Braintree Town through in FA Trophy after penalty shoot-out win

The Iron won 5-4 on spot-kicks at the EasyasHGV Stadium after the tie had finished 2-2 after 90 minutes, with the visitors twice having led only to see the hosts scramble equalisers.

Braintree boss Angelo Harrop said: "It's fantastic result for us and we deserved it and it also shows what our group of players are about,.

"It was an even game and they are a good side as we know and we've not played for two weeks which is hard on the players but they responded so well.

"Yes, we gave away two sloppy goals but the boys showed great character in coming back and penalties is a bit of a lottery but I'm pleased we won which will do our confidence a great deal of good."

It was certainly not a game for the faint-hearted, as both sides went all out from the first whistle in an end to end match.

There was some enterprising and entertaining football on show but the tie was sadly only watched by a pitiful crowd of just 231.

It was a game of two halves in reality, with the Iron dominating the first period and taking a deserved lead on 20 minutes with Kyran Clements' fine header from a right wing corner.

The Iron should have really wrapped the game up in that first period by scoring at least three or four more goals but failed to capitalise.

Harrop said: "We again need to be more clinical with our finishing because we were so much on top and creating many chances.

"Our approach work was fine and we were quick to close them down and we played some excellent passing football in our build ups only not to capitalise on the good work.

The second half started with a much-improved home side display and Iron's cause was not helped by the loss of the impressive midfielder Joe Muscatt, who was taken to hospital with a dislocated shoulder and looks set for another month on the sidelines with injury.

Midway through the half the home side grabbed an equaliser through substitute Freddie Grant when the Iron defence should have cleared the ball.

But despite the setback, Braintree then came back more into the game and again began to look a winning goal.

With full-time nearing and the game set to go to penalties, the Iron scored what they thought was the winning goal on 88 minutes through a great header from substitute Jack Cawley.

But the ball was immediately hoofed up the other end and with again some momentarily poor Iron defending, Farnborough equalised for a second time through Reggie Young.

It was straight to a penalty shootout with five spot-kicks each and both sides missed two, leading to more penalties before the Iron took the lead at 5-4 and keeper Jack Sims pulled off a fantastic save to ensure his side went through to the last 32 in the cup competition.

Sims said: "I wanted us desperately to go through to the next round and personally I wanted to do well because I felt I should have saved their second goal although it did bounce awkwardly in front of me.

"I felt a bit like some of those keepers in the World Cup penalties and tried to watch their players' run ups, look at them and dance on the line to put them off and it worked in the end.

"I could have perhaps saved a couple of the earlier ones but often it's the luck of the draw in deciding which way to go - thankfully I did make the right choice with their last one and that's what counted."

Next up for Braintree is a derby match with Chelmsford City on Boxing Day, kick-off 3pm.