BRAINTREE SHOW SHOTS SOME DESIRE Resilient Iron bounce back to - move back into top half Iron got back to winning ways after a double Lincoln City defeat against a struggling Aldershot Town side at the Amlin stadium. An early Dan Holman strike was enough to claim all three points for the Iron, who had the ball in the back of the net again in the second half but was booked for his troubles after the flag was raised for offside. The win means that Braintree remain five points from the playoffs, but sinks their opponents even further who are now two points from safety. Dan Holman opened the scoring early on to shock the Shots, running on to a loose ball which bobbled just behind the back line in the third minute. Holman made the most of a mix up in defence which allowed the vacant ball, keeping his cool to carefully poke past Morris with his right to give the Iron the perfect start. Looking to respond early, Brett Williams created a great chance for the visitors, breaking down the left hand side and standing the ball up in the box for Craig Stanley. The lofty defender got himself into a good position in the box without pressure from any of the Iron defenders, but failed to make the chance count producing more of a defensive header to give the Iron a let off. James Mulley came within a whisper of doubling the advantage when Chez Isaac switched the ball from the inside right to Mulley cutting in on the left flank. The perfectly weighted pass was taken in Mulleys stride, whose next touch was a shot at goal which bobbled just wide of the right post. Holman was next to find himself with an opening, being played in from the right by Sean Marks. Holman twisted and turned inside the penalty area after receiving with his back at goal, eventually firing wide ten minutes from the end of the first half. Neither team could further the scoring before half time, both having chances but largely cancelling one another out in the first 45 minutes. Adam Mekki found the book for the book for the visitors when he brought down James Mulley who was carrying the ball across the visitors box looking for an opening to score. Dan Sparkes lined up with Holman for the shot, but it was Sparkes who struck from just outside the box with his left. Sparkes had beat the wall and the goalkeeper, but could not beat the woodwork, rattling the bar with the rebound cleared away by the Shots defence. Following a double substitution for the visitors, Josh Scott created havoc in the box for Braintree, spinning to search for a teammate or opening. However, Dean Wells was there to clear for the Iron to the frustration of the travelling fans who was urging their team to strike. Scott and Molesey played the ball around again deep into the Iron left hand side, eventually crossing to Brett Williams who unmarked in the area failed to punish. The visitors piled on more pressure from a corner, with Tonkin coming across to provide the delivery from the right. Bradley Bubbs driven shot was cleared off of the line by the Iron, and a loose ball trickled out to fellow sub Mark Molesey. Molesey fired hard from outside the box, but was charged down by Den Wells who blocked to relieve the danger. Braintree had the ball in the back of the net again with 20 minutes to play, when he followed onto a through ball played to Sean Marks in an offside position. Marks left the ball, but Holman who was onside continued his run and rolled the ball into the net with the opposition stationary. The referee blew for offside and awarded Holman a booking for his troubles, although the offside Marks had not interfered with play. Ten minutes from time, Braldey Bubb came close to an equaliser with an acrobatic effort from ten yards out. Bubb connected with the delivery perfectly to land an overhead kick, which Hamann caught with confidence to retain the home lead. Brett Williamss shot was deflected out for a corner, which kept the pressure on the Iron, but the clearance from the corner allowed Holman to break down the left hand side. Holman picked the ball up just inside the Aldershot half, and took it past the first defender into free space. Mulley was breaking his neck to get into the area, but Holman favoured a shot of his own. Looking for a curling effort into the far top corner, Holman fired high and wide off of target. Four minutes of added time was not enough for the visitors to equalise, and whistle was blown for full time with just the one goal. After the game Alan Devonshire reflected on the win which stopped the rot that Lincoln City had begun. Theres not many times when weve gone on a run of a few defeats, so to get back to winning ways is great. To get a clean sheet as well, I think he had one shot to save Nick, and that was the overhead kick. Credit to them, weve had a bit of a patched up side as well. Im delighted for them. Theyve dug in well again and got a good result for us. Alan bluntly refused to see a chance of obtaining the final playoff spot once again, despite the Iron sitting just five points adrift, highlighting the run in of games that Braintree have been handed. Devonshire suggesting that the way that these fixtures had been organised by the league has left them with an unfair mountain to climb. I look at the Grimsby v Dartford game and thats been pushed back until the 10th April because the two clubs agreed. Halifax didnt agree to do the same with us because they didnt have a game. Weve got 55 points now, were safe and we can go and enjoy the rest of the season, but I think if you were in my position you would think exactly the same. Braintree Town: Hamann, Peters, Sparkes, Wells, Paine, Isaac, Davis, Daley (Laurent), Mulley, Marks, Holman (Jakubiak) Unused Subs: McDonald, Maybanks, Holdsworth. Aldershot Town: Morris, Oastler, Tonkin, Stanley, Mekki (Molesey), Rowlands, Williams, Barker, Scott, Gibbs, Butler (Bubb) Unused Subs: Taiwo, Webster, Martin. Referee: Justin Amey. Assistants: Joshua Smith and Tim Donellan. Fourth Official: Robin Cox. Attendance: 1090. Match report by Chris Pargin.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Mar 2014 23:30:23 +0000
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