Post by admin on Apr 13, 2024 21:51:35 GMT
which takes Iron up to fourth after Maidstone's loss with a game to go - home to Eastbourne next Saturday, be there!
Havant & Waterlooville 1 Braintree Town 2
by David Ward
As any football fan knows that at any level it's goals that win matches and despite at a not too convincing display by the Iron at Westleigh Park on Saturday they came away with a vital three points to maintain their bid for a high promotion play-off position.
The already relegated home side with nothing but pride to play for certainly gave the Iron a tough ride all afternoon, hitting the woodwork three times and at times, noticeably in the second half, creating goal scoring chances that could have seen a different outcome at the final whistle.
Even Iron manager Angelo Harrop admitted his side had not been at their best at times but added: "At this stage of the season it's the result that matters and getting us over the line was what it was all about.
"We knew this would be a particular pressure game for us because they had nothing to lose so it was a potential banana skin as the saying goes," he continued. "We knew it would be hard and they made it difficult for us and even more so when we gave away a really sloppy goal for them to equalise but what character the players showed in coming straight back at them and getting that all important winning goal.
"We have certainly learned a lot from this game and having conceded a goal the players responded in the right way and we again took the game to them and we scored that all important second goal that saw us cross the line," he continued. "It wasn't pretty at times and at times in the second half we rode our luck a little but again it's finding the net that counts and we achieved that in this game thanks to a tremendous all round team effort."
After a fairly indifferent first half when the Iron huffed and puffed and four times came close to opening the scoring it was the home side who almost snatched an undeserved late first half goal when an effort brushed the Iron woodwork.
The second half naturally saw both sides throwing caution to the win in a bid to break the deadlock and it was the Iron who opened the scoring on 51 minutes when the ever alert Shaguille Coulthirst skipped through the home backline only to be crudely brought down by the home keeper to rightly earn a penalty.
The recalled the striker duly obliged and rammed home the spot kick to giver the Iron the lead but that only last six minutes when the home side equalised following some sloppy defending.
Shrewdly the Iron management changed some personnel including the arrival of experienced Freddie Sears and for the first time since joining the club he showed what a class act he is by starting to control the Iron's attack from midfield.
It was the former Football League player who set up the crucial winning Iron goal on 77 minutes when he delicately played the ball through to Coulthirst outpacing the home rear guard to drill the ball into the net for a fully deserved goal.
Now in the ascendancy the Iron pushed forward again and they continued to threaten the home goal with Aaron Blair, Charlie Wakefield and Tom Blackwell all going so close to adding a third goal for the Iron.
At the other and when the home side did threaten the Iron back line stood firm with keeper Jack Sims again pulling off two crucial saves although he was beaten on 84 minutes when a home forward managed to shoot only to see his effort come away off the foot of an Iron post.
Despite the home side still battling hard the Iron kept pushing forward for a third goal and Coulthirst was unlucky to see his shot late on come back off the home crossbar and then in the dying moments Blair was denied a goal by a brilliant save by the experienced home keeper.
"I think we made the right substitutions at the right time and the new, fresh legs certainly helped us to pave out way to victory," said Harrop. "I'm pleased for Shaq because he has come into our side and fitted in naturally and has shown what qualities he has and we are gaining from that."
Harrop went on: "We also tactically changed our game plan and our line-up too in the second half and it paid dividends and as a result we should have gone on to win by a bigger margin."
The Iron's final league game is next Saturday at home to relegation threatened Eastbourne Borough and Harrop added: "We know that will be a hard game against another side fighting for survival but we've all week to fully prepare and we need to be on the front foot from the off.
"All we have to do is win another game of football and then we can see where we are in the play-off finals," he added. "We have the advantage and all to play for and I know the players will be up for it again."
On the huge number of Iron fans in the Havant 777 gate he added: "Again what tremendous support we had again today from so many fans making the journey to the south coast and I know the players really appreciate it."
Havant & Waterlooville 1 Braintree Town 2
by David Ward
As any football fan knows that at any level it's goals that win matches and despite at a not too convincing display by the Iron at Westleigh Park on Saturday they came away with a vital three points to maintain their bid for a high promotion play-off position.
The already relegated home side with nothing but pride to play for certainly gave the Iron a tough ride all afternoon, hitting the woodwork three times and at times, noticeably in the second half, creating goal scoring chances that could have seen a different outcome at the final whistle.
Even Iron manager Angelo Harrop admitted his side had not been at their best at times but added: "At this stage of the season it's the result that matters and getting us over the line was what it was all about.
"We knew this would be a particular pressure game for us because they had nothing to lose so it was a potential banana skin as the saying goes," he continued. "We knew it would be hard and they made it difficult for us and even more so when we gave away a really sloppy goal for them to equalise but what character the players showed in coming straight back at them and getting that all important winning goal.
"We have certainly learned a lot from this game and having conceded a goal the players responded in the right way and we again took the game to them and we scored that all important second goal that saw us cross the line," he continued. "It wasn't pretty at times and at times in the second half we rode our luck a little but again it's finding the net that counts and we achieved that in this game thanks to a tremendous all round team effort."
After a fairly indifferent first half when the Iron huffed and puffed and four times came close to opening the scoring it was the home side who almost snatched an undeserved late first half goal when an effort brushed the Iron woodwork.
The second half naturally saw both sides throwing caution to the win in a bid to break the deadlock and it was the Iron who opened the scoring on 51 minutes when the ever alert Shaguille Coulthirst skipped through the home backline only to be crudely brought down by the home keeper to rightly earn a penalty.
The recalled the striker duly obliged and rammed home the spot kick to giver the Iron the lead but that only last six minutes when the home side equalised following some sloppy defending.
Shrewdly the Iron management changed some personnel including the arrival of experienced Freddie Sears and for the first time since joining the club he showed what a class act he is by starting to control the Iron's attack from midfield.
It was the former Football League player who set up the crucial winning Iron goal on 77 minutes when he delicately played the ball through to Coulthirst outpacing the home rear guard to drill the ball into the net for a fully deserved goal.
Now in the ascendancy the Iron pushed forward again and they continued to threaten the home goal with Aaron Blair, Charlie Wakefield and Tom Blackwell all going so close to adding a third goal for the Iron.
At the other and when the home side did threaten the Iron back line stood firm with keeper Jack Sims again pulling off two crucial saves although he was beaten on 84 minutes when a home forward managed to shoot only to see his effort come away off the foot of an Iron post.
Despite the home side still battling hard the Iron kept pushing forward for a third goal and Coulthirst was unlucky to see his shot late on come back off the home crossbar and then in the dying moments Blair was denied a goal by a brilliant save by the experienced home keeper.
"I think we made the right substitutions at the right time and the new, fresh legs certainly helped us to pave out way to victory," said Harrop. "I'm pleased for Shaq because he has come into our side and fitted in naturally and has shown what qualities he has and we are gaining from that."
Harrop went on: "We also tactically changed our game plan and our line-up too in the second half and it paid dividends and as a result we should have gone on to win by a bigger margin."
The Iron's final league game is next Saturday at home to relegation threatened Eastbourne Borough and Harrop added: "We know that will be a hard game against another side fighting for survival but we've all week to fully prepare and we need to be on the front foot from the off.
"All we have to do is win another game of football and then we can see where we are in the play-off finals," he added. "We have the advantage and all to play for and I know the players will be up for it again."
On the huge number of Iron fans in the Havant 777 gate he added: "Again what tremendous support we had again today from so many fans making the journey to the south coast and I know the players really appreciate it."