Braintree Town beat Havant in National League South

A devastating display of attacking football completely destroyed the league's current basement club at the Rare Breed Meat Company Stadium, as the Iron at last showed their full goalscoring prowess potential in a game they could have really scored three or four more goals.

"Just what the doctor ordered," was manager Angelo Harrop's reaction at the final whistle.

"I wanted the right response after our defeat at high-flying Yeovil last week where we did more than enough to at least come home with a point.

"But the excellent performance from all the players in this game simply showed what I knew they are capable of and we converted chances at the right time.

"Everyone knows this is a tough league and you have to be on your game from the first whistle and today we were and forced the visitors into a kind of damage limitation from their view.

"We started perhaps a little tentatively for the first 20 minutes but then we got into our stride and took control of the game.

"Once we scored the opening goal on 22 minutes I knew we would go on win the game but you always need to guard against being complacent once to or three goals ahead."

The key early moments, apart from the opening goal by Will Davies, were crucial saves at the right time by young Norwich City goalkeeper Vicente Reyes in his final loan game for the Iron.

Reyes pulled off a great save on 19 minutes when the visitors looked likely to opening the scoring, repeated it again before half-time and then pulled off three spectacular saves late on, to keep the Iron well in charge.

"I'm really pleased for the Vicente because of his two lapses in our last game and then to not drop his head and regain his confidence and come back to pull off the saves at crucial times as he did in this game deserves tremendous credit.

"I knew I had a poor game last time out and made a couple of mistakes so I was determined to make amends and ensure there were no mistakes again and I am pleased I did and I think it helped the team to win comfortably.

"I've really enjoyed my time at the club, they are great set of players and I am sure they will continue to move up the table and make those play-offs again."

With just a slender one goal lead at the interval, Braintree's players knew they wanted an early second-half goal to settle the nerves and give them some breathing space and it came on the hour mark.

Davies held the ball up before slipping it through to Shaquille Coulhirst who beat the offside trap to race through unmarked and chip the ball over advancing keeper Ross Worner and into the net for his first club goal.

From then on the Iron continued to dominate and the third goal came on 76 minutes when new Ipswich Town loan signing Matt Ward, on as a substitute two minutes earlier, jinked clear down the right wing and delivered a pin-point cross that was headed home by Aaron Blair.

The best though was still to come when on 80 minutes midfielder Reggi Lambe dribbled past four visiting defenders and rounded keeper Worner before sliding the ball into the empty net.

It was probably the best Iron goal of the season and an outstanding piece of individual artistry that drew huge applause from the 603 watching fans.

Billy Busari grabbed a late consolation for Havant but by then the Iron were home and dry and young Reyes capped an excellent performance by pulling off yet another amazing save in the fifth minute of added time.

Harrop added: "It was overall an excellent all-round performance but we must now concentrate on Tuesday evening's home game with St Albans, who are just above us in the league table and play a similar kind of football to ourselves and I will be looking for us to carry on where this latest game finished."