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Braintree took advantage of an almost complete wipeout of Division One fixtures on Saturday to move into second place by completing the double over Yeading who had been beaten on the opening day of the season.

Once again the Cressing Road pitch was able to withstand the ravages of the weather.

This was the third game to be played there within five days and the pitch still remained in good condition at the finish.

Added interest in the match was provided by the late inclusion of Wade Falana in the Braintree lineup.

This surprise move came as a result of the continuing absence through injury of Iron's main strikeforce with Gary Bennett, Bobby Mayes, and now Stef Kendall all being sidelined and uncertain when they can return.

Having scored 97 goals in 92 appearances before leaving Cressing Road at the end of the 1996/97 season, Falana was targeted as a temporary replacement and comes on a month's loan from his present club Harlow Town.

Looking a little rusty due to recent inactivity, the big man still showed some of his old magical touches. Although not celebrating his return by scoring, he at least had a hand in the only goal of the game.

A 100 per cent fit Falana would probably have made an immediate impact when given the opportunity of a strike by Simon Milton's accurately-flighted free kick but he put his header wide of the net.

In the opening half Braintree produced a bulk of the attacking play with Milton invariably involved, but it was not until the 36th minute that they eventually achieved the breakthrough.

As he had done on a number of occasions without any effect, Ian Gedny finally opened the way by running at the retreating Yeading defence and was assisted by Falana diverting attention with a dummy feint.

This left the way clear for a pass for the unmarked Nicky Smith who was left with time and space to slot the ball home.

Despite languishing in the last but one place of the Division One table, Yeading appeared to have benefited from several recent signings and certainly looked stronger at the back than their record would indicate.

However, having fallen behind towards the interval, the Middlesex side had no option but to become more adventurous in the second half and accordingly they enjoyed a better share of the play.

It was then that Braintree had more work to do in defence but with John Bishop and Alan Vincent blocking the path down the middle, there was seldom much of a threat to Iron's slender lead.

At the other end, a big cheer went up from the 334 crowd when Falana succeeded in demonstrating his old lethal finishing with a typically flamboyant strike, but he was ruled to have been offside.

There were few other moments when another score seemed likely at either end and with both defences in firm control that one vital goal remained the decider to give Iron the three points and keep them well on course in the race for promotion.

Braintree Town: Catley, Hunter, Vincent, Bishop, Tanner, Betson, Smith, Milton, Forbes, Falana and Gedny.

Forthcoming fixtures: Saturday, January 23 v Croydon away, (Ryman League, kick-off 3pm) and Tuesday, January 26 v Haverhill Rovers away, (Eastern Floodlight Competition, k.o 7.30pm).

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.