Iron 1 Bath 0

[ozbrit]

With 1 mins of extra time and four added on Tom Blackwell scores the decisive goal.

[dbbn]

ROMANS CONQUERED!
They came, they saw, they got beat!
Braintree put in 120 minutes of football on the front foot in an enthralling nights football at the Rare Breed Meat Company and it would've been an absolute travesty if they had not progressed to the semi-final. Two changes from Saturdays defeat to Eastbourne saw a recall for Leon Davies at left back in place of Lewis Miccio and Alfie Pavey starting in place of Jayden Davis. It was an onslaught at the Bath goal from the first whistle with Blair and Payne both having shots blocked in the early minutes. An early Blackwell corner is cleared back out to the winger, he takes a few steps inside and curls an effort wide of the far post. Bath's first threat comes from a corner which Cooke headed way over. Braintree attack again down the left and Blair is played in taking on his markers, beats one as he gets into the box under pressure and goes down when he had clearly been pulled but the ref isn't of the same opinion. From the counter Bath attack down the right and a searching cross is heading towards an unmarked forward at the far post but Altintop just got high enough to glance the ball away for a corner. Blackwell robs his man and drivers for goal but it's a poor effort well over the bar. Rendall, 15 yards inside his own half spots the visitors keeper well off his line and smashes the ball forward, but it goes a few yards wide. A free kick on 35 minutes almost opened the scoring, 20 yards in their opponents half Blackwell chips it forward to Altintop who heads it into Blair who sweeps a shot at goal, the keeper saves and gathers the ball at the second attempt. Iron break up a Bath attack and Blair collects and sends Wakefield away down the right his marker backs off so he cuts inside and goes with his weaker left foot from just outside the box, but it's straight at the keeper. First half ends, Braintree well on top and Sims having no saves to make.
The second half starts with Braintree still attacking, Blackwell cuts in off the left and fires another shot well over the bar. Bath's first attack sees a goal bound shot cleared from the edge of the 6 yard box by Rendall with Sims beaten. Having rebuffed a few minutes of Bath attacks Odesanya strides forward and lets fly from 25 yards, it takes a deflection and goes wide of the far post. From another corner, Sears is next to try from outside the box, but it's the same result - over the bar. A misplaced Iron backwards pass is intercepted and fed across to Smith who has an 80's mullett, Odesanya rectifies his mistake as his block takes the ball over the bar. Blackwell who's wing play has caused problems for the oppo all night sees a good lw cross cleared, it comes to Davies just outside the left hand corner of the box, he goes for a right footed curler to the far corner, but again, there's too much on it. Payne has a pop from 20 yards and the keeper has to save at the second attempt. A City break sees them get in down the left and Mullet man Smith fires into the side netting. Sears picks up the ball just inside the Iron half and plays it over the top for Blair, he collects, cuts inside and shoots low but it lacks the power to trouble the Bath keeper. Just under 10 minutes left and Wakefield makes way for Jayden Davis. Bath's best chance of the game sees Cooke throw himself at a powerful cross, but he can't get the angle to get his header on target, but it's not far wide. In added time a ball across teh bozx sees Blackwell handled by his marker as he treies to take control of the ball, he goes down, it would've been a soft penalty and the ref waves play on.
Into extra time and Bath's top scorer Wilson has a chance in the first minute on the edge of the box as Grimwood shadows him, he gets a little space, but it's a wild effort well off target. Braintree have a free kick on the left 30 tards out, Blackwell delivers all across the area but no ne can get a touch and it goes out for a goal kick. Davis is next to fire in a ball that evades everyone. Lambe then comes on for Sears. The first period of extra time comes to a close. Six minutes into the second period and Blair has the ball on the left level with the area he squares it to Lambe on the edge of the box who's strike just clears the bar. Bath's biggest threat comes from corners and Batten rises at the far post, but it's just too high. Sims is then brought into action for the first time with a good save low down to his left to deny Vassell. Then with time running out a sweeping cross field ball to Davis who looks offside, sees the winger drive towards the by-line he fires it in low and Blackwell nips inside his marker to ram the ball home from 2 yards at the near post. Odusanya who has already been down with cramp is replaced by Miccio. The ref somehow conjures up 4 minutes of additional time. Bath bring on another big man and go direct, there follows a number of corners and shots blocked/scrambled away and Sims making two good saves and finally elation as the final whistle goes.
Now to take the same attitude and performance to our noisy neighbours on Saturday!