Match Preview: Cambridge Utd vs Plymouth Argyle

The U’s will be looking to make it two wins on the bounce on Tuesday night (22nd February), as they prepare to host play-off chasing Plymouth…

Form 

Mark Bonner’s side ended a run of five games without a win in all competitions on Saturday as Sam Smith and Wes Hoolahan were both on target to down Accrington Stanley. The game, which began rather cagey, opened up in the second-half as both United and Accrington went in search of a winner.

United spurned multiple good chances before Adam May’s edge of the area volley was saved into the path of Sam Smith to dispatch his 14^th goal of the season from close range, before James Brophy played in Wes Hoolahan to seal the points in injury time.

Cambridge United form: LLLDW

Prior to Saturday’s win, despite falling behind twice in the game and looking like being condemned to a fourth straight defeat, United battled back well against Burton Albion through Harvey Knibbs in the first half and later Sam Smith after 72 minutes to leave Staffordshire with a point.

Steven Schumacher, undertaking his first permanent role as Head Coach following the departure of Ryan Lowe in December, looks to be continuing the good work started by his predecessor, with the Pilgrims heading to Cambridgeshire on Tuesday night having won four on the bounce in League One – with only European and newly crowned World Champions Chelsea inflicting defeat on Schumacher’s side after extra-time in their previous six outings in all competitions.

Plymouth Argyle form: WLWWW

Jordan Garrick and Luke Jephcott set the Pilgrims up in good stead heading into Tuesday’s game following Plymouth’s 2-0 win over Gillingham on Saturday – an even more impressive win over the relegation threatened side given the Greens limited Neil Harris’ side to just two shots throughout the entire 90 minutes.

Conor Grant scored his sixth goal of the season in the Pilgrim’s 1-0 win over Shrewsbury Town last weekend. The win, that made it three on the spin in the third tier, saw Plymouth move back into Play-off contention following Oxford United’s defeat against Bolton.

Down Memory Lane

United's history with Plymouth dates back to 1974, as a 4-1 Division Three loss saw the U's get off to a rough start in the 1974/75 season. A 3-1 win in the reverse fixture however did help address the balance and across all meetings, it is the U’s who have the edge with 11 wins, 9 draws and 9 losses.

United wins: 11     Draws: 9     Argyle wins: 9

August’s meeting, a 1-1 draw at Home Park whereby Joe Ironside’s penalty cancelled out Luke Jephcott’s opener, saw both sides meet in the third tier of English football for the first time since 1994/95. Both games that season ended in a draw, which didn't do much to help either team, as both were relegated come the end of the season.

The last time the U’s entertained Plymouth at the Abbey was back in 2019, with Kyle Knoyle’s goal proving to be decisive as Colin Calderwood’s side ran out 1-0 winners on the day. The result sparked a run in which saw the Pilgrims pick up 12 wins in 18 before March (and the eventual end of the season due to Covid-19) – with Ryan Lowe’s side eventually being promoted by virtue of points-per-game.

Quick Quotes

U’s Head Coach Mark Bonner appreciated the form Plymouth are in going into Tuesday’s game:

“Plymouth are in incredible form. Steven’s [Schumacher] done a brilliant job since he's taken over from Ryan Lowe after he moved on to Preston. He's continued the good progress that they have been making this season.

“We saw first-hand how difficult games can be against them when we went there earlier in the season. We know what to expect, but whether we can control and contain that and then cause them our own problems will be key for us.”

Officials

Robert Madley has been appointed as referee for Tuesday night’s Sky Bet League One clash between The U’s and Plymouth Argyle at the Abbey Stadium.

He will be assisted by Conor Farrell and Michael Chard. The fourth official will be David Rock.

How to Watch

Tuesday night’s Sky Bet League One clash kicks-off at 7.45pm, with tickets still available for fans to buy.

Save money by purchasing your tickets in-advance of the fixture, as all prices increase by £2 when buying in-person on the day of the game. Please view advance prices below:

Ambulant Disabled supporters in receipt of higher level disability living allowance pay their relevant age category with a Carer Free of Charge, whilst the Wheelchair Disabled price also included the admission of a Free Carer Ticket, if required. *Concessions = Seniors (64+), Young Adults (18-23), Serving or Retired Armed Forces and Full-Time Students

If you can't make it to the game, stream the clash live on iFollow. Match Passes cost just £10 and are available to buy now. The simplest way to do so is by clicking here and selecting the Plymouth fixture.

If you encounter any issues, please contact the customer support team by emailing ifollow@efl.com.