PUT a table-topping team in front of them and as the likes of Barnet, Luton, Mansfield and Cheltenham have discovered in the past, Braintree Town tend to rise to the occasion, writes RON FOSKER.
Maidstone were added to the list on Saturday as Iron romped to a thoroughly deserved 2-1 win, in their latest National League South match.
And that was a scoreline made marginally more respectable for the visitors by a 95th-minute penalty.
That resulted from a clumsy tackle but was the only time in the gradually increasing Maidstone pressure towards the end of the match that they had looked vaguely disturbed.
That was the backs-to-the-wall bit but before that Iron had shown strength up front and aggression in midfield – in fact they displayed a hunger for the ball all over the park as they refused to let their high-flying opponents settle.
IRON ROCK THE STONES!
What a resilient performance from the boys today #IronArmy | Forged in 1898 pic.twitter.com/JvRHdx28Sa— Braintree Town FC (@braintreetownfc) September 12, 2026
They showed their intentions early on when first Louie Johnson’s cross-cum-shot passed narrowly wide of the post with keeper Lenny Holden stranded, then Anisius Lewis had a shot blocked after pinching the ball in midfield and exchanging passes with George Evans, and then Evans’ run down the wing took him past the full-back and Holden had to stretch to the full to keep out Lewis’s looping header.
Iron breathed a sigh of relief midway through the half when Riley Court broke upfield after a Braintree corner but his shot shaved the outside of the post, and shortly afterwards keeper George Barrett brought off an excellent save after the ball had bounced menacingly round the area.
But it was the home side who came closest to scoring in the first half when Alfie Matthews caught Holden out by driving in a free kick from a wide angle.
The keeper managed to push it out and also got a fingertip to Lewis’s follow-up header which deflected the ball on to the bar and away.
Your Supporters Club Man of the Match this afternoon is Alfie Matthews! #IronArmy | Forged in 1898 pic.twitter.com/utlD1OqHiI
— Braintree Town FC (@braintreetownfc) September 12, 2026
At the start of the second half Evans had a shot tipped round and Matthews was not far away with another diagonal shot.
But just when it looked as if the constant pressure was going to be unrewarded, the same two players combined, the former winning the ball in the air and Matthews following up to nod it home.
Iron continued to press and Lewis was again rewarded for his persistence when he chased a ball into the penalty area and looked like coming off second best, but just got to it ahead of Holden, whose rush from goal only succeeded in bringing him down.
POST MATCH
Iron secure a solid three points at home against the league leadershttps://t.co/W9A5USPgUn#IronArmy | Forged in 1898 pic.twitter.com/DZGeJ9G1wn— Braintree Town FC (@braintreetownfc) September 12, 2026
It gave Matthews the chance to double his tally and he made no mistake from the spot.
It was a signal for Maidstone to pile on the pressure but they rarely looked like breaching the home defence who held on for another famous victory.
Braintree: George Barrett; Idreess Namasi, Vladimir Paternoster, Michael Olarewaju, Jet Dyer; Reuben Swann (Alfie Lewis 72), Emmanuel Okunowo (Alex Bolovan 64), Louie Johnson, Alfie Matthews (Afi Adebayo 88); Anisius Lewis, George Evans (Courtney Senior 71).
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