BRAINTREE TOWN 2 TORQUAY UNITED 0

Vanarama Conference Premier

Braintree Town showed the effect of taking their chances as a first-half brace brought them a welcome win against Torquay United at the Miles Smith Stadium.

The Iron have struggled to make the most of goal-scoring opportunities in recent months, but Sean Marks and Simeon Akinola did find the target on this occasion and it brought three valuable points.

Torquay arrived with a potent scoring record with the Vanarama Conference Premier’s second-highest goals-for account, but all the threat really came down the other end of the pitch throughout the 90 minutes.

Braintree made two changes from the side that won 1-0 against AFC Sudbury in the FA Trophy the previous week, with Charlie Strutton and Remy Clerima both returning to the starting line-up.

Dropping out were Kenny Davis, who had picked up a hamstring injury in training, and Mitch Brundle, who started on the bench.

Also out were Dan Walker, who had not got over a hamstring problem, and Jordan Cox, who had recovered from a back injury, but had then tweaked his groin in the week.

It was a bright start from Braintree with all the early play and possession going their way.

In the third minute, a well-worked move saw ball come to James Mulley on the right with Torquay defence stretched but he snatched at his shot and skewed it wide.

They stayed on top, but had to wait until the 20th minute to go ahead when Sean Marks headed the hosts into the lead.

It came from a lovely lofted ball into the area by Chez Isaac and Marks just got his head to the ball to guide it into the back of the net past Torquay keeper Martin Rice as he advanced out of his goal.

It was nothing less than Braintree deserved as Torquay showed little of the attacking force that had brought them 45 goals heading into this game in the opening stages.

Instead it was the hosts who held the clear advantage heading into half-time and that was doubled just before the break after Marks was fouled on the edge of the box.

Isaac was again the provider and his free-kick was swung into the box where it was met by Simeon Akinola, who just got ahead of his marker to bundle the ball past Rice and into the back of the net.

It helped settle any nerves Iron fans may have had at half-time and they would have been cheered to see their team taking two of the chances created in the opening 45 minutes.

That hadn’t always been the case in recent months, but they gave themselves a cushion this time and continued to look comfortable once the game restarted.

The greatest attacking threat stayed with the hosts and only a good block by Krystian Pearce denied Akinola adding to his own and his team’s tally.

At the other end, the Iron’s defence kept marshalling the visitors’ attack well and Hamann’s goal remained untroubled.

When it was threatened, after a decent move from the visitors, Courtney Richards fluffed his lines, getting clear in the box and then skewing his shot wide of the target.

Play quickly switched to the other end and some lovely play by Akinola down the left aloowed him to thread a great cross in to Marks, who turned and fired in a shot that clipped the top of the bar.

Torquay did throw bodies forward at the end, but to no avail as Braintree held on to the lead they had forged in the first half to kick-start their festive spell in the perfect way.