Braintree Town manager Danny Cowley felt his team “beat themselves” in losing a game that they had been leading against Aldershot Town.

Having held a 1-0 advantage thanks to Jordan Chiedozie’s excellent headed goal in the first half, Braintree conceded twice in the final 20 minutes as the Shots came back to win this Vanarama National League encounter.

Cowley was pleased with his team’s performance in the opening hour, but felt his players didn’t deal with direct play once Aldershot changed their attacking formation.

“We’re disappointed,” said the Iron boss.

“For 60 minutes, we did well – we got a good goal in the first half, which was well-worked with a switch and an over-lap, a good delivery and a great header.

“That meant we went in one-nil up at half-time without them really causing us too many problems, so we came out for the second half feeling we could go on to get a second.

“To be fair to them, they changed it so they went three up front and we don’t deal with direct play well enough.

“(Richard) Brodie won header after header after header so consequently they had two running in beyond him once they went to the three up.

“They just pinned us in and as a result of that, every time we restarted attacks, it was from deep and they just got territory on us.

“It was sustained pressure and we were disappointed with both goals.

“The first came from an angled ball where Brodie pinned Sam Habergham.

“You could see it was a bit of a mismatch aerially, but as midfield players, you have to lock on and be aware.

“The Brighton boy (Charlie Harris) sliced the first one but he was then able to bring it down and pick his spot.

“Midfield players have to be closer to runners than that.

“The second one was from a throw on that came back, we haven’t travelled up as a back four and got caught on the wrong side at the far post.

“You could see it a mile off coming and we were shouting at them, but they didn’t deal with it and Richard Brodie, credit to him as he kept the ball up the pitch in the second half and went and got them the winner.

“They’ll be pleased but we’re disappointed because we feel like we’ve beaten ourselves.”

While Cowley was frustrated by his team’s defensive display in the latter stages, he was also disappointed by how they went forward in the final third of the game.

“We didn’t cause them enough problems,” he added.

“I’ve been critical of us defensively but I think going forwards, from 60 minutes onwards, we didn’t cause them as many problems as I would have liked.

“It went to 2-1 and we changed our intent.

“That’s a disappointment because the last words at half-time were to not wait for it to happen but to make it happen.

“Maybe we didn’t do that but it’s hard to start attacks when you’re having to start from the defensive third.”