12 months on and it's a very different story for Braintree Town Reserves against Halstead Town

Thurlow Nunn League First Division Knockout Cup second round

WHAT a difference a year can make.

It was 365 days since Halstead Town had beaten Braintree Town Reserves 7-0 in the second round of the 2016/17 Thurlow Nunn League First Division Knockout Cup on a misty night at the Milbank Stadium.

On that occasion, the Young Irons had been outclassed by their hosts, but they have come a long way in the intervening 12 months.

On the same ground at the same stage of the 2017/18 competition it was Braintree who made progress into the third round as a Reece Grant hat-trick led them to a 3-1 win.

A league meeting between these two at the IronmongeryDirect Stadium earlier in the season had been a thoroughly entertaining clash between two sides keen to play a fast-paced flowing game.

And it was clear from the first whistle that this cup encounter would be no different.

Both were once again intent on getting the ball forward and attacking with excellent tempo that had a large crowd enthralled.

The first real opening fell to Halstead on six minutes when good interplay between Kane Gilbert and Adam Hampson on the edge of the Braintree box opened a chance for Hampson.

It looped just wide of the target but it was an early show of intent by the hosts.

However, Braintree were equally adventurous.

They were open and pacey on the break, especially down their left side, with one such flowing forward move allowing Reece Grant to engineer space for himself before his shot was blocked for a corner.

Further Halstead pressure on ten minutes then saw Gilbert cut in from the right and his shot from the edge of the box grazed the top of the Iron crossbar.

A minute later, Karl Andrade was hauled down by Harry Seal as he ran into the Braintree box and referee Jack Willmore had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot.

Gilbert stepped forward to take the spot-kick but his effort was saved by Braintree keeper Lewis Hawley and Gilbert then snatched at a shot from the rebound that went wide of the target.

It was a miss they were soon to regret as, after their reprieve, Braintree built some good pressure.

On 21 minutes, the ball fell to Grant in a central area and he showed great technique in swivelling and firing for goal, but his fierce drive cannoned off the bar and over.

Within a minute, though, Grant raced clear of the Humbugs’ back line only to be taken down by Halstead keeper Tom Williamson.

Referee Willmore once again had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, but this time, the spot-kick taker made no mistake and Grant slammed the ball down the middle and into the back of the net.

After the setback of conceding, Halstead pressed forward again and Gilbert saw a low snatch shot tipped away by Hawley as the visitors held on to their lead.

Gilbert then showed good trickery on the right and looped a cross into the middle which Andrade was unable to direct on target.

The Young Irons were not prepared to sit on their lead, though, and as the game stayed very open, Grant unleashed a drive that had to be palmed over to safety by Williamson.

The Halstead keeper could do nothing as Braintree doubled their lead from almost the last kick of the half, though.

A free-kick just outside the box was played short to Grant, who had not been marked and had all the time he needed to curl in a precise effort off the post to add an extra spring to the Young Irons’ step at the break.

It was a tighter opening to the second half as Braintree looked to defend their lead, while Halstead probed for ways to get back into the game.

They went close when a James Murray shot had to be clawed away by Hawley but did find the target in the 62nd minute.

The goal came from a Harry Salter ball into the middle that Hawley failed to deal with and ended up in the back of the net.

It galvanised the hosts and Lewis Cunliffe was agonisingly close to adding a quick second as he headed wide from a free-kick, but Braintree did remain a threat as the game became stretched.

It was clear that the next goal would be decisive and it came for Braintree on 76 minutes when a long ball forward was not claimed by Williamson and Grant showed great composure to place the ball into an open goal from an acute angle out wide.

It was the hat-trick strike for the Iron man and did prove decisive as it sealed their win, although they did finish the game with only ten men as Seal was sent off for a second caution in the final minute.

Halstead Town: Tom Williamson, Jordan Hutchings, Marcus Warren, Nick Wilderspin, Lewis Cunliffe, Jack Schelvis (Jake Brown), Kane Gilbert, James Murray, Karl Andrade (James Regan), Adam Hampson, Harry Salter (Joe Morris).

Subs not used: Ryan Dziadolewicz, Jake De’Ath.

Braintree Town Reserves: Lewis Hawley, Jack Martin, Matt Travell, Harry Seal, Jack Hurley, Matt Baxter, Lewis Stantiall, Mark Dallinger, Reece Grant (Joe Steadman), Alfie Cleal (Arran Dyson), Marcel Barrington (Ethan Evison).

Subs not used: Jordan Sargeant.

Referee: Jack Willmore.