BRAINTREE TOWN 2 GUISELEY 0

Vanarama National League

What a result this may prove to be for Braintree Town.

The Iron may have stayed in the Vanarama National League’s relegation zone, but their 2-0 win against Guiseley has had ramifications in many ways.

Not only did it end a four-game losing run for the Iron, but it drew their visitors closer to the scrap at the bottom and kept Braintree feeling hopeful that they could still get themselves to safety.

It was goals from one unfamiliar source and one very familiar that put the Iron in the driving seat in the second half.

There had been nothing to separate the two teams in a nervy opening 45 minutes, but the Iron got the breakthroughs they so desperately wanted, and needed, after the break.

Firstly it was Jerome Okimo, who found the back of the net for the first time in the league in a Braintree shirt, and top scorer Michael Cheek then doubled their lead.

Cheek took his season’s tally to 19 in league action with that goal and what a valuable one it could prove to be.

With Woking and York both winning as well, the Iron are one of four teams tied on 48 points as the battle to stay up gets ever tighter.

There were no changes for Braintree either in the starting line-up or on the bench from the side that began the game against Dover Athletic the previous weekend.

The one change that may have been made was Craig Braham-Barrett dropping out through suspension after getting sent off against Dover, however, Braintree had appealed against that decision in the week and having got it overturned, he was available to start again.

The game got under way with Braintree having the better of possession and territory but without being able to create too much in the way of clear-cut opportunities.

It meant there was a scrappy feeling to the action as both sides knew the magnitude of a positive outcome and it took a while for things to settle down.

Despite the Iron’s more attacking approach, the first real sight of goal went to the visitors on 15 minutes.

Poor defending from Iron ended with the ball coming off a home boot towards their own goal and Guiseley’s Will Hatfield raced clear, but he showed little composure in front of goal and dragged his weak shot well wide The visitors were clearly buoyed and quickly break again, with Sam Beasant having to make a smart save at his near post from Adam Boyes' low effort.

At the other end, clear-cut chances remained hard to come by for the Iron, but they did press well in and around the Guiseley box.

The long throws of Harry Lee were used effectively to keep pressure on and the movement of Braham-Barrett and Jack Midson and Sam Corne breaking from midfield all carried threats.

The closest they came to going ahead was in the 29th minute when a corner was met forcibly by the head of Jack Midson and Guiseley keeper Jonathan Maxted had to claw the ball away to safety.

There was also almost an opening goal from the head of Midson in the seconds before half-time.

A lovely cross from Jerome Okimo almost landed on the head of Midson but Marcus Williams made a timely interception with the target looming for the Iron striker as it stayed goalless at the break.

It was Guiseley who made the brighter start to the second half and former Southend United player Kevan Hurst flashed a drive across the Iron goal that was deflected away.

Having ridden the early storm, though, Braintree started to press themselves.

A great free-kick by Isaac just evaded the advancing Braintree players and a nice cross by Lee was just about headed away to safety by the Guiseley defence.

And the ensuing corner saw a goal come from an unlikely source.

Okimo’s only previous Braintree goal had come in the losing cause in the FA Trophy at Dulwich Hamlet, but he got his first league goal in the 57th minute.

From the corner, Okimo got low and diverted the ball in at the near post with his head to give the Iron the lead and something to build from.

Guiseley were impressive in their response as they desperately looked for an equaliser and had Braintree on the back foot for a spell after falling behind.

However, the Iron held their shape well at the back and repelled the visitors so the closest they came was an effort from Hurst that flew high over the bar.

Having seen out the pressure again, Braintree went down the other end and doubled their lead.

Another lovely free-kick from Isaac – from a similar position as the one a few minutes earlier - was met by the head of Manny Parry this time and his header across the six-yard box was powerfully volleyed in by Michael Cheek.

The Iron’s leading scorer took his season’s tally to 19 in the National League with the strike and the relief around the ground was palpable as the home side suddenly had a cushion heading into the final period of the game.

Guiseley pressed as expected but the home defence stayed disciplined and they held on to their lead.

In fact the better chances to add to the scoring came in front of the Guiseley goal, but Braintree weren’t concerned that they couldn’t add to their tally.

Braintree Town: Sam Beasant, Sean Clohessy, Jerome Okimo, Manny Parry, Jake Goodman, Sam Corne (Kyron Farrell 92), Chez Isaac, Harry Lee, Craig Braham-Barrett (Kris Twardek 69), Jack Midson, Michael Cheek.

Subs not used: Jon Ashton, Lee Barnard, Reece Hall-Johnson.

Referee: Constantine Hatzidakis.