BRAINTREE Town claimed an impressive 1-0 win over Brackley Town to progress to the Isuzu FA Trophy third round, writes DAVID WARD.

The Iron put in a fantastic second-half defensive performance playing with ten men for the final quarter of an hour to deservedly go through at the Dunmow Group Stadium.

Brackley, current leaders of the National League North, proved stiff opposition.

But full credit to the Iron players because they chased and harried the visitors down all afternoon and in between, played some quality football that had home fans in the 287 enthralled.

Braintree manager Angelo Harrop was thoroughly pleased with the whole team's performance.

Harrop said: "We knew it would be a tough game as they are a quality side, leading the North division and we had to be on game right from the start.

"I'm really proud of all the players because we defended well when we had to, created some fine moves going forward and had chances to have won the game by a bigger margin.

"Obviously scoring after only four minutes gave us a tremendous early boost and I felt in the first half we had chances to have increased our lead and so give us a bit of breathing space.

"As expected they came back strongly in the second half but the players continued to work hard, chasing lost causes and with a little bit more of composure in front of goal we should have won more comfortably."

Braintree's cause was not helped by the dismissal on 75 minutes of Joe Muscatt for a second yellow card.

However, the Iron players were convinced it was case of mistaken identity by referee Matthew Norton, as Matt Rush should have received a yellow card for apparent dissent.

 

But Muscatt had to walk and earlier on 45 minutes, Mr Norton caused dismay amongst the home fans when again he refused the Iron a blatant penalty after Rush had been hauled down in the visitors' area.

Despite going a man down, the Iron stuck to their guns and continued to chase the visitors down.

Twice late on they were denied a second goal because of frantic last-ditch defending by the visitors.

At the other end when the visitors did press hard it took a goal-line clearance by man of the match Willie Clemons to head the ball away and just twice goalkeeper Jack Simms pulled off saves to thwart the visitors.

It was Clemons who had given the Iron that early lead, created by the tricky Rush down the left.

Rush cut inside and cross the ball low over the far side of the visitors' goal and there was on-rushing Clemons to glide the ball into the net.

"It was a well worked goal and we should have gone to score again and as everyone knows I love a cup run so hopefully we can build on this in the next round," said Harrop.

"The sending off was farcical and shouldn't have happened and also the foul on Rush was a definite penalty but as in the previous Tuesday night game, referees clearly don't like giving us spot kicks at home!"

Harrop added: "In this game the players really worked their socks off and although we were a man down late on we kept pressing and I felt in some ways they had run out of ideas."

Harrop had rested skipper John White, defender Kyron Farrell and Chris Regis, putting them on the subs' bench.

But the rearranged Braintree back line did an outstanding job in keeping the visitors' lively attack at bay.

Harrop added: "Everyone stuck to their individual tasks whilst supporting all their team mated when they had to."

The Iron, who have no midweek game, host Hungerford Town at home next Saturday.

Harrop hopes to have Dagenham and Redbridge striker Aaron Blair back at Cressing Road on loan after he made such an impact in the side, earlier this season.