Braintree Town 0 Oxford City 0

[dbbn]

Two potential play-off rivals came head-to-head tonight at the Dunmow Group Stadium but neither side were capable of opening each other up.  Four changes from Saturday's 0-0 draw at Taunton saw Cawley, Benton, Matthews and Rush replaced by Payne, Blair and new loan signing from Ebbsfleet, midfielder Jack Paxman and only four subs. The Iron started at a brisk pace, moving the ball quickly and on the floor, pressing high up the pitch making it hard for City to get out. Good work down the right a couple of quick one-twos and Blair gets to the by-line and crosses to the back post but Reynolds header is easy for the keeper to catch. Clemons jinks into the area and goes down, but never looked as though he was touched. The Iron can be guilty of overplaying a little with one too many passes and not delivering an early ball into the box. Their best opening comes following a City mistake as the press causes a defensive error and Payne swivels to shoot but the keeper blocks and it goes for a corner. As the half comes to a close, Oxford are coming into it more with Williams-Bushell a constant threat on the right wing, but Sims is well protected and long-range efforts are wide or over the bar.
Second half begins with City showing more urgency with Braintree on the counter, again the final ball from both sides was lacking. Blair is the first to be withdrawn with just over an hour played and Rush comes on. Braintree's best move of the half comes down the left flank, having seen of a City attack the ball is worked well out of defence and Reynold is away from the halfway line, but his cross is intercepted. Paxman is next to be withdrawn having shown some good touches and Matthews is on. About ten minutes to go and Sims has a save to make as the dangerous Williams-Bushell latches onto a headed pass, but Sims is quickly there to block his shot. City continue to press into extra time and a last minute direct free kick offers them one more last effort to shoot, but the effort just clears the bar.
Too well-matched sides really cancelled each other out with both keepers only making one save each of note. Some of Braintree's approach work was pleasing on the eye, but the final ball was too often missing.
Still unbeaten at home!

[bobrob]

I thought the first 30 mins was the best I have seen the lads play this season !. After this first 30 though both teams were noticiabley flagging !. Maybe it would have been an idea to make a change an d put Rush on to use his pace against a tired defence? But I would not know who to take off as they were all superb up to that point. The second half was not as good as the first and Oxford came more into the game and they created more chances than us and maybe should have scored. All in all a draw was probably a fair result but if our final pass in the first half was better and the Clemons penalty was given we could have been 2 or 3 nil up by then. Willie's penalty appeal happened right in front of me. Willie's mazy dribble found him in the 18 yard box surrounded by 4 Oxford players one of whom tried to trip him and did enough to knock him off balance then the big centre half came across and body checked him to the ground so for me it was a stone waller? COYI....Still unbeaten at home I'm not used to this well done team!