BRAINTREE Town manager Hakan Hayrettin has been pleased to see that striker Michael Cheek is developing his skills as a goal poacher for the Iron.

The former Stanway Rovers and Chelmsford City striker hit two close-range goals in Braintree's incredible 5-4 win at Southport on Saturday and will be looking to add to his tally when they head to Boreham Wood tonight.

That win at Southport lifted the Iron out of the Vanarama National League's relegation zone and continued the progress that the team have made since Hayrettin took over as boss in late September.

The manager has praised the hard work that his players have been putting in to turn their situation around and he is pleased that Cheek is listening to him and looking to poach goals for the team.

Hayrettin said: “I said to Michael that 75 per cent of his goals would come in and around the six-yard box.

“I think he’s now scored six in the six yard box since I’ve been here and he has to learn to get in there more.

“He has to learn to allow others to do the hard work for him and to be the poacher in there.

“He has great pace, has great power and when he turns and runs at you, he can do anything.

“If he wants to push on now, he has to get more of those goals in the six-yard box."

At the other end of the pitch, Braintree are likely to travel to Boreham Wood with a defence that has been hamstrung by changes in the last two weeks.

With George Elokobi heading back from a loan to his parent club Colchester United, injuries to Jake Goodman and Jon Ashton and Ian Gayle still coming back from an injury lay-off, Hayrettin has had to adjust his back line.

He paired youngster Danny Rumens and new-signing Immanuel Parry at the heart of his defence at Southport and while the Iron conceded four goals, the boss was pleased with how the centre-halves rose to the task in their first outing together.

Hayrettin added: “We had a young lad in (at Southport) who couldn’t even get into Bishop Stortford’s team – Danny Rumens.

“He has had to come in and adapt to life with us, but he has done well.

“We signed Immanuel Parry (from Margate) last week as we had no centre-backs due to injuries that we have had and he came in and did well as well.

“It was the first time that they had played together and I thought they did very well.

“I was pleased for them because it’s a step up."