Post by admin on Mar 16, 2024 20:49:32 GMT
Braintree players leave the field after making it thirteen games unbeaten
Weymouth 0 Braintree Town 1
by David Ward
A thoroughly all round second half professional performance from all the players ensured the Iron returned home from the Bob Lucas Stadium with a deserved win and three points on Saturday.
Overcoming a quite youthful home side took time and patience with Baris Altintop playing a true captain's role by scoring the only goal of the game on 76th minute with a tremendous close range header from a well taken free kick out wide by substitute Jayden Davis.
It was no more than the Iron deserved on the day because they dominated the second half creating several good goal scoring chances and the only surprise for the small loyal Iron fans in the 845 crowd was that their side hasn't won by a much bigger margin.
Captain Altintop was naturally thrilled to score what turned out to be the winning goal adding: "I knew if I could time my run and get in the penalty box I could possibly head the ball into the net and thankfully it all worked perfectly from the free-kick.
"I think over the whole game we certainly deserved to win and we knew it would be a hard game and all the lads again worked tirelessly to make it happen," he continued. "We prepared properly coming down the previous night and staying together as a unit and we had a good pre-match briefing in the morning at our hotel so everyone knew what their job was and the game plan."
The win makes it 13 successive games unbeaten for the Iron and with it another clean sheet and three points which moves them up into third place in the league with a quick return game against the Terras when they entertain them at home on Tuesday.
Iron manager Angelo Harrop was absolutely delighted with the win and three points adding: "We knew coming to this ground was always going to be a tough one for us but we fully prepared and I think our second half performance was outstanding.
"We had to be patient, keep our concentration from the first whistle and stick to our game plan," he said. "I always thought we would score and although the goal game late on I felt we were in command and could have scored more.
"At the end of the day it's down to the players and they all deserve much credit for their performance because to come here and all put in a great shift was tremendous and again what great vocal support we had from fans who made the long journey down here," he added.
With again another solid defensive display the home side attack rarely threatened with at the other end the Iron creating far more goal chances with the manager making just two changes from the midweek win over Dartford - Leon Davies and Alfie Payne starting replacing Lewis Miccio and Reggie Lambe, both relegated to the bench.
After a somewhat subdued first half the Iron were far more progressive going forward in the second half with first Lambe and then Jayden Davis coming on certainly raised the side's momentum causing all kinds of problems for the home rearguard.
Two fine second half headers too from Joe Grimwood almost broke the deadlock but it was skipper who led by example and headed in that crucial goal 14 minutes from time.
Late on three more Iron efforts were scrambled away by grateful defenders but the one goal was enough to secure the points.