Leaders foil Rocks

DESPITE a brave defensive effort, Rocks couldn't repeat their performance of a couple of weeks ago when they upset table-toppers Fisher Athletic.

Since then Braintree have emerged as new Ryman Premier League leaders and on Saturday, in a game of few chances, they proved just too strong for a reshaped Rocks side to break down.

Following the departure of strikers Steve West and Tony Boot Rocks gave a debut to promising striker Shaun Batt, signed on loan from Dagenham and Redbridge.

Co-Manager Lee Patterson said: "Shaun is a player who I have admired for a while, he has already been on loan with Leyton and I have seen him play on several occasions, both for Leyton and Dagenham's Capital League side.

"Once his loan had finished with Leyton I spoke to Dagenham boss John Still and he has agreed to let him come and gain some more experience as I am sure he is in John's plans for Dagenham next season."

On Saturday Batt was largely subdued by the home defence in a match that was dominated at both ends by defences.

Among the Rocks' backline was veteran Wes Faulkner, also making his debut after returning to the club. He came in at the eleventh hour for Stuart Williams who was feeling unwell in the build-up to the game and did well.

Faulkner lasted most of the match before being replaced by Kevin Mully but the other Rocks substitutions summed up Rocks' luck with injuries of late.

Lee Burns has impressed since coming back from a lengthy injury but he pulled up lame after just 27 minutes and was replaced by Danny Harris, who himself has been sidelined for a lengthy period. He isn't fully fit yet but had to be risked because of Rocks' limited attacking options but the move backfired somewhat as he suffered a re-occurence of the problem with 20 minutes left and he was replaced by Martin Tuohy.

Braintree dominated much of the first half but the first chance didn't come until the 22nds minute when Danny Knowles was called on to make a full stretch save. Rocks' loanee keeper was called into action again on 38 minutes when he pushed Alex Revell's free-kick over the bar.

However there was little he could do two minutes later. What proved to be the winning goal came when Eugene Ofori's cross from the right created an opening for Andy Porter to beat Knowles with a well-placed shot.

In the second half Braintree started the stronger and Faulkner marked his reappearance in Rocks colours by getting booked, a very rare occurrence in his long career.

Gradually the tide began to turn in Rocks' favour and on 57 minutes home keeper Nick Morgan had to use all of his six foot seven inch frame to save Scott Holding's well-struck free-kick.

Braintree still had their chances, and in a match where most opportunities were created from set plays, Knowles was called into action again on 67 minutes when saving a free-kick from Bradley Quinton.

From then on it was Rocks who came closest to scoring and on 78 minutes hopes of an equaliser from the penalty spot were dashed when the referee waved away what looked like good claims. The incident involved Mark Jones who dived to head away a not very well taken corner from Danny Hayzelden but misjudged his effort and ended up guiding the ball away for another corner with his arm. Afterward he conceded he had been 'rather lucky.'

In the remaining minutes Rocks again came close, first when Mully headed over another Hayzelden corner and close to the end when Batt spurned the chance to become a real hero when yet another Hayzelden ball opened the door for him but he headed just past the post.