RICKY Gabriel insists that Braintree Town have the team spirit within their squad that they will need if they are to continue their bid for promotion this year.

After the disappointment of seeing last weekend’s trip to Weston-Super-Mare postponed by the wintery weather, the Iron now head into back-to-back home games against Wealdstone on Saturday and then Whitehawk on March 17.

They revived their Vanarama National League South play-off push with a 1-0 win against Poole Town in their previous outing with a result that took them back up into the top seven play-off spots.

Braintree will be hoping that that win put the seal on a disappointing period of the season that saw them without a win in six games and also saw a couple of members of the squad depart.

Since Christmas, the Iron have seen central defender Joe Ellul drop down two levels to join Bostik League division north side Maldon & Tiptree and leading scorer Phil Roberts had to National League South play-off rivals Chelmsford City.

However, Gabriel feels the spirit within the Iron squad remains as strong as ever and feels that will be a key to them realising their ambitions of staying in the promotion race.

The former Enfield Town full-back said: “Everyone has to stay together so we can grind out the results.

“We are like a family – we train hard together and come match day, everyone is putting it in.

“We’ve seen people go, but 100 per cent there is still that strong team spirit in the squad.

“If anything, it’s made us even stronger.

“People have left for whatever reason, but we know what we have to do.

“We still have to work hard and battle for each other.

“We’re still here and we have to keep going.”