Braintree Town vs Luton Town FC (12th Nov 2013)

REPORT: BRAINTREE 1-2 TOWN

The Town made it 10 games unbeaten in the Skrill Premier with a determined 2-1 victory at bogey team Braintree.

Goals from Paul Benson and Andy Parry had the Hatters 2-0 up but a goal from home substitute Dan Holman made for a nervy final quarter but, on a gluepot of a pitch, the Hatters held on to secure a crucial win – their first in three visits to the Almin Stadium – which lifted John Still’s side up to second in the table.

On a bobbly pitch the Town – showing five changes to the side that exited the FA Cup at Welling on Saturday – began well, confidently passing on a surface not that conducive to playing football on.

Mark Tyler was the first of the two goalkeepers to be called into action when he kept out an on-target free-kick from Braintree’s Daniel Sparkes on 11 minutes before the Hatters upped the ante.

As the game swung from end to end, the Town were defending well against the aerial bombardment from the hosts but continued to impress playing football going forward.

Andre Gray, back in the side after overcoming a slight hamstring injury, did brilliantly on 24 minutes with a solo effort which saw him speed clear several Braintree defenders, but the striker was thwarted by a block by the body of the on-rushing Nik Hamann, the home goalkeeper.

You felt that a Town goal was on its way and, on the half-hour mark, it came. Gray was key, racing around the Braintree defence to lay on a shot for Alex Lawless. His shot was cleared off of the line by Dean Wells but the ball was sent back into the penalty area by Parry and his effort was tapped home by Benson two yards out for his sixth goal of the season.

It was no more than the Hatters deserved, but Braintree should have equalised on 36 minutes when Wells somehow nodded wide of the target from two yards with the goal at his mercy after the Town had allowed a left-wing corner to bounce menacingly in the six-yard box.

Braintree ended the first period on top, and a number of clearances – notably from Steve McNulty – kept the hosts at bay as the Town ended a spirited first 45 minutes in front.

The Town came close to finding a second 11 minutes after the restart when Benson and Gray combined well down the right but the latter’s low cross was acrobatically cleared by Kenny Davis as Jake Howells and Benson attempted to get to the ball.

As the Hatters continued to push for a second Gray almost fashioned another chance out of nothing when he took on the Braintree defence. His cross was flicked goalwards by Howells but his effort got stuck in the muddy goalmouth and Gray’s fierce follow-up was deflected wide.

However, the Town didn’t have to wait long for a second as, on 75 minutes, Parry fired home after Benson’s effort following a Howells corner was cleared off the line.

The Hatters’ two-goal cushion, however, was short lived as 30 seconds later Braintree pulled a goal back when substitute Holman stuck a shot that swerved from distance and arched over a stranded Tyler.

It was all Braintree as the Town came under pressure and the Hatters needed to substitute the injured McNulty for Jim Stevenson.

As the hosts pressed for a leveller, a left-wing cross from ex-Hatter Newman Carney caused panic in the Town defence when any touch would have tested Tyler, before the goalkeeper needed to be alert to keep out Holman’s poked effort from the edge of the box.

Time continued to tick down and Braintree threatened from set pieces, with both centre-halves, Paine and Wells, heading over from good positions following right-wing corners.

The Town scrapped and fought for every ball in the dying stages. Tyler pulled off a fine save from substitute Luke Daley in the third of four added minutes.

Braintree pushed and pushed and pushed but the Hatters held on in the face of the barrage of high balls in the box and after a tense final minute of added time the Town clung on to a vital three points.

TOWN: Tyler; Henry, Griffiths, McNulty (sub Stevenson 62), Lacey; Smith, Parry; Lawless, Howells, Gray; Benson (sub Cullen 78).

Subs not used: Justham, Guttridge, Whalley.

ATTENDANCE: 1,518, including 728 backing the Town.

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/braintree-pix-1211-1171386.aspx

http://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/article/still-on-braintree-1171391.aspx

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiaIH-DSTSM

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liam2010/sets/72157637666779933/

A proud manager's delight at Braintree win

Town boss John Still hailed the 2-1 win a Braintree on Tuesday night as one of the best of the season so far.

Goals from Paul Benson and Andy Parry put the Hatters 2-0 up against in-form Braintree but, on a bobbly pitch the home side almost snatched a late point when rallying after pulling a goal back through a deflected Dan Holman strike.

However, the Town clung on to all three points to lift themselves in second place in the Skrill Premier, much to the manager’s delight.

“We’ve had to work hard and dig in, it wasn’t pretty but we needed to be effective,” Still said afterwards. “It was up there with the best performance of the season because of the work-rate and discipline shown by the players.

“We’ve had performances away from home this season where we’ve played great football, at Kidderminster for example – which was probably the perfect away performance – but this was the other side of the coin.

“The early part of the game we could pass it but the longer the game on the longer both teams had to go. The conditions were really, really poor but once we were in front it was all about grinding it out.

“I thought we worked hard to get 2-0 up and I thought that would put us in control but a minute later they score a deflected goal and that gave Braintree the momentum.”

The Town’s cause wasn’t helped when they needed to substitute goalscorer Benson and centre-half Steve McNulty – who were both struggling with their fitness in the lead up to the game.

“At 2pm Paul wasn’t playing,” admitted Still. “In the end, though, he said he’d give it a go. We’ve got no Jon Shaw or Alex Wall and Andre Gray’s missed a couple of weeks but we went with it for as long as we could and Paul’s done really well.

“Steve’s back stiffened up – he didn’t need half-time and he couldn’t continue. But we dropped Parry in there alongside Alex Lacey.

“They did their job well and I thought Ronnie Henry and Scott Griffiths were outstanding. We had to work hard to get the three points.

“A lot of people were asking me before the game ‘would you take a point?’. Those people don’t know John Still – I never take a point I was always try and win.

“It was a performance that, if I’m being honest and a bit soppy, makes me feel very proud to be the manager.”

Muddy marvellous Hatters hold on for victory to go second

Skrill Premier: Braintree Town 1 (0) Luton Town 2 (1)

A dogged performance bursting with endeavour and spirit saw Hatters scrap their way to a first-ever win at Braintree tonight, writes Mike Simmonds.

Goals from Paul Benson and Andy Parry did the damage, but it was Town’s passion, work-rate and willingness to fight that were the most impressive factors on what was a horrible playing surface.

Hatters made five changes to the side that lost in the FA Cup to Welling on Saturday, with Alex Lawless, Andre Gray, Ronnie Henry, Mark Tyler and Scott Griffiths coming in.

Gray served notice of his intentions early on as he put on the afterburners to speed on to his own chip forward, but keeper Nik Hamann came sliding out of his area to block at the striker’s feet.

The pitch almost played up midway through the half as Jordan Cox’s low shot took an almighty bobble, but luckily Tyler was right behind it.

Hatters had the lead on 30 minutes with a goal that owed much to the superb tenacity of Gray.

He sprinted away on the right and with Hamann to beat, squared for Lawless, whose shot was cleared off the line by Dean Wells. Parry volleyed the follow up into the ground and it was met by the predatory Benson to divert it over the line for his second goal in successive games.

Iron should have been level shortly afterwards as a corner was missed by everyone and from virtually on the goal-line, Matt Paine somehow directed his header wide.

The hosts then served another warning as Cox fired into the night sky from a good position, but Town, led by a dominant display from Steve McNulty at the back, went into half time a goal to the good.

With backpasses not the order of the evening, Town almost got themselves in an almighty tangle through McNulty and Tyler, but the keeper recovered to slide the ball away from the onrushing Cox.

Hatters were getting drawn into a real old fashioned battle, and they were dealt a huge blow on the hour as the magnificent McNulty picked up a knock and had to be replaced by Jim Stevenson, with Parry dropping to centre-half.

Gray then produced another moment of magic, sending over a cross that got stuck in the mud, only for the forward to reach it first, but he saw his shot deflected behind.

The first corner was cleared away for another and, from Lawless’ delivery, Benson’s full stretch shot was blocked, but Parry was quickest to react as he slammed the ball home from close range on 66 minutes.

Barely had Luton had time to finish celebrating though and the Iron were back in the match as substitute Dan Holman’s deflected 30-yard effort swerved wickedly past a shocked Tyler.

It was the tricky Holman who went close again as he wriggled clear of a few weak Town challenges, but Tyler was down smartly to parry.

Paine and Wells put almost identical headers over as the last five minutes saw Town defend for their lives, with the visiting fans lapping up their side’s efforts.

Twice Hatters’ hearts were in their mouths as Luke Daley cut in and arrowed a shot that Tyler did well to grab and then, on the whistle, Alex Lacey made a stunning sliding intervention to deny Iron a certain goal.

The result was made even more sweeter with news of a late goal for Macclesfield earning them a draw with Kidderminster, meaning Town travel to Chester this weekend in second place.

Iron: Nick Hamann, Ryan Peters, Newman Carney, Dean Wells (C), Matt Paine, Chez Isaac, Dan Sparkes (Luke Daley 61), Kenny Davis, James Mulley (Liam Enver-Marum 85), Sean Marks, Jordan Cox (Dan Holman 61). Substitutes not used: Nathan McDonald, Sam Griffiths.

Hatters: Mark Tyler, Jonathan Smith, Steve McNulty (Jim Stevenson 61), Alex Lawless, Scott Griffiths, Andy Parry, Jake Howells, Ronnie Henry (C), Paul Benson (Mark Cullen 72), Andre Gray, Alex Lacey. Substitutes not used: Luke Guttridge, Elliot Justham, Shaun Whalley.

Referee: Justin Amey Assistant Referees: Jonathan Burridge and Andrew Tonks Fourth official: George Sprague.

Booked: Parry 65.

Attendance: 1,518 (728 Luton).

Star Hatter: Jonathan Smith. Gave everything for the cause throughout the evening.