Braintree Town vs Cambridge United 25-02-14 Match report

Iron won all three points in a game that saw them dominate the opposition throughout the game as they returned to their first piece of action at the Amlin stadium since the back end of 2013. Dan Sparks scored the only goal of the game, securing the win for the home side, latching onto a Bernard Mensah run to fire low and hard past the visiting goalkeeper. Both loan signings were handed a start in the game against 2^nd place Cambridge after impressing against Kidderminster Harriers at the weekend. This meant a home debut for both Josh Laurent and Barnard Mensah, which also saw the pair complete the 90 minutes as they looked settled in the side throughout.

 

Both sides struggled to keep hold of the ball in the early stages, with the away side finding space for the first chance with Andy Pugh in space outside the Iron area. His lashed shot failed to trouble Nic Hamann, slicing well wide of the Braintree goal. Straight down the other end, some nice play down the Iron left flank found Josh Laurent open in the visitor’s box. His control on the knee set himself up for a volleyed effort, which fell into Will Norris’ arms. Moments later, a throw from the same area found Barnard Mensah again unmarked inside the U’s area. His attempt flew wide, which was followed shortly after by a low strike across goal from the Watford man, again going out a goal kick as the home side began to take a handle on the game.

 

Ten minutes before half time, Matt Paine found the referees book as he slid in late on U’s Ryan Bird. The resulting free kick was caught by Nic Hamann to the delight of Ryan Peters, whose backward header looked destined for the back of his own net. Neither side could break the deadlock in the first half as the referee blew the whistle with the game goalless.

 

Cambridge looked to have opened the scoring on the hour mark, when Braintree struggled to clear a bobbling ball in the box. Sam Habergham sliced a clearance which fell back into the box, and trickled towards Ryan Bird just yards from the goal line. Bird stuck out a leg but could not get enough on the ball to prevent the spin from taking it the wrong side of Hamann’s right post for the visitors.

 

But it was Iron who took the lead with Bernard Mensah bearing down on the Cambridge goal as he picked up the ball down the Iron left hand side. He twisted and turned into the visitor’s box, crossing paths with Dan Sparks who took the opportunity to strike the running ball low and hard to the goalkeeper’s left hand side. Will Norris couldn’t get down quick enough to prevent the Iron opener, turning to watch the net ripple as an orange bundle formed in celebration of the lead.

 

Sam Habergham was awarded a yellow card in the final ten minutes as he argued for the position of a throw with the referee,  and Ryan Peters was sent jumping in frustration by the referee when he was awarded the same punishment for a challenge 30 yards out on Ryan Bird. As Bird returned to the field after going off for treatment, Cambridge fired in a corner which grazed the Iron bar with less than five minutes to play.

 

Sean Marks was pulled down outside the Cambridge area, and consequent found the book for retaliation, but won a free kick which was directed into the Cambridge box and forced a great save from the Cambridge goalkeeper. The resulting corner found James Mulley, who met the cross with a bullet header that again required Norris to be at his best. Josh Laurent was next to drill a shot goal bound at the keeper, as Iron peppered the Cambridge goal looking to extend their lead in injury time. An extension was not to be, and the referee called a close to a great win for Braintree in a game against the second placed side in the division who looked second best all night to a classy Iron outfit.

 

Manager Alan Devonshire could not hide his delight with the performance after the game, reiterating a dominant display. “We bossed it in the second half. I said to Nic (Hamann) after did you have a save to make in the second half and he said no”. After recording three points against the second placed team, Braintree welcome bottom of the table Hyde at the weekend, and Alan Devonshire will be taking nothing for granted. “Their scoring goals and we’ll take nothing for granted.” After a long layoff, Devonshire looks to make the most of the initial games back which has supplied him with an almost fresh faced squad halfway through the season. “This is like pre-season for us at the moment, we’re looking fresh.”

 

Braintree Town: Hamann, Peters, Habergham, Wells, Massey, Davis (Sparks), Paine, Laurent, Mulley, Mansah, Marks

Unused Subs: McDonald, Long, Holman, Daley

 

Cambridge United: Norris, Roberts, Taylor, Coulson, Bonner, Champion, Pugh (Chambers), Hughes, Berry (Gilles), Bird, Barnes Homer (Arnold)

Unused Subs: Sullivan, Tait

 

Referee: Dean Treleaven

Assistants: Paul Burnham and Christopher Pollard

 

 

FC Halifax Town away match preview 22-02-14

Iron look forward to taking on promotion chasing FC Halifax Town on Tuesday night, after having again succumbed to a waterlogged pitch on Saturday following heavy downpours at the back end of last week.

Halifax sit just two points off of the playoffs going into this fixture in a scrambled league table displaying sides that have played anywhere between 25 and 34 games. The two extremes meet in this fixture, where Braintree’s lack of action has seen them fall to 18^th place, ten points and nine games behind Halifax who have propelled themselves to eighth. With plenty of chance to make up the ground in the second half of the season, Iron look to get back into action this week and begin what will now be a busy few remaining months of fixtures.

The Shaymen will be glad to play this game at home, seeing a vast difference in terms of results at home and away so far this season. Halifax have won 12 from 17 at home this term, losing just once which has saved them when looking at their away form. The side have almost completely undone this good work whilst on the road, where they have lost 11 from 17, winning just once. The Jekyll and Hyde nature of the team this year has led to very varied form throughout, true also this month which has produced three points so far for Neil Aspin’s side. A 5-1 victory at the Shay over Salisbury has produced the only points of their three games which have also resulted in losses against Chester and Lincoln City.

Since the clubs formation in 2008 which followed the liquidation of their predecessors, Halifax have met Braintree just once, resulting in a 1-0 win at the Amlin stadium this year for the Iron. Kenny Davis scored from the spot to earn all three points in November for his side.

New loan signing Josh Clarke will be hoping to make his debut for Braintree on Tuesday evening, having joined the side on a one month’s loan from Brentford last week. The winger has featured for the first team of his parent club in the Capital One cup against Derby County, and again against Peterborough United in the Johnston’s paint trophy since signing a full time contract this season. However, he will be looking to add some first team experience after seeing a lack of opportunity for Brentford, and comes in to bolster the squad ahead of a busy fixture list going forward.

Admission prices for the game are as follows: Adults £17, Concessions £13, 16 and Under £8, Under 12’s £6 Under 7’s £3.

Directions to the ground: Take the M62 exiting at junction 24, follow signs for A629 Halifax into Skircoat Road, then onto Shaw hill where you will find the ground. There are a number of car-parking spaces available for hire during the week. With the Shay being just a short walk from the Town Centre and car-parking in the centre of Halifax at a premium, the Shay can offer an ideal solution.

 

Forest Green Rovers (Away) Match Preview 11-02-2014

Braintree Town’s midweek fixture involves a trip to Gloucestershire to take on the longest serving members of the Conference Premier, Forest Green Rovers. After booking a place in the Essex Senior cup final last Tuesday for the first time since 1997, more poor weather has seen another game at the Amlin postponed this weekend. Midweek fixtures will now be a regular feature for Iron, who have up to eight games in hand over some of the competition.

The lack of league action has seen Iron slip to seventeenth place, three places behind their hosts on Tuesday. However, a win would see Devonshire’s side leapfrog Forest Green Rovers, who are just two points better off going into the fixture. A mix of bad weather and floodlight problems has seen Rovers have a similarly disrupted start to the year. However, in the three games that have been played to the final whistle, Rovers are unbeaten, picking up seven points and scoring ten goals in the process. A 1-1 draw with rivals Hereford was followed up with a spectacular 6-2 away demolition of bottom of the table Hyde, and a 3-0 victory over Chester FC.

The reverse fixture this season ended in a stalemate, when James Norward’s early lead for the visitors was levelled with a Kenny Davis penalty. The sides have been very even overall in recent years also. Last season was one for the home sides, where Iron enjoyed a 3-1 win through goals from Marks, Daley and another Davis penalty. However the reverse fixture saw Rovers go one better to win the game 4-1 at the New Lawn, meaning it was three points a piece from these two games. A similar outcome was reached the season prior, but this time it was the away side that prospered. Braintree were first to be successful on the road, winning by two goals and keeping a clean sheet. It was a different story at the Amlin where a ten man Iron conceded five, with just a Sean Marks consolation to show from the day.

Tickets can be bought prior to the game from the Forest Green Rovers website, at £14 for adults, £10 for seniors, £7 for young adults and £4 for juniors. The website allows tickets to be purchased and printed at home. Club address: The New Lawn, Another way, Nailsworth GL6 0FG. Please use postcode GL6 0ET for Sat Nav’s directions to the stadium.

AFC Hornchurch Vs Braintree Town Essex Senior Cup Semi Final report 4-2-14

Iron sealed their place in the Essex Senior Cup Final against AFC Hornchurch last night, but were made to do so the hard way as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Bridge Avenue. Devonshire’s tactical changes proved to be the difference, as his side came from a goal behind with just ten men following Kenny Davis’ second half dismissal. Dan Holman’s headed goal saw the game go to penalties, which Braintree capitalised on to secure their final place, which will be played against the winner of Concord Rangers and Colchester United.
 
Devonshire named a near full strength side against the cup holders, paying them respect as tough opposition on home turf. The first real chance of the game fell to Jordan Cox who came back to meet a trickling ball into the Hornchurch box. With his back to goal, Cox held off the challenge from the oncoming defender, managing to shoot hard and low on the turn towards the bottom corner. The resulting effort trickled just past the wrong side of the goalpost, failing to test the home keeper.
 
Leigh Bremner found himself in space for the Urchins when he picked up the ball in midfield and used the opportunity to run at the opposition, drifting across the Braintree back line. Sam Habergham looked to come forward and cut out Bremners run, but failed to make contact with the ball, sending the pacey winger sprawling and picking up a yellow card.
 
Cox’s headed flick on from a throw deep inside the Hornchurch half was picked up by Sean Marks, who got into a dangerous position in the box. A clever lay off to James Mulley looked like it was going to provide the first goal in this fixture, but Mulley failed to get his shot on target giving the hosts a let off as his shot floated over the bar.
 
Rickie Hayles went up to take a throw in an advanced position for the hosts, catapulting into the Braintree box. Stefan Payne was there to make the header, directing his effort wide of the post to remind the Conference side of the attacking danger that his team possessed. However, neither side could break the deadlock before half time with all to play for in the second half.
 
Braintree fans were left wanting when they appealed for a penalty from the referee after they saw Sean Marks brought down in the area by Frankie Curley. The appeals were waved away and moments later Marks was shown a yellow for dissent.
 
Stefan Payne did well to control a ball over his shoulder, setting himself up in the Iron box. His left footed strike lacked the power it needed to beat Nik Hamann who smothered the attempt. Minutes later Payne was set free again with a long ball up from the Hornchurch defence. Again he failed to make the most of the opportunity to beat the keeper when he found himself one on one with Hamann, who matched the shot for the second time.

The game took an unexpected turn when Iron were suddenly left with ten men. From nowhere, Captain Kenny Davis was sent for an early bath for a foul in the middle of the park. Handing over the armband to Sean Marks, Davis took a slow walk off as the Conference side were left stunned and with a great deal to do to progress against a hard working Hornchurch side.
 
Hornchurch soon made the extra man count when Leigh Bemner played in Stefan Payne from the left hand side. The forward made it third time lucky as he turned in the box and fired low and hard to Hamanns left. The keeper could not prevent this one, and saw Paynes effort nestle into the bottom corner to give the home side the advantage.
 
Devonshire quickly looked to change things around, bringing on Ben Long and Dan Holman to replace Sam Habergham and Jordan Cox. However, it was the home side that had the momentum, playing an inviting ball into George Purcell. Hamann was quick off his line to clear the danger as the striker looked to break clear. Devonshire used his last sub to change things once more with Luke Daley coming on for James Mulley.
 
The tactical changes paid off when Ben Long and Dan Holman linked up in the Urchins box. Long headed down to Holman ten yards out, who shot first time past keeper Inigo Echepare to level the scoring heading into the final ten minutes. Both teams had opportunities to win the tie, but neither could do so in normal time as the final whistle blew with the sides both level.
 
With no extra time to be played, the teams named their five penalty takers, and gathered in the centre circle to watch each man attempt to convert. In the end it would not be one of these men that was the Essex hero or villain as fourteen penalties were required. With Wells, Holman, Daley and Paine scoring from the spot, both sides had managed to score four of six. Paul Starkey stepped up for number seven for the hosts, shooting down the middle which was saved by Hamann to hand Peters the opportunity to win it. Ryan’s penalty was guided into the side netting to win the tie, booking Braintree’s place in the final.
 
AFC Hornchurch: Inigo Echepare, Billy Coyne, Alex Bentley (Michael Spencer), Elliott Styles, Richie Hayles, Frankie Curley, Phil Starkey, Joey May, Stefan Payne, George Purcell, Leigh Bremner (Tabeson Eyong)
 
Unused Subs: Carl Rook, Sam Lechmere, Michael Bowditch
 
Braintree Town:  Nik Hamann, Ryan Peters, Sam Habergham (Ben Long), Matt Paine, Kenny Davis, Sean Marks, Dan Sparkes, Alan Massey, Dean Wells, Jordan Cox (Dan Holman), James Mulley (Luke Daley)
 
Unused Subs: Nathan McDonald
 
Referee: Barry Holdornes
Assistants: Rick Bloy, Neil West