Cambridge United earned a 3-2 win over Notts County in a thrilling return to the Abbey Stadium, thanks to a brace from Ade Azeez and a stoppage time winner from Barry Corr.
The U’s had trailed 1-0 at the break following a phenomenal strike by Enzio Boldewijn, however Azeez notched twice to pull United in front before Barry Corr created pandemonium at the Abbey when he headed in late to secure the three points after Richard Duffy had levelled for the visitors.
The U’s lined up with four changes as Mitov, Halliday, Darling and Ibehre started in place of Forde, Taylor, Davies and Dunk.
A dangerous early attack from the Magpies on six minutes, saw Jon Stead who was making his 600th professional appearance stab a Kane Hemming’s cross fractions wide of Mitov’s near post.
However, the U’s soon gathered control of the game and played well with possession up to the Notts County 18 yard box. Azeez was unable to bring down a dipping cross from David Amoo after the striker had lost man inside the Magpies area on the half hour mark, and keeper Ross Fitzsimons pounced on the loose ball.
Both the striker and Harry Darling also directed a pair of headers off target as the U’s looked to turn their dominance of possession into a goal.
However, at the other end United and Dimitar Mitov could do very little to stop Enzio Boldewijn’s fierce drive from 30 yards which rattled into the top right corner of the net.
United came close to a leveller before the break, Reggie Lambe feeding a ball into the feet of Ibehre who quickly turned Richard Duffy with his first touch but skewed his left footed shot off target.
Joe Dunne’s men shot out of the blocks in the second period though, when Azeez took full advantage of a mis-communication at the back for Notts County and slotted the ball beneath Fitzsimons to spark an eruption from the Abbey faithful.
The striker quickly doubled his and United’s tally, when calmly cutting inside the final County defender after being played through down the right, and wrapping his shot into the bottom left corner to earn Joe Dunne’s men the lead.
Jon Stead missed a guilt-edged opportunity from a central position inside the U’s area minutes after United’s second, and Hemmings came close to a leveller too when his half volley trickled past Mitov’s left post.
United introduced Leon Davies and Barry Corr as they looked to see out the game, however, the Magpies did equalise 12 minute from time with Richard Duffy snaffling the ball over the line at close range on the end of a corner.
The game opened up for an exciting finish in which either side could have grabbed a winner, and it was Hemmings who was the closest for the visitors when he blazed over from six yards out on 90 minutes.
However, the script was written for Barry Corr to complete the score line as the experienced striker hung brilliantly in the air to crash a header from a Maris corner, off the underside of the bar and in to lift the roof off the Abbey Stadium in stoppage time.
Cambridge United: Mitov, Halliday (Davie, 64 mins), Taft, Darling (John, 81 mins), Carroll, Amoo (Corr 72 mins), Maris, Deegan, Lambe, Azeez, Ibehre
Bookings: Halliday, Deegan, Ibehre
Notts County: Fitzsimons, Tootle (Husin, 69 mins), Hewitt, Duffy, Vaughan, Thomas (Kellett, 81 mins), Boldewijn, Hemmings, Brisley, Jones, Stead (Dennis, 67 mins)
Bookings: None
Attendance: 4,372 (667)
Man of the Match: Ade Azeez