Post by admin on Apr 6, 2024 21:44:53 GMT
Another good win for the boys on the road with Tom Blackwell grabbing the winner on 70 mins. It means we've qualified for the play-offs with three games to spare.
Angelo reflects on this afternoons game
Match report by David Ward:
Weston-Super-Mare 0 Braintree Town 1
The Iron have made it to the Vanarama National League South play-offs for the second successive season after this outstanding away win on Saturday and nobody is more proud of this unique achievement than manager Angelo Harrop who at the final whistle declared: "I'm absolutely delighted for the players and everyone at the club."
He went on: "We and all the players knew what was at stake today and we came down a day early stayed together overnight so the boys were fully professionally prepared as we always do and they have now reaped their rewards and I am so pleased for each and everyone.
"We've still three more games to go but there will be no relaxing and we are determined to keep our winning streak going," he said. "We've now achieved 21 clean sheets this season, which itself is really remarkable, and that is down to all the players who have bonded so well, work hard together and from the excellent defence right through the side to the forwards everyone has played their part."
Harrop said having lost several key players in the summer it meant hard work in pre-season so that 'we had to go again' and rebuild the team when some people felt they would not reach the heights of last season.
"But it just goes to show with hard work and dedication by everyone from my backroom team through to every player they have shown what can be achieved in what is such a strong, unrelenting league," he continued. "I feel this team is stronger in many ways than last season's side and we want to go now and achieve more success in the play-offs."
He went on: "In this game today I always felt we were always comfortable and again played some really good football and I know it took us until midway through the second to score the all important goal I never had any doubts about us not scoring.
"We were always on the front foot and again created several chances to have scored but full marks to the players because they never gave up and the confidence we have in the side is clear to see," he continued. "The home side wanted to play feet football too so I think it was a really entertaining game for any neutral watching and perhaps the only disappointment is that we didn't score more.
"It took a great deal of individual skill from Tom Blackwell on 70 minutes to break the deadlock and we should have scored again but getting the three points is what it's all about at this stage of the season, he added. "We now look forward to our next game at home to Taunton on Tuesday to further consolidate our play off position and I want to again thank the tremendous support we had from our fans who have made this long trek to the West Country and given the players backing - it was great."
It was though a question of the Iron players being patient on the day because for all their authority and continuous attacking it was obvious they would eventual break the deadlock.
It all came thanks to a tremendous individual piece of skill from Blackwell who cut in from the right wing beating two defenders before seeing his shot end up high in the home net courtesy of a slight deflection from a defender.
"I was pleased to see the ball go in the net because I think we deserved for all the attacking play we had," said Blackwell. "I felt I could have scored earlier but you just have to keep going, believe in what you are doing and with such a good group of players who all work for one another it's great to reap the rewards."
The Iron certainly had to be patient and they in effect dominated the game against a quite workmanlike home side who played some decent feet football at times although Iron keeper Jack Sims perhaps had his quietest game for some time.
Once the Iron had scored they could and should have gone on to win by at least another couple of goals although Iron fans in the 1,004 match day crowd were soon verbally congratulating their heroes at the final whistle.
Angelo reflects on this afternoons game
Match report by David Ward:
Weston-Super-Mare 0 Braintree Town 1
The Iron have made it to the Vanarama National League South play-offs for the second successive season after this outstanding away win on Saturday and nobody is more proud of this unique achievement than manager Angelo Harrop who at the final whistle declared: "I'm absolutely delighted for the players and everyone at the club."
He went on: "We and all the players knew what was at stake today and we came down a day early stayed together overnight so the boys were fully professionally prepared as we always do and they have now reaped their rewards and I am so pleased for each and everyone.
"We've still three more games to go but there will be no relaxing and we are determined to keep our winning streak going," he said. "We've now achieved 21 clean sheets this season, which itself is really remarkable, and that is down to all the players who have bonded so well, work hard together and from the excellent defence right through the side to the forwards everyone has played their part."
Harrop said having lost several key players in the summer it meant hard work in pre-season so that 'we had to go again' and rebuild the team when some people felt they would not reach the heights of last season.
"But it just goes to show with hard work and dedication by everyone from my backroom team through to every player they have shown what can be achieved in what is such a strong, unrelenting league," he continued. "I feel this team is stronger in many ways than last season's side and we want to go now and achieve more success in the play-offs."
He went on: "In this game today I always felt we were always comfortable and again played some really good football and I know it took us until midway through the second to score the all important goal I never had any doubts about us not scoring.
"We were always on the front foot and again created several chances to have scored but full marks to the players because they never gave up and the confidence we have in the side is clear to see," he continued. "The home side wanted to play feet football too so I think it was a really entertaining game for any neutral watching and perhaps the only disappointment is that we didn't score more.
"It took a great deal of individual skill from Tom Blackwell on 70 minutes to break the deadlock and we should have scored again but getting the three points is what it's all about at this stage of the season, he added. "We now look forward to our next game at home to Taunton on Tuesday to further consolidate our play off position and I want to again thank the tremendous support we had from our fans who have made this long trek to the West Country and given the players backing - it was great."
It was though a question of the Iron players being patient on the day because for all their authority and continuous attacking it was obvious they would eventual break the deadlock.
It all came thanks to a tremendous individual piece of skill from Blackwell who cut in from the right wing beating two defenders before seeing his shot end up high in the home net courtesy of a slight deflection from a defender.
"I was pleased to see the ball go in the net because I think we deserved for all the attacking play we had," said Blackwell. "I felt I could have scored earlier but you just have to keep going, believe in what you are doing and with such a good group of players who all work for one another it's great to reap the rewards."
The Iron certainly had to be patient and they in effect dominated the game against a quite workmanlike home side who played some decent feet football at times although Iron keeper Jack Sims perhaps had his quietest game for some time.
Once the Iron had scored they could and should have gone on to win by at least another couple of goals although Iron fans in the 1,004 match day crowd were soon verbally congratulating their heroes at the final whistle.