Cambridge United's four-year stay in League One could officially come to an end when they host Leyton Orient at the Cledara Abbey Stadium in an Easter Monday matchup.
Neil Harris's men will be consigned to the drop with a defeat if other results go against them, while their visitors are involved in a multi-team scrap for the fourth and final playoff spot.
Match preview
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Whether it is too little too late remains to be seen, but there is fight left in Harris's Cambridge United, as evidenced by their statement success over playoff outsiders Huddersfield Town on Good Friday.
Terriers attacker Josh Koroma seemingly had the last laugh as he cancelled out James Brophy's opener with just one minute of normal time remaining, but up stepped another attacking substitute to save the day for the U's, as Brophy turned provider for Sullay Kaikai in injury time.
Now boasting two wins from three while only losing one of their last six contests in League One, Cambridge - who scored with their only two shots on target on Friday - can still mathematically pull off a great escape from the demotion zone, but their five-point gap to Burton Albion in 20th place means that their fate lies out of their own hands.
Should the 22nd-placed hosts suffer defeat and Burton - who also have a game in hand - prevail on Easter Monday, Cambridge will be condemned to League Two football for the 2025-26 season, although the U's can take some solace from the fact that the Brewers face champions Birmingham City next up.
However, the Amber Army will not be comforted by their side's five-match winless run on home soil, nor will they be inspired by a measly one clean sheet from 15 League One games at the Cledara Abbey Stadium, even if that shut-out was against playoff-bound Stockport County.
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Leyton Orient are in no position to hand out any sweet treats, though, as Richie Wellens's men are involved in a fascinating five-way fight for the final top-six place and have rediscovered their midas touch in front of goal at the perfect moment.
On the back of a 3-2 success at Mansfield Town and 3-1 beating of Crawley Town, Monday's visitors were involved in a seven-goal spectacular with Barnsley on Good Friday, where they completed a captivating comeback from 2-0 and 3-1 down to somehow prevail 4-3 on home territory.
While star striker Charlie Kelman struck goal number 20 for the league season on April 18, Wellens's defenders stole the show, as Ethan Galbraith, Sean Clare and Omar Beckles all contributed to a tremendous turnaround which saw Orient go from 3-1 down to 4-3 up in the space of just six minutes.
Wellens's sixth-placed side now lead Reading on goal difference and Bolton Wanderers by three points, but Huddersfield and Blackpool are not out of the equation either, so Leyton Orient would do well to maintain their magnificent scoring form during the home straight.
The visitors have also been nothing if not consistent against Cambridge in recent times, winning each of their last three head-to-heads by a 2-0 scoreline, and not since April 2017 have Leyton Orient failed to score against their East Anglian adversaries.
Team News
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None of Harris's Cambridge troops picked up any fresh fitness concerns in the Good Friday triumph over Huddersfield, but experienced left-back Scott Malone missed out after a recent hip issue and is not expected to be risked on Monday either.
Malone joins long-term hamstring victim Shayne Lavery on the sidelines, but Paul Digby was back manning the midfield against Huddersfield following his own layoff, while Nathan Bishop and Jubril Okedina are not too far away from returns either.
The hosts - alongside all other EFL clubs - will need to conduct once-overs on all players given the tight Easter turnaround, but the bulk of Friday's starters should be retained, with the possible exception of Huddersfield hero Kaikai replacing Elias Kachunga on the right flank.
Leyton Orient boss Wellens could also make an alteration out wide, albeit an enforced one, as Dan Agyei was substituted with an unspecified injury in the second half against Barnsley.
Agyei's status remains unclear, but Dilan Markanday and Azeem Abdulai are both waiting in the wings if needed, and the visitors' only other fitness concern at present is backup goalkeeper Sam Howes.
The 27-year-old would be playing second fiddle to on-loan Tottenham Hotspur youngster Josh Keeley anyway, while fellow Spurs-owned starlet Jamie Donley conjured up two assists in the enthralling success over Barnsley.
Wellens's half-time tactical switch - introducing Clare for 39-year-old captain Darren Pratley - worked a treat on Friday, so the Orient boss may now make that alteration from the off as Galbraith moves into midfield.
Cambridge United possible starting lineup:
Stevens; Bennett, Morrison, Watts, Gibbons; Digby, Stevenson; Kaikai, Stokes, Brophy; Ballard
Leyton Orient possible starting lineup:
Keeley; Clare, Beckles, Edmonds-Green, Currie; Brown, Galbraith; Williams, Donley, Markanday; Kelman
We say: Cambridge United 1-3 Leyton Orient
Fighting fire with fire has been the way forward for Leyton Orient, unsurprising given the talent of Donley and Kelman - the division's top scorer - in the final third.
Wellens's men have our vote to continue on that path against Cambridge, who for all of their dogged displays in recent weeks are highly vulnerable at home, but they will live to fight another day if Birmingham can take care of business against Burton and 21st-placed Bristol Rovers fail to beat Stevenage.
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Ben Knapton
