BRAINTREE TOWN 2 TORQUAY UNITED 0

FA Trophy first round proper

The weather may have been gloomy and damp, but the mood around the Ironmongery Direct Stadium was that of a summer’s day at the final whistle as Braintree Town booked their place in the FA Trophy second round.

With Essex shrouded in mist and almost constant drizzle, the Iron delivered a ray of sunshine for their fans with a 2-0 win against Torquay United.

The Gulls had won 3-1 when the two met at the same venue in the Vanarama National League in August, but there was revenge for the hosts this time.

Two strikes from Jack Midson sealed Braintree’s progress and having conceded nine goals in their previous two games, there will have been considerable relief that the result was achieved with a clean sheet.

Braintree made one change from the side that started their FA Cup second round tie at Millwall the weekend before, with Ian Gayle dropping out and Manny Parry stepping into the centre of the Iron defence.

It was a lively start by the hosts as they looked to get on the front foot early, but Torquay also had ideas of making a positive opening and had the first real sight of goal in the eighth minute.

They came within a whisker of capitalising on some poor defending from Braintree that allowed Gulls striker Shawn McCoulsky a free header in the six-yard box.

His effort had Sam Beasant beaten in the home goal, but the ball came back off the foot of the post as Braintree escaped.

It set a pattern for the next period of the game, with Braintree’s defence being the busier of the two and Sam Beasant had to be alert to deal with some dangerous balls behind the back line and into the box.

At the other end, Braintree struggled to gain enough meaningful possession to put the visitors’ goal under any pressure.

Too many balls forward were wayward or second balls were won by the Gulls and it meant they were kept on the back foot more than they would have wanted.

For a side that had conceded nine goals in their previous two games, that wasn’t what was required.

They continued to live dangerously but showed a bit more of an attacking threat as the half came to a close.

Some better pressure ended with the ball falling to Monty Patterson, who made good contact and Torquay keeper Brendon Moore had to get down well to smother it at his near post.

With the score locked at 0-0 at half-time, Braintree made a positive start after the break and there was more pressure on the visitors’ goal.

However, the quality to find a breakthrough just wasn’t there and play became scrappy from both sides.

Braintree were almost punished for not making more of the opportunities they created when Torquay made a superb break from the edge of their own penalty area.

A great counter-attack saw them power the length of the pitch to where David Fitzpatrick got a shot away that Beasant did brilliantly to claw away low down.

It proved to be a pivotal moment in the game as it kept Torquay at bay and the Iron soon got themselves on top.

Braintree hit back with a good break of their own that ended with Simeon Akinola’s cross being diverted towards goal and it was Gulls keeper Brendon Moore’s turn to make a good save.

The reprieve was brief though as from a corner in the 73rd minute, the deadlock was finally broken.

Harry Lee’s corner led to a scramble in the Torquay goalmouth and Jack Midson bundled the ball over the line to put Braintree ahead.

It was an advantage that was merited for their play since the interval and that lead was doubled almost immediately.

A now-buoyant Braintree surged forward with Akinola linking up well with Michael Cheek down the left as the Torquay defence was split wide open.

Cheek advanced into the box and laid the ball back invitingly for Midson to slam the ball home and give the hosts some comfort room.

It proved to be more than enough and allowed them to shut out the game with a hugely positive result for Hakan Hayrettin and his men.

Braintree Town: Sam Beasant, Sean Clohessy, Jerome Okimo, Zak Jules, Manny Parry, Harry Lee, Chez Isaac, Monty Patterson (Lee Barnard 82), Simeon Akinola (Reece Hall-Johnson 90), Jack Midson, Michael Cheek.

Subs not used: Danny Rumens, Sam Corne, Joe Maybanks.

Referee: Dean Treleaven.