BRAINTREE TOWN 0 FOREST GREEN ROVERS 1

Vanarama National League

Braintree Town battled well through the second half of their Vanarama National League game against Forest Green Rovers, but they paid the price for conceding a goal before half-time.

The Iron are lodged in the relegation places, while their visitors are gunning for promotion and while the respective league positions showed more before the break, the boot was on the other foot after it.

Braintree had their chances to draw level, particularly from Chez Isaac’s penalty that was saved but in the end, it was Keanu Marsh-Brown’s 37th minute goal that proved to be the decider.

It’s a game that should perhaps be put into some perspective, with Forest Green Rovers’ resources allowing them to buy a team that could be operating in the Football League, while Braintree’s is one struggling to come to terms with the size of the rebuilding task they have had to do.

However, the two are on the level field of the National League at the present moment and the Iron know they have to challenge for every point available.

At times, particularly at the end of the first half, they were unable to do that with too much effect as Rovers – and Liam Noble especially – dominated possession.

However, the Iron improved dramatically after the break and there was so much more bite to their play as they hassled the visitors’ back line far more effectively.

It led to a string of chances and they were the better team throughout the 45 minutes, but they were unable to make the breakthrough they needed to.

Braintree made three changes from the side that lost at Chester seven days before.

One of those was Will Puddy, who came straight in after joining on loan the day before from Bristol Rovers after Sam Beasant had injured his hand in training in midweek.

Another notable absentee was Iron skipper Jon Ahston, who was left out not only of the starting line-up, but the named 16 for the game, while the other change was Brandon Goodship dropping to the bench for the incoming Harry Lee.

It was a busy start to the game for both sides, with the visitors showing the abundant quality in their side with composure on the ball and good movement off it that pushed Braintree back.

It was certainly a test for a defence that has struggled at times this year, but the Iron held their shape well under some severe scrutiny and managed to hold Rovers out in the opening stages.

The most likely outlet for goals at the other end came in the form of Simeon Akinola and after he had drawn a foul just outside the box, Sam Matthews was able to test Green keeper Sam Russell from the resulting free-kick.

It was a relatively brief respite, though, and the visitors maintained the lion’s share of possession with Braintree having to keep their concentration in defence.

However, they weren’t able to shut out Rovers until half-time.

Seven minutes before the break, Keanu Marsh-Brown grabbed the opener after cutting in from the left and making his way into a central position.

The home defence gave the England C player time and space to pick his spot and his low strike was just beyond the grasp of Puddy in the bottom corner.

It was the breakthrough they were looking for and the remainder of the half was spent with Braintree chasing shadows as Forest Green stroked the ball around.

Liam Noble was particularly impressive for the visitors, sitting in a deep position and pulling all the strings and while there was no shortage of effort from Braintree, they saw precious little of the ball.

In fact, they were perhaps fortunate to only go in trailing by just the one goal at the break as Elliott Frear appeared to be fouled in the box but rather than award a penalty, referee Treleaven gave a goal-kick.

Braintree knew they would need to step things up after the break, and although Rovers looked comfortable again, chances started to come for the Iron.

With players committed forward for a corner, the ball was played across to Matthews, whose curling effort was just inches past the post.

A thrusting run by Akinola then almost unlocked the visitors’ defence and Russell had to make a frantic save with Cheek closing in and the Iron duo nearly capitalised on a mistake at the back.

The ball was gifted to Cheek, but rather than shoot, he tried to lay it off to Akinola but the pass took him too wide and the chance went begging.

Whatever Jamie Day had said to his players at half-time was certainly resonating, though, as they had far more bite to their play and pressed far higher up the pitch.

The Rovers back line was hassled and Noble, who had run the game in the first half, was denied the time and space he had enjoyed in the opening 45 minutes.

And their industry was almost rewarded in the 73rd minute when they won a penalty.

Isaac stepped forward to take the spot-kick, but it was a poor one and his weak shot was saved by Russell in the Rovers goal.

To their credit, Braintree didn’t let their heads drop and Akinola fired just over after a strong run and Russell remained the busier of the two keepers.

However, there was no way through and Forest Green managed to hang on to their slender lead at the final whistle.

Braintree Town: Will Puddy, Craig Braham Barrett, Jerome Okimo, Jake Goodman (Brandon Goodship 79), Jack Cowgill, Harry Lee, Sam Matthews, Chez Isaac, Simeon Akinola, Sam Corne, Michael Cheek.

Unused subs: Ian Gayle, Barney Williams, Lee Barnard, Joe Maybanks.

Referee: Dean Treleaven.