Cambridge fighting to stay 'in the mix' - Harris

Neil Harris returned to Cambridge United after a spell as Millwall boss

Cambridge United boss Neil Harris has urged his players to ensure they are "in the mix" beyond the Easter weekend as they fight to avoid relegation from League One.

The U's take on Huddersfield Town in West Yorkshire on Friday and are seven points from safety with just four games left to play.

They have won three and drawn three of 11 games since Harris returned to the club for a second spell in charge in February, when they were bottom of the table.

"I've said all along that I want us to give ourselves a fighting chance and make sure we're in the mix as long as possible in the division," he told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.

"It's imperative that we try and pick points up over the Easter period, they are two challenging fixtures in Huddersfield away and Leyton Orient at home, but two games that need absolutely no motivation whatsoever from me to my players.

Cambridge - who last played in League Two in 2021 - could be relegated on Friday is they lose to Huddersfield and either Burton Albion or Bristol Rovers win.

"It's an opportunity for us to go up against another team who are huge in the division and put them on the back foot, that's the plan and then come back (home) to Orient (on Monday) and hopefully we'll find ourselves in a position where we're fighting and scrapping, and we want to win games at the Abbey," Harris added.

"Turnaround time is fast between, same as Saturday-Tuesday and we'll prepare accordingly. We'll have to get the balance (right) over the weekend between recovery and preparation time.

"The lads who don't start in the game on Friday will have the opportunity to train Saturday/Sunday and prepare properly for Monday."

Following the Easter fixtures, Cambridge are away to Burton on 26 April before the daunting task of taking on champions Birmingham City on their home ground seven days later.

Harris said changes were ongoing to the playing side of the club's operations since he and another former boss, Mark Bonner, now director of football, were appointed.

"We know there's a lot more change to come but at the moment we're showing development and sometimes you have to take a step backwards to be able to take a step forward in life, and certainly in football," he added.