Braintree Town manager Alan Devonshire thought his players were “brilliant” as they secured a 2-1 win against Nuneaton Town to move into the Skrill Premier play-off positions.

Just 48 hours after their win at Welling, the Iron’s players put in another sterling performance to outclass a side that had been sitting fifth in the table before the game.

Braintree were on the front foot from the first whistle and their win moved them up from 11th to fifth ahead of three long trips away from home in six days.

Such was their dominance against Nuneaton, that the visitors only had one serious effort on the Braintree goal, while the only criticism that could be levelled at the Iron was that they didn’t make more of the many chances they created.

Devonshire said: “We should have won it a bit easier really.

“They had one shot in the game, which was their goal, while we had so many chances, but I can’t knock my team after that game.

“I thought they were brilliant.

“The energy of them and the way we passed the ball and moved it, we should have won four or five one maybe.

“I’m delighted for them.”

Braintree’s opening goal came after some great work down the right by James Mulley as his low cross was turned into his own goal by Theo Streete in the eighth minute.

It was 2-0 ten minutes later when Dan Holman showed great pace and power to break clear and even greater composure to bury the ball as the Iron took a stranglehold on the game.

That grip was rarely loosened but some hesitancy in the home defence did allow David Hibbert to nip in and get a goal back for Nuneaton, but the Iron were soon back on top and saw out the game comfortably.

Devonshire added: “We’ve gone into fifth against all the odds, so let’s see what we can do now.

“It’s all credit to the players.

“They have stood firm against everything.

“The performance against Nuneaton and the performance on Tuesday (at Welling) have been great and it’s all credit to them.”