Braintree Town manager Alan Devonshire admitted that his team were “poor” as they lost 1-0 to Grimsby Town in the Vanarama Conference Premier.

The Iron failed to register a shot on target over the 90 minutes, however, Devonshire felt his side should have got something out of the game as he thought the Mariners didn’t do much more in front of goal themselves.

In the end, Lenell John-Lewis’ 64th minute goal was the difference, but Devonshire felt his keeper, Nick Hamann could have done better with an initial shot before the Grimsby forward fired home the rebound.

Devonshire said: “We were poor, but to be fair, as poor as we were, they had one shot and I felt Nick should have done better with it.

“I don’t think it was that hard a shot, but I’ll have to have a look back at it.

“He said he should have done better with it and it cost us.

“It was a pretty dire game to watch, but it should have been 0-0.”

Both Braintree and Grimsby have important FA Cup games on Sunday and Devonshire thought that may have been playing on the minds of both sets of players.

He added: “Maybe both teams had their heads somewhere else.

“They shouldn’t have done, but perhaps they did.

“We huffed and puffed and were poor, but they have only had one shot.

“Neither keeper had to work hard at both ends so it should have been 0-0.

“That’s what annoys me as we should have got something out of the game but it’s gone and we move on.”

The defeat means Braintree haven’t won in their last nine Vanarama Conference Premier outings.