BRAINTREE TOWN 1 SOUTHPORT 0

 

Skrill Premier

 

Sean Marks’ first-half goal was enough to win the game for Braintree Town as they entertained Southport at the Amlin Stadium in the Skrill Premier.
 

In the end, it was a solid three points for the Iron, but they spurned more than enough chances to have made it far more comprehensive.
 

The hosts made just one change from the side that drew 1-1 at Salisbury in mid-week, with new loan signing Charlie Strutton coming in and Liam Enver-Marum dropping to the bench.
 

It was as bright start from Braintree as they lost no time in putting the Southport goal under pressure.
 

Sean Marks was denied by a great save by visiting keeper Danny Hurst and the ball went inches wide when an attempted clearance cannoned off Strutton.
 

Southport weathered that early storm and went even closer to breaking the deadlock on eight minutes.
 

With the home defence backing off, Scott Brown was gifted acres of space on the edge of the box and his driven shot flew against the crossbar with Iron keeper Nathan McDonald beaten.
 

That was as good as it got for Southport before the break and it was mainly Braintree posing the threat from then on.
 

Braintree had the ball in the net as Strutton cleverly skipped away from his marker and fired home, but linesman’s flag was up.
 

Chez Isaac then skewed wide when in good position and Marks should have done better with header from good cross by Alan Massey.
 

But Braintree did get the reward for their good attacking play eventually.
Marks was fouled on the edge of the box and when Kenny Davis’ free-kick span back across the face of goal, Marks was on hand to bundle the ball into the back of the net.
 

The start of the second half was quieter, but Braintree gradually got back on top and were unlucky not to extend their lead on two occasions either side of the hour mark.
 

First a superb save by Southport keeper Hurst denied Kenny Davis when he found himself unmarked in the box after a great cross by Strutton and then David Fitzpatrick cleared off the line from a shot by Matt Paine from a corner.
 

Southport made substitutions and adopted a far more attacking formation as they went in search of an equaliser and this saw the Iron defence put under pressure.
 

But there was no way back and Braintree held firm to take the three points.