Post by dbbn on Mar 25, 2023 18:15:08 GMT
After the Lord Mayor's show, from heroes to zeroes, choose your own sound bite for todays inept performance. With Alfie Pavey serving his second of three game ban, cup tied Aaron Blair returned to the starting line up and new loan signing Zak Bradshaw came in at centre back and Baris Altintop taking up the right wing back role with Lamar Reynolds on the bench.
The blustery conditions didn't help, but with no focal point leading the line, Braintree reverted to trying to pick out Altintop from every clearance goal kick. With nothing much happening early on. Taunton found themselves in front on ten minutes. When they attack, they attack in numbers and a cross is swung in from deep on the right a Taunton player meets it and heads goal wards, Sims acrobatically gets a hand to it, but a blue shirt is first to it and has an easy job to head home from close range. Braintree's reliance for playing everything down the right is not paying any dividend, Altintop is well marshalled and doesn't win many duels, whilst Blair and Rush are being bullied/shunted out of getting beyond the back line. Because Braintree are going long so much, the supporting cast are slow to catch up and we lack numbers in the area. Halfway through the half and Rush is played in just inside the box, as he looks to take a shot he is shoved and hits the deck, but the ref plays on. A Farrell free kick out on the right is too long and lands on top of the net. Just past the half hour and the visitors double their lead. Some good football gets them out of their half and they build an attack down the left, they get in behind and to the byline, the ball is cut back and there's an easy tap in from 2 yards for Chamberlain. Minutes later Taunton fail to despatch a well delivered free kick quickly followed by a header from a corner sees the unmarked Jarvis head over. Braintree eventually get the run of the ball and Regis tries to beak into the box, he shoots under pressure the ball coming off his marker, but it falls into the path of Rush who finishes from 8 yards off the keeper but the lino's flag is up.
Clearly not pleased with their first half efforts, the boys are sent out early for the second half, but no changes. Three minutes in and Lucas 25 yards out on the left flank notices Sims is way off his line, but his curling lobbed effort just clears the bar. Jack Turner has Braintree's first effort at goal that I can remember when he tries a left footed shot from the edge of the box, but it lacks any power and is easily gathered by the keeper. Shortly after, he is replaced by Reynolds and the sub has an early impact as he drives at the defence into the box and is fouled. The ref decides the foul was committed outside the area, Farell blasts one and it deflects into the path of Rush who shoots and sees his effort saved by a diving defender that looked clearly like a handball, but despite pleas, nothing is given. A corner follows and Clements header is headed off the line in the melee a Taunton player hits the deck and gets the game stopped. The visitors are pulling out all the dirty tricks to use up the time, every player falls over when they are tackled, claiming all sorts of misdemeanours by Braintree players. Rush is replaced by the other new loan signing Harley Curtis followed eight minutes later by Matthews for Regis. The ref really is falling hook line and sinker for Taunton's gamesmanship, Payne is penalised for a soft foul on the halfway line whilst McCootie attempts to stamp on Matthews. The ref consults the lino, speaks to Matthews then McCootie, not surprisingly, no action is taken. Sims-Burgess tries to halt an Altintop throw in and when the ball hits him, he goes down clutching his face and rightly gets a yellow card. Clements is sent up front for the closing stages and wins some headers but nothing comes of them.
The game ends and so does Braintree's unbeaten home record, they were poor, their opponents deserve Oscars for their antics and Angelo needs a rethink on how to play without a target man.
The blustery conditions didn't help, but with no focal point leading the line, Braintree reverted to trying to pick out Altintop from every clearance goal kick. With nothing much happening early on. Taunton found themselves in front on ten minutes. When they attack, they attack in numbers and a cross is swung in from deep on the right a Taunton player meets it and heads goal wards, Sims acrobatically gets a hand to it, but a blue shirt is first to it and has an easy job to head home from close range. Braintree's reliance for playing everything down the right is not paying any dividend, Altintop is well marshalled and doesn't win many duels, whilst Blair and Rush are being bullied/shunted out of getting beyond the back line. Because Braintree are going long so much, the supporting cast are slow to catch up and we lack numbers in the area. Halfway through the half and Rush is played in just inside the box, as he looks to take a shot he is shoved and hits the deck, but the ref plays on. A Farrell free kick out on the right is too long and lands on top of the net. Just past the half hour and the visitors double their lead. Some good football gets them out of their half and they build an attack down the left, they get in behind and to the byline, the ball is cut back and there's an easy tap in from 2 yards for Chamberlain. Minutes later Taunton fail to despatch a well delivered free kick quickly followed by a header from a corner sees the unmarked Jarvis head over. Braintree eventually get the run of the ball and Regis tries to beak into the box, he shoots under pressure the ball coming off his marker, but it falls into the path of Rush who finishes from 8 yards off the keeper but the lino's flag is up.
Clearly not pleased with their first half efforts, the boys are sent out early for the second half, but no changes. Three minutes in and Lucas 25 yards out on the left flank notices Sims is way off his line, but his curling lobbed effort just clears the bar. Jack Turner has Braintree's first effort at goal that I can remember when he tries a left footed shot from the edge of the box, but it lacks any power and is easily gathered by the keeper. Shortly after, he is replaced by Reynolds and the sub has an early impact as he drives at the defence into the box and is fouled. The ref decides the foul was committed outside the area, Farell blasts one and it deflects into the path of Rush who shoots and sees his effort saved by a diving defender that looked clearly like a handball, but despite pleas, nothing is given. A corner follows and Clements header is headed off the line in the melee a Taunton player hits the deck and gets the game stopped. The visitors are pulling out all the dirty tricks to use up the time, every player falls over when they are tackled, claiming all sorts of misdemeanours by Braintree players. Rush is replaced by the other new loan signing Harley Curtis followed eight minutes later by Matthews for Regis. The ref really is falling hook line and sinker for Taunton's gamesmanship, Payne is penalised for a soft foul on the halfway line whilst McCootie attempts to stamp on Matthews. The ref consults the lino, speaks to Matthews then McCootie, not surprisingly, no action is taken. Sims-Burgess tries to halt an Altintop throw in and when the ball hits him, he goes down clutching his face and rightly gets a yellow card. Clements is sent up front for the closing stages and wins some headers but nothing comes of them.
The game ends and so does Braintree's unbeaten home record, they were poor, their opponents deserve Oscars for their antics and Angelo needs a rethink on how to play without a target man.
