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

Cambridge United will take on Braintree Town in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Monday afternoon.

The U's are preparing for their return to League One, while Braintree are building up for the 2025-26 National League South campaign.

Match preview

After suffering relegation in 2024-25, Cambridge secured an immediate return to the third tier under the tutelage of Neil Harris.

The U's clinched the third and final automatic promotion spot after collecting 82 points from 46 League Two games.

Cambridge have so far made four new additions ahead of the new season, including the permanent signings of Patrick Bauer, Callum Stead and Isaac Heath.

Meanwhile, on the pitch, the U's have started their pre-season schedule with victories over Cambridge City and Southend United.

Like Saturday's clash with Southend, Monday's meeting with Braintree will take place behind closed doors, with the U's looking to beat the Iron for a third consecutive year after recording 3-0 friendly victories in 2024 and 2025.

Cambridge will then wrap up their pre-season with matches against Preston North End, Northampton Town and Norwich City, before they kick off their campaign with an EFL Cup tie against Barnet.

Braintree, meanwhile, are back competing in the sixth tier of the English football pyramid after their two-season stay in the National League came to an end last term.

The Iron finished in 23rd spot and 10 points adrift of safety after mustering just 36 points from 46 games last term.

Braintree boss Steve Pitt faces an uphill task in leading a promotion bid, given his squad is short on numbers after the club were placed under a transfer embargo in May.

The club's struggles have been reflected in the three-game winless start to pre-season, which began with a 2-2 draw against Brightlingsea.

The Iron then suffered a 3-2 defeat against Welling United before they experienced a repeat of that scoreline in Saturday's narrow loss to Aveley.

They will be hoping to string some positive results together in their final four friendlies, as they look to build momentum ahead of their National League South match against Tonbridge Angels.

Cambridge United friendlies form:

W W

Braintree Town friendlies form:

D L L

Team News

Jake Eastwood is likely to start in between the posts, although Ben Hughes could be given minutes at some point in the friendly.

Kell Watts, Mamadou Jobe and Patrick Bauer could appear in the backline if Harris opts for a back three.

At the opposite end of the pitch, Louis Appere, who scored seven goals last term, could be given the nod to lead the line, at least for the first period of a friendly that should see plenty of substitutions.

As for the visitors, they are likely to field a number of trialists, with a goalkeeper expected to be among them, given there is no shot-stopper signed to the first-team squad.

The right-back spot is also set to be filled by a triallist, while Jacob Mensah, Ange Djadja and Fin Adams could make up the rest of the back four.

Anisius Lewis may be given the opportunity to lead the line, although Alfie Matthews and Jamie Bennett are both options for the centre-forward spot.

Cambridge United possible starting lineup:

Eastwood; Watts, Bauer, Jobe; Bennett, Mpanzu, Ball, Heath; Lavery, Kaikai; Appere

Braintree Town possible starting lineup:

Trialist; Trialist, Mensah, Djadja, Adams; Al Lewis, Swann; Senior, Johnson, Hubbard; An Lewis

We say: Cambridge United 3-0 Braintree Town

With Braintree working with a thin squad, we think they will struggle to compete against a Cambridge side that contains EFL quality, which is why we believe the U's will run out comfortable winners on Monday.

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