League Two: FT - Cheltenham Town 1-2 Notts County
Alassana Jatta opened the scoring in the 23rd minute - his sixth goal in six games
Tyrese Hall doubled the lead four minutes later
Issac Hutchinson pulled a goal back in the 66th minute
Notts County climb to third and into the automatic promotion places
Cheltenham remain in 22nd, one place and one point above the drop zone
Cheltenham 0-0 Notts County
Big cheers from the home support as Lewis Macari skews one out of play for Notts County on the right before visiting keeper Kelle Roos does similarly moments later.
Both sides are unbeaten in four league games coming into this (W3 D1).
Cheltenham 0-0 Notts County
Mark Halliwell
BBC Radio Gloucestershire summariser
Tough game this one for the Robins, Notts are doing well at the top end of the table and it's a tough test for Cheltenham.
You can see already they are aggressive in the press in the middle.
Cheltenham 0-0 Notts County
A bit of head tennis to start proceedings immediately following kick-off by Cheltenham Town.
But the ball is back on the deck now and the hosts are looking to knock it about early doors.
Cheltenham 0-0 Notts County
Just the 13 goals between Cheltenham and Notts County in their previous two meetings at this ground.
More of the same tonight? Let’s hope so.
Away we go at Whaddon Road - or the EV Charger Points Stadium.
Cheltenham v Notts County (20:00 GMT)
All eyes on League Two tonight and Whaddon Road in particular.
Cheltenham Town and Notts County players emerge from the tunnel with both sides sporting poppies on their shirts ahead of Remembrance Day tomorrow.
A period of silence will be held ahead of kick-off.
Cheltenham v Notts County (20:00 GMT)
Image source, OptaThe big team news for the Robins is a place on the bench for forward Hakeeb Adelakun, whose signing was only announced this morning.
The 29-year-old joins on a short-term deal after being a free agent since the summer when he left Salford, having scored 13 goals in 30 appearances in League Two last season.
He'd managed nine more, and seven assists, in a 19-game stint with Doncaster the previous season after spells at Lincoln, Gillingham, Bristol City, Hull and Scunthorpe, where he began his EFL career.
Ryan Broom is Steve Cotterill's only change to the Robins XI which beat Bradford in the FA Cup on 1 November, coming in at right-back with Arkell Jude-Boyd, who has appeared in all 17 games in all competitions so far this season, set to miss several weeks with a hand injury.
Notts County boss Martin Paterson makes two changes from the FA Cup first-round defeat at National League side Brackley Town.
Tom Iorpenda and Keanan Bennetts come into the starting XI with Oliver Norburn dropping to the bench, while Jodi Jones doesn’t make the matchday squad
Image source, Opta#bbcefl
BBC Local Radio
Because of broadcast rights we are unable to bring you audio commentary of this evening's game online.
But BBC Local Radio stations are providing commentary if you live in their transmission areas.
We will bring you a flavour of their coverage alongside our live text service so you will not miss a thing.
Cheltenham v Notts County (20:00 GMT)
Image source, OptaCheltenham v Notts County (20:00 GMT)
Image source, Getty ImagesNotts County were agonisingly close to a return to League One for the first time in 10 years last season but they lost to AFC Wimbledon in the play-off semi-finals following a sixth-place finish.
The Magpies are going again, though, and head coach Martin Paterson is keen to quickly brush off the disappointment of exiting the EFL Trophy and FA Cup in the previous two games to focus on fighting for promotion.
“I’ve reminded the group that my bread and butter is the league, and we’ve made steady progress to be in a really good spot,” Paterson told BBC Radio Nottingham.
“Now it’s all about the league and reminding ourselves that in terms of league form, we’re in a good spot.
“What the last week has been good for is to show you how quickly football can slap you in the face, so let’s be switched on and attack the game.”
County are unbeaten in their previous four league games (W3 D1) and would move into the automatic promotion spots with a win tonight.
Cheltenham v Notts County (20:00 GMT)
Image source, Rex FeaturesIt has not taken long at all for returning Cheltenham Town boss Steve Cotterill to make an impact.
The Robins were rooted to the foot of League Two with only one win from their opening 10 games and had just been thumped 7-1 by Grimsby Town when the 61-year-old was reappointed 23 years after leaving the club.
But Cheltenham have put together a four-match unbeaten run since he took over (W3 D1) to climb out of the relegation zone, and they come into this following an excellent 1-0 win over League One promotion-chasers Bradford in the FA Cup first round.
Victory tonight would lift them to at least 18th and would also mark the first time Cheltenham have won three consecutive league games since February 2024.
“The confidence has grown over the last month or so,” Cotterill told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.
“The result [against Bradford] hopefully gives the players more confidence for the rest of the season. That will hopefully help us going into the next league games.
“But we’ve still got to perform. If we don’t perform well in our league games, all the work we’ve done comes tumbling down, so we’ve got to make sure we keep up our good habits.”
Cheltenham v Notts County (20:00 GMT)
Image source, Opta/Rex FeaturesWhat a difference a month makes, eh Robins fans?
Going into October Cheltenham were bottom of the table with eight defeats in their opening 10 games, with only four points and four goals scored.
Entering their first League Two game of November they have picked up 10 points from their past four games, toppled League One high-fliers Bradford City in the FA Cup first round last time out, and have the chance to put further ground between themselves and the relegation zone tonight.
At the opposite end of the fourth-tier, the Magpies slipped out of the play-off places because of results elsewhere on Saturday, but they know a win here would take them into the automatic promotion places and within two points of leaders Walsall, with a better goal difference.
#bbcefl
There were 34 goals scored in 11 games on Saturday, but how many can we look forward to tonight?
Colchester 0-2 Bromley
Crewe 3-1 Shrewsbury
Barnet 2-2 MK Dons
Barrow 2-2 Grimsby
Bristol Rovers 0-1 Gillingham
Chesterfield 3-3 Accrington
Crawley 2-1 Fleetwood
Harrogate 0-1 Oldham
Newport 2-4 Walsall
Salford 0-0 Cambridge United
Swindon 2-1 Tranmere
Cheltenham v Notts County (20:00 GMT)
Image source, Rex FeaturesIf you're looking for national anthems and face paint I'm afraid you're in the wrong place, we still have one last EFL game to go before international football takes over and we're making the most of it.
Tonight's League Two match between Cheltenham Town and Notts County is quite literally the biggest game on the planet tonight, with due respect to the two National League South and WSL2 fixtures also taking place.
The Robins are flying high since reappointing Steve Cotterill after more than two decades away, while one of his former clubs, the Magpies are flying high full-stop, with the chance to go third with a win at Whaddon Road tonight.
Town have unveiled a transfer coup on the eve of the game and there's plenty to unpack so without further ado, let's get cracking...
Tyrese Hall (centre) scored Notts County's second goal against Cheltenham Town
First-half goals from Alassana Jatta and Tyrese Hall fired Notts County to a 2-1 League Two win over Cheltenham Town, lifting them into the top three.
The hosts pulled one back through Isaac Hutchinson in the second half, but they could not find a leveller, condemning them to their first league defeat since Steve Cotterill returned as manager.
County dominated the opening 45 minutes and Joe Day had to beat away an effort from Scott Robertson in the 12th minute.
Jatta opened the scoring in the 23rd minute after a corner from Keanan Bennetts on the left was not dealt with, allowing the forward to stroke the ball low into the net.
Four minutes later, Hall finished well after a sharp turn to make it 2-0.
Nick Tsaroulla nearly made it three but his diving header hit the post with 10 minutes of the half remaining.
Cheltenham improved after the break and Ryan Broom's cross was met by Hutchinson, who saw his first shot blocked, but he made no mistake with his follow-up.
Broom had to clear Lewis Macari's header off the line to deny County a third, but they had done enough to take all three points.
Report supplied by PA Media.
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 29 |
| |
| 15 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 26 | 20 | 6 | 29 |
| |
| 15 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 27 | 16 | 11 | 27 |
| |
| 15 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 20 | 18 | 2 | 26 |
| |
| 15 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 29 | 17 | 12 | 25 |
| |
| 15 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 29 | 20 | 9 | 25 |
| |
| 15 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 20 | 14 | 6 | 25 |
| |
| 15 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 23 | 19 | 4 | 25 |
| |
| 15 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 23 | 18 | 5 | 24 |
| |
| 15 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 27 | 24 | 3 | 24 |
| |
| 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 20 | 17 | 3 | 22 |
| |
| 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 16 | 15 | 1 | 22 |
| |
| 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 22 |
| |
| 15 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 19 |
| |
| 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 17 | -2 | 19 |
| |
| 15 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 21 | 20 | 1 | 18 |
| |
| 15 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 26 | -12 | 17 |
| |
| 15 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 23 | 22 | 1 | 16 |
| |
| 15 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 16 | 23 | -7 | 15 |
| |
| 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 16 | 20 | -4 | 14 |
| |
| 15 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 15 | 24 | -9 | 14 |
| |
| 15 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 27 | -16 | 14 |
| |
| 15 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 25 | -12 | 13 |
| |
| 15 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 16 | 27 | -11 | 11 |
|
Manager: Steve Cotterill
Formation: 4 - 1 - 4 - 1
Manager: Martin Paterson
Formation: 3 - 4 - 2 - 1
Manager: Steve Cotterill
Formation: 4 - 1 - 4 - 1
Manager: Martin Paterson
Formation: 3 - 4 - 2 - 1
League Two
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
Cheltenham Town have won three of their last four Football League games against Notts County (L1), one more than across their previous 12 total meetings with the Magpies in the EFL beforehand (W2 D3 L7).
Notts County have won four of their eight away Football League games against Cheltenham Town (D2 L2), scoring 14 goals in total across those four victories.
This season in League Two, Cheltenham have had just five different individual goalscorers (exc. own goals), the fewest of any side in the competition.
Only Grimsby and MK Dons (both 27) have scored more League Two goals than Notts County this season (25), with no side netting more from open play than the Magpies (21).
