a poor pass back to goalkeeper Scott Loach and find the back of the net on four minutes.
Harrison Dunk struck the base of the post with a fierce drive at goal moments later, with Zeli Ismail following up and forcing a fine save from Loach as United dominated the early stages.
Berry again tested the Magpies, when he cut inside from the right flank cleverly before crashing a shot into the palms of the County keeper.
However, despite the early flurry of opportunities in the final third of the pitch for the U’s, Notts County began to get a foothold in the game and the score remained at just 1-0 to Shaun Derry’s men.
That was until Haydn Hollis leaped on to Liam Noble’s long set piece delivery in the 39th minute, which found the left back four yards from goal to side foot against Norris and into the net.
The travelling Amber Army will have been equally disappointed to see Everton loanee Ryan Ledson hobble off the pitch minutes later, with Shaun Derry forced into an early substitution as Jimmy Spencer took to the field at his former club.
Perhaps slightly dissatisfied not to have been leading at the break, it took United just ten second half minutes to restore their advantage when an almighty scramble inside the Notts County area from Max Clark’s corner, ended with Williamson prodding home from three yards.
Harrison Dunk buried another for the U’s six minutes later, only for referee Ross Joyce to pull play back for a handball against Zeli Ismail and rule out the goal. In fact, the U’s twice had one chalked off, when Mark Roberts volleyed Clark’s cross into the top right corner of the net, only to see the offside flag raised against him.
As well as a one goal lead, the U’s were also given a man advantage too, when Liam Noble lashed out at Darnell Furlong with his right boot and received a straight red from the referee, allowing United to see out the remaining 11 minutes without hitch.
Notts County: Loach, Amevor, Adams (Sharpe, 66 mins), Smith (Gibson, 73 mins), Hollis, Noble, Hewitt, Campbell, Burke (Sarpong, 63 mins), Atkinson, Aborah
Cambridge United: Norris, Furlong, Roberts, Coulson, Clark, Ismail, Dunne, Ledson (Spencer, 41 mins), Berry, Dunk, Williamson
Attendance: 4,450 (702 away)