Just short of half an hour in, a poor clearance from the
Gateshead defence allowed Isaac space to shoot. A bobbling ball just inside the
box was pounced on by Isaac, who curled right footed across goal. Slightly
misjudging the top corner, the shot floated with power just inches above the
bar in what looked a decent chance for the Iron.
Ten minutes from the half time whistle, a free-kick from
deep provided the first real chance of the game for the visitors. The cross was
directed at James Curtis at waist height, clearing all Iron shirts with Nathan
McDonald looking beaten by a pacey ball across goal. However, the lofty centre
back would probably have preferred a higher ball in as he failed to get
anything on the cross, watching it fly past for a goal kick.
From the re-start, a corner played in by Sparkes was reached
by Dan Holman, who was closed down instantly by the Gateshead defence resulting
in a second corner for the Iron. Though this could not be taken advantage of
either, a pinpoint ball across field by Sam Habergham met Mully in the area to
create another chance. Mulley headed back to set up Matt Paine, who was charged
down with a decent block, preventing any test of Adam Batlett between the
sticks.
On the hour mark, Holman’s nod on twenty yards out fell to
Jordan Cox, who struck the ball well, demanding the best from the Gateshead
‘keeper. Bartlett tipped the ball over to safety providing another corner to
the Iron. It was Wells who met this ball in, looking to add to his headed goal
against the league leader Luton Town at the weekend. This time, Jamie Chandler
on the post managed to clear off of the line, keeping the game goalless with
the home side in the ascendency.
Ten minutes from time, Cox played the ball out to Dan
Sparkes on the left hand side. Sparkes found Holman running in across goal, who
went down in the box from a shove in the back. The referee pointed to the spot
to hand the Iron a penalty and a chance to take all three points. Holman placed
the ball on the spot, and struck to the goalkeeper’s right, who read the shot
well, thumbling the effort onto the bar. The rebound was headed behind for a
goal kick to the dismay of the home side who would leapfrog Gateshead into a
playoff position with a win. However, on the night the sides were to share the
spoils meaning that Braintree fell a further point away from the playoffs with
Gateshead now the nearest team on place above.
Speaking after the game, Alan Devonshire felt hard done by
from not collecting all three points on the night.
“I thought we were the only team trying to win the game. We
had a few good chances and we had a penalty… Did they have a shot? I’m
disappointed, but the effort they gave me out there I’m not disappointed. They
were the better side as far as I’m concerned.
They’ve come and they’ve come for a point, and they’ve got
the point. To be fair, we deserved to get the three points. They’ve come with a
game plan, and they’ve spoiled us but we were the only ones that had chances in
the game. I’m just disappointed, because I just feel that we deserved the three
points.
We’ve got three games left and we’re still fighting. Three
games to go and people are talking about Braintree in the playoffs. What a
fantastic season that is. We’ll keep going. I’m proud of them and I like to
think that the fans and directors are proud of them, so we go again on Friday”
Braintree Town: McDonald, Peters, Habergham, Wells, Massey,
Isaac, Paine, Sparkes, Mulley, Cox, Holman
Unused Subs: Quinton, Daley, Carney, Laurent, Holdsworth
Gateshead: Bartlett, Magnay, Chandler, Curtis, Clark,
Turnbull, Baxter, Marwood, Maddison (Walker), Oster (Ramshaw), O’Donnell
Unused Subs: Baird, Cummins, Noble
Referee: Richard
Martin
Assistants: Gary Parsons and Samuel Ogles
Fourth Official: Neil West
Attendance: 901
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