Post by dbbn on Mar 11, 2023 18:09:48 GMT
A frustrating afternoon for the Iron fans this afternoon as relegation threatened Weymouth came to town. With skipper John White injured on Tuesday evening, Kyran Clements took the armband. Chris Regis stepped in at right back, with Leon Davies stepping in to the right centre back berth and Alfie Matthews made way for Matt Rush in the only changes from the Oxford game. In a game that would provide very few clear chances, the Iron should've been ahead in the first minute. Davies playing a delightful ball from the centre circle for Blair to chase with Weymouth holding a high line, with the keeper also well off his line, Blair took it an early shot from the edge of the box and although the keeper was beaten, the ball went just wide of the left upright. The visitors were looking to counter and defending high which through the half would see a lot of offsides against Braintree. They have a header over and a shot blocked well by Alfie Payne. Braintree's next good chance came from a free kick awarded just beyond the halfway line on the left following a foul on Farrell, the full back takes it and sends it deep into the middle of the penalty area where Pavey rises well and his looping header looks like it might drop under the bar with the diminutive keeper scrambling, but it lands on top of the net. Weymouth make too good counters and Regis is struggling in his unfamiliar role, getting skimmed more than once and on the second occasion Weymouth's Tom Blair goes past him in the area on the by-line and he dribbles across the box looking for an opening before firing a shot which Clements blocks. On the half hour Braintree come down the right with some neat passing, Regis feeds Blair, who takes on his man crosses low and gets it straight back, he lays it back to Turner just outside the box who hits an inviting first time cross where Pavey isn't alert to it and it drifts out of play. Bearwish has a pop at goal for the visitors from 25 yards which is just wide of the post. After a fairly lacklustre first half much improvement is needed in the second half.
Unsurprisingly, Angelo Harrop changes it at half time and Regis is withdrawn and Alfie Matthews is on as Braintree revert to a back four. It was deja-vous again in the first minute of the half, Pavey is in on the right and heads towards the box, he spots Blair on the left and plays an accurate pass into the top scorers feet and although unmarked and with time to control the ball, he opts for a first time finish, doesn't catch it quite cleanly and it rolls agonisingly against the post and away. It's the Terras top scorer Bradley Ash next to try and score but he's denied by the legs of Sims. Then on 53 minutes there's a game changing moment which results in Alfie Pavey receiving a straight red card. The striker is trying to hold up the ball on the halfway line by the dugouts, he goes down, the ref gives nothing, gets up only to be fouled again and as he gets to his feet the second time, he lunges two footed at the Weymouth player. Despite being down to ten, Weymouth are still finding it hard to create good opportunities and test Sims, whist Braintree are now the counter attacking team, but with Aaron Blair often having to deal with two centre backs, he tried gamely without getting too much of a break. With twenty minutes left Matt Rush is replaced by Reynolds. With ten minutes to go Blair wins the ball on the halfway line and with Reynolds in support on thee right, tries to go it alone and loses it, Weymouth break and get in a dangerous cross but have no finish. With three mites to go, the visitors get a soft free kick just outside the box as one of their players runs into Matthews. Tom Blair hits it well and it drops in front of Sims who spills it, but the alert Clements is there to sweep it away for a throw in. In stoppage time Turner is fouled 25 yards outside the box in Alfie Matthews territory, alas this week he hits the target but it's central and straight at the keeper.
In the end it was a point and still unbeaten at home, who knows how it would've played out if Pavey had not lost his cool, now we'll be without him for possibly three games. Oxford won so have reclaimed third place, the Iron down one place. Two away trips follow ahead of the ESC Final on the 21st March, Hemel & Hungerford will test the lack of depth in the squad.
Unsurprisingly, Angelo Harrop changes it at half time and Regis is withdrawn and Alfie Matthews is on as Braintree revert to a back four. It was deja-vous again in the first minute of the half, Pavey is in on the right and heads towards the box, he spots Blair on the left and plays an accurate pass into the top scorers feet and although unmarked and with time to control the ball, he opts for a first time finish, doesn't catch it quite cleanly and it rolls agonisingly against the post and away. It's the Terras top scorer Bradley Ash next to try and score but he's denied by the legs of Sims. Then on 53 minutes there's a game changing moment which results in Alfie Pavey receiving a straight red card. The striker is trying to hold up the ball on the halfway line by the dugouts, he goes down, the ref gives nothing, gets up only to be fouled again and as he gets to his feet the second time, he lunges two footed at the Weymouth player. Despite being down to ten, Weymouth are still finding it hard to create good opportunities and test Sims, whist Braintree are now the counter attacking team, but with Aaron Blair often having to deal with two centre backs, he tried gamely without getting too much of a break. With twenty minutes left Matt Rush is replaced by Reynolds. With ten minutes to go Blair wins the ball on the halfway line and with Reynolds in support on thee right, tries to go it alone and loses it, Weymouth break and get in a dangerous cross but have no finish. With three mites to go, the visitors get a soft free kick just outside the box as one of their players runs into Matthews. Tom Blair hits it well and it drops in front of Sims who spills it, but the alert Clements is there to sweep it away for a throw in. In stoppage time Turner is fouled 25 yards outside the box in Alfie Matthews territory, alas this week he hits the target but it's central and straight at the keeper.
In the end it was a point and still unbeaten at home, who knows how it would've played out if Pavey had not lost his cool, now we'll be without him for possibly three games. Oxford won so have reclaimed third place, the Iron down one place. Two away trips follow ahead of the ESC Final on the 21st March, Hemel & Hungerford will test the lack of depth in the squad.