BRAINTREE Town manager Brad Quinton says it is time for his players to cut out the mistakes that could hamper their promotion push in the second half of the Vanarama National League South season.

The Iron head into Saturday’s home game against East Thurrock United on the back of three back-to-back draws against two other sides battling at the top of the table - one at leaders Dartford and then twice against local rivals Chelmsford City.

Both of those games against Chelmsford saw the Iron having to come from behind to take a point and while Quinton was pleased to see the battling spirit of his players, he felt all four goals they conceded were preventable and he is demanding that mistakes are cut out now.

Quinton said: “I bet (Chelmsford boss) Rod (Stringer) wasn’t happy with how we came back, but you have to look at what we’ve given away in the last two games.

“We went out there at Chelmsford having talked about not making mistakes but we gave away two soft goals.

“It was a silly handball for another penalty and we didn’t clear our lines, the ball dropped to their lad and he’s fired it in for their second.

“Two games on the trot, we’ve come back, which shows great endeavour from the lads but you have to look at it as us having made mistakes again.

“On Boxing Day, their first goal came from a free-kick where there was no need to make a foul and the second was from a penalty when there was no need to make a tackle.

“So in two games now, there are silly mistakes that have cost us.

“The other side of it, though, is that we are scoring some very good goals.

“They are creative goals and I’m pleased with that, but to be fair to them, they got into a group at the end and a few of the boys – Skip (Marc-Anthony Okoye) and Joe Ellul – said ‘enough’s enough’.

“They said enough of the mistakes and I’m pleased they have taken responsibility like that.

“They have got together as a group and I feel we can kick on now.

“I was pleased to get a point as it was better than nothing, but disappointed in the mistakes that we made.

“You would like to have more points on the board but with a hectic Christmas and New Year, the teams that we’re playing and in front of big crowds we’ve done OK.

“But these boys need to understand that they need to stop making mistakes.

“We can kick on now but it has to be that enough’s enough and we have to have an end to people saying ‘sorry’.”

East Thurrock are the next test for Braintree and Quinton felt it was a game where his team could avenge the 5-3 defeat their suffered at the hands of John Coventry’s side earlier in the campaign.

The Iron boss added: “Looking back at the season so far and it’s only East Thurrock and Wealdstone where we have not deserved to get anything out of it.

“That’s me being honest so as far as I’m concerned, these boys need a pat on the back but they do need to stand up and take responsibility and stop making mistakes.

“We do owe a performance against East Thurrock after how we played at their place.

“It’s on our turf this time and the Chelmsford games have shown what great support we have.

“It has been immense.”

Quinton has no fresh injury concerns ahead of a third consecutive Essex derby and he added that midfielder Luke Allen was approaching full fitness after an ankle injury.

“Luke is chomping at the bit for a start and he has done well when he has come on in the last two games,” said Quinton.

“However, I don’t want anyone breaking down and getting injured for longer than Luke was before.

“He is a great player and hopefully over the next week or maybe the game after that, he’ll be starting.

“We’ve been doing well for injuries over the last couple of weeks and haven’t had people in the physio’s room so that’s been good and we want to keep it that way.”