Preview: Cambridge United vs Grimsby Town - prediction, team news, lineups

In an important battle at the top end of the League Two table, Cambridge United will welcome Grimsby Town to the Cledara Abbey Stadium on Tuesday.

The visitors have climbed into the playoff spots with back-to-back wins, while their hosts sit third in the midst of a nine-game unbeaten streak.

Match preview

Cambridge United return to action in midweek aiming to extend an unbeaten run and strengthen their standing in League Two's automatic promotion spots.

They have enjoyed an impressive first full season under the management of Neil Harris, currently sitting third in England's fourth tier having earned 72 points from their first 38 outings, winning 20 and only losing six of those while conceding a league-low tally of 28 goals.

Their charge into the top three has come courtesy of a relentless run since early November, in which time the U's have suffered just one league loss and accumulated 51 points in a run of 24 matches, most recently going nine games undefeated since the solitary loss to Harrogate Town last month.

After a 5-0 beating of Gillingham and a goalless draw with Walsall, Harris's men hosted fellow promotion-hopefuls Salford City on Tuesday and extended their strong run with a crucial 1-0 triumph as James Gibbons's goal early in the second half made the only difference.

Now sitting third with a two-point lead over fourth spot and the same gap up to second-placed MK Dons with a game in hand, Cambridge United will aim to make it back-to-back wins and 10 league games unbeaten to further boost their automatic promotion hopes on Tuesday.

That will be no easy task, though, as the visitors arrive with momentum of their own in their fight at League Two's top end.

Aiming to crack League Two's playoffs for the first time in David Artell's tenure, Grimsby Town currently find themselves seventh with 62 points on the board from 38 games, winning 17 and losing 10 of those.

Like the hosts, the Mariners have given their promotion hopes a major boost with a major upturn in form in 2026, but particularly since late February, having earned four wins and 13 points from their last six attempts.

After two of those and a draw and a defeat in mid-March, Artell's men bounced back to winning ways at home to Fleetwood Town, before hosting Barrow on Saturday and dishing out a 5-0 beating as Andy Cook opened the scoring and Kieran Green and Jaze Kabia netted braces.

Now occupying League Two's final playoff spot, with a game in hand on most sides around them in the top-seven fight, Grimsby Town head to the Cledara Abbey Stadium on Tuesday in search of a third straight victory to strengthen their position and even narrow the 10-point gap to their hosts in the automatic promotion spots.

Cambridge United League Two form:

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Grimsby Town League Two form:

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Team News

Cambridge United remain unable to call on Michael Morrison, George Hoddle and Zak Bradshaw on Tuesday due to ongoing injuries.

Neil Harris should field a similar starting XI from the weekend's victory over Salford City, although Shayne Lavery, Elliott Nevitt, Adam Mayor and Korey Smith are among those battling to come in from the outset.

Lavery will hope to lead the line and displace Louis Appere, who has managed seven league goals this season, while Sullay Kaikai leads the squad with eight in League Two, and mainstays Kelland Watts, Mamadou Jobe and James Gibbons are bound to continue in a back three at the other end.

Grimsby Town should also avoid many changes from a 5-0 win last time out, although Jamie Walker was forced off in the first half and may be confined to the treatment room alongside Evan Khouri, Cameron Gardner, Tyrell Sellars-Fleming, Doug Tharme and Charles Vernam.

George McEachran replaced him in the first half of that win but was withdrawn himself in the second half with a scare, meaning Clarke Oduor may come into the midfield from the outset.

Andy Cook will continue to lead the line with support from the likes of Kieran Green and Jaze Kabia, who both scored braces on Saturday, taking the former to nine league goals for the season and the latter to 12.

Cambridge United possible starting lineup:

Eastwood; Gibbons, Jobe, Watts; Bennett, Smith, Mpanzu, Brophy; Knight, Lavery, Kaikai

Grimsby Town possible starting lineup:

Smith; Rodgers, Kacurri, McJannet, Staunton; Turi, Oduor; Burns, Green, Kabia; Cook

We say: Cambridge United 1-1 Grimsby Town

With both teams full of confidence in their respective League Two promotion bids, having shown their quality and resistance to defeats, we anticipate a high quality and close encounter on Tuesday and cannot quite pick a winner, instead opting for a share of the spoils between two in-form sides.

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