Guess was at Southend for two seasons before joining Cambridge

Cambridge prop Mike Guess has backed his side to challenge for the National Two title despite Saturday's 33-29 home defeat against Birmingham and Solihull.

Cambridge will get the chance to recover as they take on Guess' former club Southend this weekend.

Guess told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "I think we're well in contention to win the league.

"We're capable of beating anyone in the league with the squad we've got. We're definitely going to be up there."

Guess admitted he still had strong links with Southend, and said: "I'm still speaking to a lot of the boys [at Southend], and I still train with some of them.

"They've strengthened their squad in some areas but in comparison with what we had last year and the talent we've got up here, there's no reason why we can't turn them over.

"I have the utmost respect for them and they're not a team to be taken lightly at all," he added.

"It's a hard place to go and win."