Post by dbbn on Feb 17, 2024 18:27:29 GMT
The Iron showed their metal today to claim all three points and having to play with ten men for over an hour following the sending off of Alfie Pavey. They were not helped in the cause by the small in stature referee who definitely had a case of "Little man syndrome" blowing his whistle four times in the first minute and dispensing cards at anyone in an orange shirt for any misdemeanour. With manager Angelo absent through illness, assistant John White sent out the team that had started at Chippenham the previous Saturday, with the addition of new signing Charlie Wakefield on the bench. The opening exchanges saw little in the way of controlled football with the visitors looking for their big man up front at every opportunity, but young Luton loanee Tompkins would win that battle all afternoon. Braintree's first effort at goal came from an eighth minute corner swung in deep by Tom Blackwell, but Altintop at the back stick steered it wide of the post. Blair threatens to get in on a couple of occasions, once bringing the ball down sweetly but his next touch took the ball away for a goal kick and then a defender is able to get a foot in to deny him. Pavey wins his aerial battle out towards the left flank and pivots and fires a long searching ball out to Blackwell on the right, but his low drilled cross is cleared away. The first yellow card comes for Jayden Davis he trips his man as he outpaces him down the right touchline and although he raises his hands in apology, the ref books him. A good chance comes minutes later with good link up play between Blair and Blackwell, the latter is set free one on one at the edge of the box with just the keeper to beat but it's the keeper who gets their fractionally quicker than the Braintree man to clear. On twenty four minutes, the Iron are awarded a free kick about 30 yards out following foul on Pavey who is moaning to the ref about the lack of protection he's getting. Blackwell steps up and goes for goal, the ball clears the wall and dips down towards the bottom corner of the goal but the keeper is equal to it and claims the loose ball as Blair threatens. Two minutes later Pavey goes seeking his own retribution sliding in at his opponent on the halfway line in front of the dugouts and is red carded. Shortly after that Altintop is shown yellow as he leaves a foot out to stop his man breaking away down the wing. The Iron are organised in denying the visitors any clear site of goal and almost score themselves as Leon Davies puts in a good cross from the left but Blackwell's header is blocked and Payne on the edge of the box fails to get a clean connection on the clearance. The half ends goal less with Torquay not really testing the ten men.
The Iron create a good chance six minutes into the second half. Jayden Davis breaking down the left, taking on his opponent, drives in field and lays it square to the supporting Lambe who drives the ball over the bar from 20 yards. Four minutes later and the Iron get their noses in front after winning a corner, Blair runs from the near post towards the corner taker Blackwell, Blair receives the pass and takes it away from the touchline and back heels it into Blackwell's path, he surges towards goal and he curls a delightful right foot shot into the far side netting. The two players link up again as the Iron continue to look dangerous on the break, this time Blackwell's low cross is gathered by Blair close to to the post but he's unable to get a clear shot off with a defender on him and the keeper smuggles the ball away from him. Torquay are ponderous and obvious in their play and are offering little threat despite having the extra man. Lapslie fires off a shot from the edge of the box, but its deflected out for a corner. There's another punt from the edge of the box following a headed clearance from the corner but it sails over the bar. Davis is then subbed and replaced by Coulthirst who takes up the centre forward role. Ofori-Acheampong the big striker finally manages to evade Tompkins but his shot is weak and Sims collects easily. Braintree look more likely to score and Coulthirst gets in turning his man but doesn't get a clean strike and his goal bound effort is hoofed away a few feet from the line. Lapslie who had been shown a yellow is then subbed by the visitors and minutes later is shown a second yellow and a red after he gets involved on the touchline with the home bench trying to retrieve the ball for a throw in. With 9 minutes left Wakefield comes on for Blair and as the games enters the final minutes, 7 minutes of added time is shown. Braintree break down their left from a clearance and Wakefield is away at pace and is cynically taken out with a high challenge which the referee only deems as yellow. Blackwell is the withdrawn and Miccio comes on with four minutes till left. Another break down the left and and under pressure defender tries to find his keeper but overhits it and although the ball is at least 2 feet over the by-line, the inept officials give a throw in yards away following the keeper's clearance. A few seconds left and a free kick out wide on the left to the visitors sees anther tame attempt gratefully collected by Sims. A well earned three points and good control of the game despite only having ten men. Pavey will now miss 3 games so the team will have to adapt their approach without their target man.
The Iron showed their metal today as they had to play over an hour with ten men following Alfie Pavey's red card. The referee short in stature certainly had a case of "little man syndrome" brandishing cards at will for every misdemeanour made by a player in an orange shirt, whilst Torquay flung themselves to the floor at every opportunity. Manager Angelo Harrop was absent from the touchline with illness, so assistant John White sent out the team that had started the last game at Chippenham Town. The opening exchanges saw a little in the way of controlled passing as Torquay tried to pump it up to their big striker who would have an afternoon of ongoing tussles with Ben Tompkins, with the young Luton loaneee
The Iron create a good chance six minutes into the second half. Jayden Davis breaking down the left, taking on his opponent, drives in field and lays it square to the supporting Lambe who drives the ball over the bar from 20 yards. Four minutes later and the Iron get their noses in front after winning a corner, Blair runs from the near post towards the corner taker Blackwell, Blair receives the pass and takes it away from the touchline and back heels it into Blackwell's path, he surges towards goal and he curls a delightful right foot shot into the far side netting. The two players link up again as the Iron continue to look dangerous on the break, this time Blackwell's low cross is gathered by Blair close to to the post but he's unable to get a clear shot off with a defender on him and the keeper smuggles the ball away from him. Torquay are ponderous and obvious in their play and are offering little threat despite having the extra man. Lapslie fires off a shot from the edge of the box, but its deflected out for a corner. There's another punt from the edge of the box following a headed clearance from the corner but it sails over the bar. Davis is then subbed and replaced by Coulthirst who takes up the centre forward role. Ofori-Acheampong the big striker finally manages to evade Tompkins but his shot is weak and Sims collects easily. Braintree look more likely to score and Coulthirst gets in turning his man but doesn't get a clean strike and his goal bound effort is hoofed away a few feet from the line. Lapslie who had been shown a yellow is then subbed by the visitors and minutes later is shown a second yellow and a red after he gets involved on the touchline with the home bench trying to retrieve the ball for a throw in. With 9 minutes left Wakefield comes on for Blair and as the games enters the final minutes, 7 minutes of added time is shown. Braintree break down their left from a clearance and Wakefield is away at pace and is cynically taken out with a high challenge which the referee only deems as yellow. Blackwell is the withdrawn and Miccio comes on with four minutes till left. Another break down the left and and under pressure defender tries to find his keeper but overhits it and although the ball is at least 2 feet over the by-line, the inept officials give a throw in yards away following the keeper's clearance. A few seconds left and a free kick out wide on the left to the visitors sees anther tame attempt gratefully collected by Sims. A well earned three points and good control of the game despite only having ten men. Pavey will now miss 3 games so the team will have to adapt their approach without their target man.
The Iron showed their metal today as they had to play over an hour with ten men following Alfie Pavey's red card. The referee short in stature certainly had a case of "little man syndrome" brandishing cards at will for every misdemeanour made by a player in an orange shirt, whilst Torquay flung themselves to the floor at every opportunity. Manager Angelo Harrop was absent from the touchline with illness, so assistant John White sent out the team that had started the last game at Chippenham Town. The opening exchanges saw a little in the way of controlled passing as Torquay tried to pump it up to their big striker who would have an afternoon of ongoing tussles with Ben Tompkins, with the young Luton loaneee