Matt Hann storms through...
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The two most goal-shy sides in Blue Square South produced a predictably uninspiring goalless draw in glorious sunshine at Cressing Road on Bank Holiday Monday but it will be Ritchie Hanlon’s lowly Saints rather than George Borg’s misfiring Iron who take most pleasure from this gritty and dour struggle.
City lost central defender Hasim Deen through sickness but sought to strengthen the back four with Reiss Noel joining the excellent Gary Elphick at the heart of the defence, the experienced Leo Roget provided fine support just in front of that duo. Along with those three players, right back Hassan Sulaiman and goalkeeper Nick Eyre provided the foundation upon which City were able to secure their second point of the season.
Braintree started far the stronger of the two sides but overall were a disappointing outfit that, without former Saint Leon Archer, but including City’s summer target James Baker, were a toothless XI.
Although on the back foot early on the dominance of Sulaiman and Elphick in particular kept the visitors goal well protected and on eight minutes Hanlon’s young side almost stole the lead when Lee Clarke superbly controlled a Paul Bruce ball to the edge of the penalty area only to see his fine lob over the towering Nick Morgan scrambled away from goal after bouncing off the face of the crossbar.
Midway through the half Eugene Ofori clipped a clever ball to the back post where Chris Sullivan cut inside Michael Harvey only to see his low drive cleanly smothered by Eyre, it was just one of three on target shots Braintree managed all afternoon.
A keenly contested half occasionally threatened to boil over with Braintree winger Louis Riddle being spoken to twice by lenient referee O’Sullivan. Four minutes from the interval Harvey was booked for a foul on Sullivan and from Liam Bailey’s well-placed and crisp free kick Eyre made a spectacular save just inside his left hand post.
Six minutes after the restart Matt Hann gave a reminder of his talents with a searing run past two players that was only halted by a cynical foul by Riddle that was rewarded with a long overdue yellow card, from the dead ball Bruce fired harmless high over Morgan’s goal.
Following a spell of Braintree pressure City responded in grand style with Clarke and Bruce leading a counterattack that led to Danny Morgan cutting inside Jerome Sobers only to see his shot from the edge of the penalty area loop high off the sprawling keeper and drop just the wrong side of the goal.
Fourteen minutes from time Braintree saw their clearest opening of the half come to nothing when Roget dived in to block a powerful shot on the turn by Liam Hopkins. Two minutes later and Morgan and Hector Mackie both squandered a clear opening when failing to make a clean connection after Clarke opened up the Iron defence with a good header from a long ball by Eyre.
Report by David Tavener |