Cambridge’s hopes of avoiding relegation from League One took a damaging blow with a 1-0 defeat away to Burton.
Mark Helm struck the only goal of the game in a tense affair where the visitors knew that a victory would lift them out of the bottom four going into their last match of the season.
But instead they sit a point from safety heading into their clash with already-relegated Forest Green on Sunday and needing both MK Dons and Morecambe to drop points to have a chance of survival.
Cambridge began brightly with leading goalscorer Sam Smith denied by a timely challenge from Sam Hughes before pulling a good chance wide from the edge of the box.
But Albion grabbed the lead after 28 minutes when Helm skipped past a couple of challenges before finding the corner of the net via a deflection.
Helm hit a post early in the second period having been brought down by goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov but referee Andy Haines tried to play an advantage as he looked poised to award the penalty.
Ryan Bennett headed a late chance against the crossbar as Cambridge sought an equaliser before Jordan Amissah produced an amazing last ditch save to claw away Smith’s goalbound header.
