The Cambridgeshire derby is a sobriquet used to describe football matches held between Cambridge United and Peterborough United, the only fully professional football clubs in Cambridgeshire. Both the clubs are 42 miles apart.
The first derby took place on 22 March 1956 and has since been played 54 competitive matches with Peterborough winning 25 to Cambridge United's 16. Both clubs have played two friendlies and one memorial match.
Fans of both clubs consider each as one of their main rivals. In the 2003 Football Fans Census, the Cambridgeshire derby was listed one of the 23 requited rivalries in English football.
History
The first league meeting between Peterborough United and Cambridge United took place in Fourth Division on 10 October 1970 at Abbey Stadium. The match ended in a 1–1 draw, but Cambridge would be the first of the two clubs to taste derby victory - in the reverse fixture - winning 3–2 away at Peterborough's London Road, later the same season.
Following Cambridge's relegation after the 2001-02 Second Division, the sides would not face each other in a competitive fixture for nearly 16 years.
In August 2015, a memorial match was played between the two teams in honour of Chris Turner who had died four months earlier. Turner, who was born in Cambridgeshire, made 314 league appearances for Peterborough and 90 for Cambridge United before going on to manage both clubs. In September 2017, a statue of Turner was unveiled outside London Road.
The drought of competitive derbies ended with an EFL Trophy match played in Cambridge on 7 November 2017. Before the game, a smoke grenade was set off in a pub near Abbey Stadium. The pub was evacuated but reopened 85 minutes later with no injuries reported. Cambridge's 2020 victory on penalties in the EFL Trophy group stage was their first over Peterborough in any competition since 1998, in what was the Football League Third Division.
Since Peterborough's relegation following the 2021–22 season, both clubs now compete in EFL League One. The most recent derby took place on 15 March 2025 with Peterborough winning 0-1.
Head-to-head Statistics
Major Competitions Competition PlayedCambridge wins DrawsPeterborough winsCambridge goalsPeterborough goals League 36 11 9 16 42 55 FA Cup 2 1 0 1 2 2 Football League Trophy 10 3 2 5 13 15 Total 47 15 11 21 57 71Minor/Regional Competitions Cambridgeshire Pro Cup 1 0 0 1 2 4 Hunts' Premier Cup 4 1 1 2 5 8 Shipp Cup 3 0 1 2 4 6 Total 8 1 2 5 11 18Friendly/Memorial Match Friendly 2 0 1 1 6 9 Memorial Match 1 0 1 0 0 0 Total 3 0 2 1 6 9 Overall Total 59 16 15 28 74 99
League #SeasonDateCompetitionHome TeamResultAway TeamStadiumAtt.H2H1 1970–71 10 October 1970 Division 4 Cambridge 1–1 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 7,575 0217 April 1971 Peterborough 2–3 Cambridge London Road 5,068 +13 1971–72 9 March 1972 Division 4 Peterborough 2–0 Cambridge London Road 4,947 0419 April 1972 Cambridge 2–5 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 4,248 +15 1972–73 23 September 1972 Division 4 Cambridge 3–1 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 4,378 0626 December 1972 Peterborough 1–1 Cambridge London Road 7,290 07 1977–78 5 November 1977 Division 3 Peterborough 2–0 Cambridge London Road 7,308 +182 January 1973 Cambridge 1–0 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 10,998 09 1985–86 26 October 1985 Division 4 Cambridge 3–1 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 3,234 +11022 March 1986 Peterborough 0–0 Cambridge London Road 2,984 +111 1986–87 22 November 1986 Division 4 Cambridge 1–1 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 3,498 +1124 April 1987 Peterborough 2–1 Cambridge London Road 4,713 013 1987–88 28 August 1987 Division 4 Peterborough 1–0 Cambridge London Road 4,623 +1141 January 1988 Cambridge 1–3 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 3,975 +215 1988–89 3 January 1989 Division 4 Peterborough 1–5 Cambridge London Road 4,662 +11625 March 1989 Cambridge 2–1 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 4,215 017 1989–90 17 December 1989 Division 4 Cambridge 3–2 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 4,811 +11821 April 1990 Peterborough 1–2 Cambridge London Road 9,257 +219 1992–93 16 March 1993 Division 1 Cambridge 2–2 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 8,077 +22010 April 1993 Peterborough 1–0 Cambridge London Road 10,235 +121 1994–95 21 December 1994 Division 2 Peterborough 2–2 Cambridge London Road 7,412 +1228 April 1995 Cambridge 2–0 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 5,828 +223 1997–98 2 December 1997 Division 3 Peterborough 1–0 Cambridge London Road 10,791 +12411 April 1998 Cambridge 1–0 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 5,445 +225 1998–99 10 November 1998 Division 3 Peterborough 2–1 Cambridge London Road 10,168 +12624 April 1999 Cambridge 1–1 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 8,307 +127 2000–01 15 December 2000 Division 2 Cambridge 0–0 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 7,505 +12831 March 2001 Peterborough 4–1 Cambridge London Road 10,086 029 2001–02 8 September 2001 Division 2 Peterborough 1–0 Cambridge London Road 8,656 +13029 December 2001 Cambridge 0–0 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 5,665 +131 2022–23 29 October 2022 League One Peterborough 1–0 Cambridge London Road 12,766 +23215 April 2023 Cambridge 2–0 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 7,711 +133 2023–24 11 November 2023 League One Peterborough 5–0 Cambridge London Road 11,645 +23424 February 2024 Cambridge 0–1 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 7,710+335 2024–25 9 November 2024 League One Peterborough 6-1 Cambridge London Road 12,370+436 15 March 2025 Cambridge 0-1 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 7,359+5
Cup #SeasonDateCompetitionRoundHome TeamResultAway TeamStadiumAtt.1 1955–56 22 March 1956 Hunts' Premier Cup First round Cambridge 1–5 Peterborough Abbey Stadium – 2 1959–60 5 November 1959 Hunts' Premier Cup Semi-finals Peterborough 1–1 Cambridge London Road 3,632319 April 1959 Semi-finals replay Cambridge 2–0 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 2,6004 1969–70 5 November 1969 Hunts' Premier Cup Final Cambridge 1–2 Peterborough Abbey Stadium – 5 1975–76 9 August 1975 Shipp Cup Group stages Peterborough 3–3 Cambridge London Road 2,000 6 1976–77 4 July 1976 Shipp Cup Group stages Peterborough 1–0 Cambridge London Road 3,443 7 1977–78 5 August 1977 Shipp Cup Group stages Peterborough 2–1 Cambridge London Road 1,877 8 1980–81 6 August 1980 Cambridgeshire Pro. Cup – Cambridge 2–4 Peterborough Abbey Stadium – 9 1984–85 17 November 1984 FA Cup First round Cambridge 0–2 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 5,641 1023 January 1985EFL Trophy First round (1st leg) Peterborough 2–1 Cambridge London Road 2,095 115 February 1985 First round (2nd leg) Cambridge 2–0 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 1,74012 1985–86 21 January 1986 EFL Trophy Group stage Cambridge 4–1 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 2,253 13 1987–88 1 December 1987 EFL Trophy Group stage Peterborough 3–0 Cambridge London Road 1,247 14 1988–89 29 November 1988 EFL Trophy Group stage Cambridge 2–2 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 1,296 15 1990–91 6 November 1990 EFL Trophy Group stage Peterborough 0–2 Cambridge London Road 3,279 16 1994–95 3 December 1994 FA Cup Second round Peterborough 0–2 Cambridge London Road 9,576 17 2017–18 7 November 2017 EFL Trophy Group stage Cambridge 0–2 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 3,138 18 2019–20 12 November 2019 EFL Trophy Group stage Peterborough 2–1 Cambridge London Road 3,425 19 2020–21 10 November 2020 EFL Trophy Group stage Cambridge 1–1 Peterborough Abbey Stadium 0 20 2023–24 12 September 2023 EFL Trophy Group stage Peterborough 2–0 Cambridge London Road 3,687
Records Friendly matches are not included in the following records unless otherwise noted.
Results Biggest wins (5+ goals) Winning margin Result Date Competition 5 Peterborough 5–0 Cambridge 11 November 2023 2023–24 League One 5 Peterborough 6–1 Cambridge 9 November 2024 2024–25 League One
Most total goals in a match Goals Result Date Competition 7 Cambridge 2–5 Peterborough 19 April 1972 1971–72 Fourth Division 6 Cambridge 1–5 Peterborough 22 March 1956 1955–56 Hunts' Premier Cup Peterborough 3–3 Cambridge 9 August 1975 1975–76 Shipp Cup Cambridge 2–4 Peterborough 6 August 1980 1980–81 Cambridgeshire Professional Cup Peterborough 1–5 Cambridge 3 January 1989 1988–89 Fourth Division 5 Peterborough 2–3 Cambridge 17 April 1971 1970–71 Fourth Division Cambridge 4–1 Peterborough 21 January 1986 1985–86 EFL Trophy Cambridge 3–2 Peterborough 17 December 1989 1989–90 Fourth Division Peterborough 4–1 Cambridge 31 March 2001 2000–01 Second Division Peterborough 5–0 Cambridge 11 November 2023 2023–24 League One 7 Peterborough 6–1 Cambridge 9 November 2024 2024–25 League One
Longest runs Most consecutive wins Games Club Period5 Cambridge 3 January 1989 – 6 November 1990 5 Peterborough 12 September 2023 – Present
Most consecutive draws Games Period 3 24 April 1999 – 15 December 2000
Most consecutive matches without a draw Games Period 10 4 July 1976 – 21 January 1986
Longest undefeated runs Games Club Period 12 Peterborough 10 November 1998 – 29 October 2022
Most consecutive matches without conceding a goal Games Club Period 4 Peterborough 8 September 2001 – 7 November 2011 3 Peterborough 12 September 2023 – 24 February 2024
Most consecutive games scoring GamesClub Period 12 Peterborough 2 February 1963 – 5 November 1977 8 Cambridge 1 January 1988 – 16 March 1993 7 Cambridge 22 March 1956 – 17 April 1971
References