Post by dbbn on Mar 23, 2024 17:57:50 GMT
There was a bumper crowd at the Rare Breed Meat Company Stadium this afternoon of 1985 as the League leaders took a step closer to the VNLS title. What on paper promised to be an enthralling encounter failed to live up to expectations and more a game of attrition. Braintree made three changes to their starting line up with Tompkins returning at centre back, Alfie Payne restored to midfield and Aaron Blair on the right wing, dropping to the bench were Leon Davies, Reggie Lambe and Charlie Wakefield. The kick-off was delayed as somehow Jack Sims hadn't got the message that Yeovil play in green and came out in all green!
Yeovil are a big physical side and play old school long ball up to the two big men up front along with gamesmanship of falling over if a Braintree player won the ball off them. Braintree often played into their opponents hands by playing long, mainly down the left flank in hope of finding Blackwell, but more often then not it was straight to a green shirt or overhit. The home side were creating very little and reduced to long range efforts, Sears on ten minutes receiving a pass from Miccio firing at the keeper who turns it round for a corner. The visitors are trying to get the ball into the box as quickly as they can and Tompkins has to be alert intercepting a good cross that would have left a clear opportunity to score. However, it was short relief as from the resulting corner Nouble unmarked glances one in to the far post. In a rare bit of football, Miccio comes forward down the left , eventually he delivers a decent cross for Coulthirst who 12 yards out heads it straight at the keeper. Blair is the next to get a decent ball in from the right this time, Sears gathers it in but can't get a clear shot off. The game gets scrappy interrupted by free kicks, for one Payne is booked, but little quality is on display from either side. Towards the end of the half Miccio again advances down the left and feeds it into Sears, he loses it but Miccio latches on to it and fires over from 18 yards, that was the last action of the half.
Braintree make a half time substitution with Coulthirst replaced by Jayden Davis, if this was tactical and not an injury. then I think it was a poor choice as Shaq was the only one winning headers whilst Sears continues to offer very little. Eight minutes in and Blair beats the offside trap and the ball sits up for him with the keeper off his line, he goes for the lob but it just clears the bar. At the other end Yeovil front line finally have an opportunity having been well shackled by Tompkins and Grimwood all afternoon, but Sims is able to smother the ball. Davis who has looked lively since he came on cuts in off the left flank outpacing his marker and lets fly on the angle just outside the box, but again it's too high. Davis then puts in an inviting cross towards the back post but it goes between keeper/defender and Tom Blackwell. Reggie Lambe comes on for Alfie Payne to try a find some creativity in the middle of the park. The Bermudan international lifts a ball into the box which Blair collects, he has time to take a touch but opts for a first time shot and again it goes over the bar. Tompkins is the subbed after a collision which saw the Yeovil player landing on top of him, Charlie Wakefield replaces him. Nothing much is being created by either side but with six minutes to go, Sims keeps the Iron in it, a more measured ball curled in from the left clears every Iron defender and the headed effort sees Braintree's number one instinctively get a hand to it and over. In the fourth and final minute of added time, Davis gets the ball out wide, drives at his marker beats him but just when calmness is required another powerful shot goes wide.
The unbeaten run is over but despite the defeat, Braintree hang on to third spot, six games to go and still a chance to secure a top three finish.
Yeovil are a big physical side and play old school long ball up to the two big men up front along with gamesmanship of falling over if a Braintree player won the ball off them. Braintree often played into their opponents hands by playing long, mainly down the left flank in hope of finding Blackwell, but more often then not it was straight to a green shirt or overhit. The home side were creating very little and reduced to long range efforts, Sears on ten minutes receiving a pass from Miccio firing at the keeper who turns it round for a corner. The visitors are trying to get the ball into the box as quickly as they can and Tompkins has to be alert intercepting a good cross that would have left a clear opportunity to score. However, it was short relief as from the resulting corner Nouble unmarked glances one in to the far post. In a rare bit of football, Miccio comes forward down the left , eventually he delivers a decent cross for Coulthirst who 12 yards out heads it straight at the keeper. Blair is the next to get a decent ball in from the right this time, Sears gathers it in but can't get a clear shot off. The game gets scrappy interrupted by free kicks, for one Payne is booked, but little quality is on display from either side. Towards the end of the half Miccio again advances down the left and feeds it into Sears, he loses it but Miccio latches on to it and fires over from 18 yards, that was the last action of the half.
Braintree make a half time substitution with Coulthirst replaced by Jayden Davis, if this was tactical and not an injury. then I think it was a poor choice as Shaq was the only one winning headers whilst Sears continues to offer very little. Eight minutes in and Blair beats the offside trap and the ball sits up for him with the keeper off his line, he goes for the lob but it just clears the bar. At the other end Yeovil front line finally have an opportunity having been well shackled by Tompkins and Grimwood all afternoon, but Sims is able to smother the ball. Davis who has looked lively since he came on cuts in off the left flank outpacing his marker and lets fly on the angle just outside the box, but again it's too high. Davis then puts in an inviting cross towards the back post but it goes between keeper/defender and Tom Blackwell. Reggie Lambe comes on for Alfie Payne to try a find some creativity in the middle of the park. The Bermudan international lifts a ball into the box which Blair collects, he has time to take a touch but opts for a first time shot and again it goes over the bar. Tompkins is the subbed after a collision which saw the Yeovil player landing on top of him, Charlie Wakefield replaces him. Nothing much is being created by either side but with six minutes to go, Sims keeps the Iron in it, a more measured ball curled in from the left clears every Iron defender and the headed effort sees Braintree's number one instinctively get a hand to it and over. In the fourth and final minute of added time, Davis gets the ball out wide, drives at his marker beats him but just when calmness is required another powerful shot goes wide.
The unbeaten run is over but despite the defeat, Braintree hang on to third spot, six games to go and still a chance to secure a top three finish.