Brabin's side are five points clear of teams outside the play-off places

Cambridge United boss Gary Brabin has conceded his side's hopes of automatic promotion are now over.

The U's are nine points off leaders Burton after losing 2-1 to Stevenage on Tuesday, their second defeat in a row.

Brabin told BBC Cambridgeshire: "That result has put to bed our chances of winning the league.

"But we're trying to look at the positives, with our young lads it would have been a massive blow to go to the last day of the season and miss out."

The U's reached the play-off final last season under Jimmy Quinn, but lost out to Exeter at Wembley.

Brabin is ready to put all his efforts into going one better this time around and he feels a promotion via the play-offs would be well deserved.

"Every single game we've played this season we've had to work hard for, there have been no gimmies," he said.

"You hear of some sides playing weakened sides because they haven't been able to pay their players, but that never seems to happen to the teams we play."

Cambridge have four games remaining, starting with Eastbourne Borough at the Abbey on Saturday.

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