BRAINTREE TOWN 2 ALFRETON TOWN 1

Vanarama Conference Premier

Braintree Town took another step towards their 50-point target that they feel will guarantee their place in the Vanarama Conference Premier this year.

While taking themselves to eight points off that target, they put a dent in Alfreton Town’s hopes of staying up with a 2-1 win at the Miles Smith Stadium.

The opening hour saw both sides searching for a breakthrough, but a bullet of a header by Sean Marks was the moment of quality that the Iron were after and galvanised the hosts.

There was an extra spring in their step from that point on and the points were safe when Chez Isaac prodded the ball in soon after.

They were denied the clean sheet that their defensive work had deserved by Nathaniel Rowe-Turner’s stoppage-time goal, but it proved nothing more than a consolation for Alfreton as the Derbyshire side stayed in the bottom four.

Braintree headed into the game without having had any league action since a 2-1 defeat by Forest Green Rovers on January 17 and just two FA Trophy outings against Ebbsfleet since then.

They had been hoping to name Bernard Mensah in their team for the visit of Alfreton after the striker joined on loan from Watford in the week.

However, wasn’t able to play a part and it meant the Iron starting line-up was the same as the one that began their FA Trophy tie at Ebbsfleet ten days before.

That line-up didn’t last long, though, as Jordan Cox suffered a knee injury in the 20th minute and was stretchered off the pitch to be replaced by Marks in an early unscheduled change.

It was a shame as Cox had looked bright in the early stages as Braintree fashioned the better of the chances.

Isaac had the ball in the net but Cox had been flagged offside and a Simeon Akinola shot flew just wide of the target from a superb corner by Dan Sparkes.

There was no breakthrough, though, and neither side was really able to sustain any forward impetus as play became scrappy.

Clear-cut opportunities were rare with both defences on top and snuffing out dangers as the game stayed locked in stalemate at half-time.

Braintree made a brighter start after the break and scramble in the goalmouth was almost diverted into the net by Alfreton full-back Jordan Keane, but keeper Jason Mooney smothered the ball before it crossed the line.

It was a show of intent and they furthered that with a lovely move that was kick-started by Akinola carrying ball into Alfreton territory.

He cleverly spread it wide to Mitch Brundle, whose fierce shot was parried by Mooney and then cleared by Keane, but it was a brief respite for the visitors.

In the 61st minute, Braintree won a corner, which was delivered beautifully on to the head of Sean Marks, who unleashed a bullet header that flashed past Mooney and into the net.

It was the breakthrough that the hosts and the game itself needed and Braintree were put more firmly in the driving seat eight minutes later.

After more good work by Akinola, a shot was deflected into the path of Chez Isaac, who prodded the ball into the goal to double the Iron’s lead.

There was an extra spring in Braintree’s step after the goals and they controlled the game from then on to stifle any hopes of an Alfreton comeback.

The visitors did give themselves some hope in the closing stages as Rowe-Turner prodded the ball in after Nick Hamann had made a wonderful save from Bradley Wood’s long-distance strike, but it was too little too late.

Braintree saw out the remaining minutes and held on to their lead for an important three points.