IT was a case of the late, late show again for Braintree Town after they struck a 94th-minute equaliser to hold Bath City to a 1-1 draw, writes DAVID WARD.

The Iron salvaged a point at the Rare Breed Meat Stadium when striker Aaron Blair drove the ball into the visitors' net in added on time, in what was an entertaining National League South game.

Blair, who signed a contract with the Iron on Thursday evening to make his loan move from Dagenham and Redbridge permanent, again showed his quality by latching on to a loose ball on the edge of the area to drive it first time into the top corner of the net.

It was an identical goal and almost identical time as his goal the previous Saturday in his side's 3-2 FA Cup win.

Braintree boss Angelo Harrop said: "They are a good, experienced team and we knew it would a tough game and we had chances, particularly in the first half when I felt we were on top and then to come back after going a goal down showed the tremendous team spirit we have.

"I was getting frustrated at going close to scoring during the game but once I saw the opportunity come to me there was only one place it was going and I'm so pleased to have scored and at least given us a point I felt we fully deserved."

In reality it was certainly no more than the Iron deserved over the 90 minutes, with the statistics showing how they had dominated the first half.

But the resilient visitors had the better of the early stages of the second half and it was much against the run of play they scored through Scott Wilson on 62 minutes.

But the Iron are also showing how much more resilient they are this season - it was their eighth game unbeaten - and their never-say-tie attitude and commitment kept them attacking particularly in the latter stages of the game.

Braintree, with regular goalkeeper Jack Sims who was injured, drafted in Kettering Town's Joshua Blunkell on dual registration loan who had a steady game, have far more backbone to them this season.

With a good attacking trio of Blair, Tom Blackwell and Will Davies, they always look likely to score every time they cross the halfway line into their opponents' half.

All three strikers saw goal chances often scrambled away by some desperate defending and it took all the know-how of the vastly experienced City rearguard to deny them from scoring on more than one occasion.

Then, just when it looked as if Iron's unbeaten run was to end, up popped Blair with the tenacity and coolness to score that equaliser sought by home fans in the 705 crowd.

Harrop was disappointed his side didn't take all three points.

He said: "It's really frustrating because certainly in the first half I felt we dominated the game, had chances and didn't take them.

"We should have been comfortably in the lead by the interval and even then in the second half we looked good going forward and it was disappointing to give a goal away like we did.

"But City are experienced and know how to play out a game but full credit to my comparative young and inexperience side we never give up and the youngsters are learning and will continue to improve as we go on."

Bath's players also knew many of the tricks too when gaining free-kicks as soon as they were touched and referee Josh Crofts was somewhat naive in this respect in frequently falling for them, when another official would simply have waved play on.

Harrop added: "Although it's another point that should have been three in my view but we will keep playing the attractive attacking way we've started this season and I know we will keep moving up the league."

Priority now for Harrop and his backroom team is to fully prepare for next Saturday's big FA Cup tie at home to Chesham United, kick-off 3pm.