It may not have been Braintree Town’s finest performance of the season, but three more Skrill Premier points earned from a 2-1 win against Hyde left manager Alan Devonshire very satisfied.

Braintree started strongly with a goal by Bernard Mensah in the fifth minute.

But Hyde, who had won just once in the league all season, settled into the game and dominated possession in midfield thanks to their numerical advantage offered by their 3-5-2 formation.

And they were rewarded with a goal in the 37th minute when a period of pressure ended with Alex Brown driving the ball home from the edge of the box.

Braintree improved after the break as they coped far better with the visitors’ shape, but a second goal just wouldn’t come.

Just as it seemed as though it would end in a draw, though, Hyde were reduced to ten men with eight minutes left when Adam Thurston was shown a second yellow card.

Braintree took full advantage as they went straight down the other end of the pitch and Dan Holman fired the ball into the corner of the visitors’ net for the winning goal.

Devonshire said: “It was all about getting the three points and we did that.

“We had a hard week after 42 days without a game.

“They were hard games on the previous Saturday and then Tuesday and this was another tough one.

“It was all about the result, so I was delighted it went our way.”