Braintree Town Vs Macclesfield Town Match Report 8-4-14

Braintree suffered another 1-0 loss at home, this time to Macclesfield Town following the same score line on Saturday against Salisbury. After clawing their way into the playoff places, Braintree have slipped to seventh place on the back of two defeats, although still just two points adrift of fifth with some favourable results elsewhere. A single Scott Boden goal just after the hour mark sent the visiting side home happy, with Braintree possibly now pleased to see an away fixture up next, albeit to league leaders Luton Town.

Nick Hamann showed his awareness from the off, sprinting off of his line in the first ten minutes to collect the ball from Chris Holroyd’s feet, suffocating any opportunity that may be forming for the frontman early on. With both sides battling it out in the middle of the park, little was created in the first twenty five minutes. However, the visitors came close with some good build up play down the left hand side just prior to the half hour mark. Danny Andrew pushed up from his left back position, cutting inside the Iron box and playing in an inviting ball across the face of the goal. The resulting touch could not steer the ball towards goal, bobbling out for a goal kick.

At the other end, a Matt Paine volleyed cross searched for the head of Jordan Cox, who leapt just short of the ball to watch it drift past. A sneaky short corner Davis from Dan Sparkes failed to result in a lofted ball in. Instead Sparkes picked the ball back up and struck a shot through on goal from just inside the eighteen yard box, which flew low at the goalkeeper’s feet. Power looked to take the struggling ball out of the Taylor’s clutches, but the keeper managed calm any danger, scooping up on the turn.

At the start of the second half, some good build up play across the pitch involving Cox, Holman and Isaac found James Mulley inside the box. Mulley just failed to tuck the ball away, with Cox suffering the same feat straight after from a cross played in from the right. Build the two chances in succession kick-started the home side, who then won a free kick just outside the visitor’s box through Jordan Cox. It was Isaac who struck right footed, under the wall which the goalkeeper did well to react to with limited visibility, parrying away.

But the first goal would go to the Silkmen on the hour mark, with Scott Boden in acres of space to receive a switch of play just outside the Iron box. Boden knocked it left and then right between his feet to go past Alan Massey, striking across goal to Hamann’s right hand side. The outstretched Iron ‘keeper could not reach the shot, then venting his frustration with seeing his side slip behind after picking the ball out of the back of the net.

Boden was also first in the referee’s booked after flailing an arm at Dean Wells when chasing down another loose ball ten minutes after his goal.

Paul Turnball came at the Iron again, laying off Danny Whitaker to his right, who struck hard at Nick Hamann who push the ball over. The resulting ball in from the corner was thumbled by Hamann, nearly presenting a tap in for the Macclesfield men forward, but was scrambled clear by the Iron, keeping the deficit to a single goal.

Three minutes of added time presented just one real opportunity for the Iron, with Jakubiak finding space to shoot from the right hand side after a ball up from the return of a drop ball thumped up by the Macclesfield goalkeeper. Jakubiak thundered the shot across goal, with the referee blowing as soon as the ball crossed the line for a goal kick to signal a second 1-0 loss at home in a row.

Alan Devonshire saw no excuse for poor performances all over the park after the game. “I’m really disappointed tonight. I don’t think that we was at it, and I aint blaming that we was tired, we’ve had the rest from Saturday, I said to them in there that I’m really disappointed and they didn’t want it bad enough.”

“I thought that they were better than us all over the park. They looked sharper. We’ve got some big big games coming up. We have Luton away on Saturday and if we play like that we’ll get hammered.”

“I just wanted more from them. They’ve been praised and I’ve always said how great they’ve done but today I was gutted. We’re better than that.”

Braintree Town: Hamann, Paine, Habergham, Wells, Massey, Isaac (Laurent), Davis, Spakes (Daley), Mulley, Cox (Jakubiak), Holman

Unused Subs: McDonald, Carney

Macclesfield Town: Taylor, Connor, Andrew, Turnbull, Holroyd, Winn (Mackreth), Williams, Lewis, Boden (Kay), Whitaker, Halls

Unused Subs: Mackreth, Branagan, Rowe, Cowan

Referee: Adam Hopkins

Assistants: Stuart Pawley and Chris Francis

Fourth Official: Lloyd Wood