BRAINTREE TOWN 4 WHITEHAWK 3

Vanarama National League South

Just as they had in their previous game, Braintree Town left it late for a precious three-point haul towards their bid for a place in the Vanarama National League South play-offs.

It was Reece Grant who was their late goal hero this time as he stepped off the bench and scored the third and fourth of four headed goals for the Iron on the night in a dramatic 4-3 win against Whitehawk.

Unfortunately for the Hawks, their defeat confirmed their relegation from the Conference South and they were left to rue not holding on to the leads that they had.

They had led at 2-1 and 3-2 before Grant’s double intervention, the final one coming in the 94th minute in a repeat performance of the previous game.

That had seen the Iron win deep into time added-on at the end against Concord Rangers and the home fans were left jubilant once again as the dream of a top-seven finish went on.

There was just one change for the Iron from the side that started the thrilling 2-1 win against Concord Rangers on Saturday.

That saw Billy Crook returning to the line-up after completing a three-game suspension, with Christian Frimpong dropping to the bench.

It was a fairly even opening few minutes as both sides looked to settle into the pace of the game.

The Iron saw more of the ball and Crook had an early speculative shot after finding space in the box, but Whitehawk keeper Dan Wilks wasn’t unduly troubled.

At the other end, the closest the visitors came was when Gold Omotayo fired a free-kick inches wide of the target, but he was soon given an even better opportunity.

On 12 minutes, the Iron defence was split open by a flowing Whitehawk move that saw Omotayo free in the middle to slide a shot towards the home goal.

Fortunately for Braintree, though, keeper Nathan McDonald had advanced and made a tremendous save to deny the Hawks an opener.

Ky Marsh-Brown then found himself in space on the edge of the home box only to curl a shot well wide as the better of the opportunities stayed with the visitors.

Braintree, meanwhile, looked like they needed something to get their game going and it came on 20 minutes after a foul on Luke Allen gave them the chance to throw the ball into the Hawks area.

It was taken by Allen, who fired the ball long to where Josh Hill heads it back into the danger area and Marc-Anthony Okoye powered in a header from close range.

The lead was short-lived, though.

Among a scrum of bodies in the Iron area, Omotayo was bundled over on 26 minutes and, after referee Paul Howard had pointed straight to the penalty spot, Omotayo picked himself up and drilled the ball home to make it 1-1.

Having been pegged back, Braintree went searching for the lead again and almost got it when Dan Thompson got clear down the left.

As Wilks came well out of his goal to try to intercept, the Iron striker prodded the ball towards the open goal.

It rolled on and on but Yannis Ambrosini just got back to nick it away on the line to deny Braintree a second goal.

Instead it was Whitehawk who took the lead before half-time.

The goal came on 39 minutes after McDonald had parried an initial attempt, but Ambrosini was placed to get it over the line for a 2-1 advantage at the break.

Braintree made a change to start the second half with Marcel Barrington replaced by Roman Michael-Percil and they pressed for an equaliser in the opening part of the second period.

They had the lion’s share of possession, but were unable to find a clinical edge in the final third, a situation that was typified by a chance for Crook on 50 minutes.

Excellent work by Michael-Percil on the right saw him set up Crook on the edge of the box, but after a neat turn from the Iron midfielder, his final shot was well over the target.

It continued to be frustrating for the home side as they just couldn’t craft an opening to breach the Hawks defence.

However, that changed on 71 minutes when more good work by Michael-Percil was rewarded when his teasing cross from the left was powered home with a bullet header from full-back Jon Muleba.

It was only Muleba’s second Iron goal after another header in the FA Cup replay at Royston Town earlier in the season and it proved a big boost for Braintree this time.

They kept pressing, but a suicidal bit of defending gifted Whitehawk a third goal on 79 minutes when McDonald raced out of his goal and skewed the ball to Lloyd Maclin, who prodded it into the empty net.

Falling behind again was a bitter blow for the Iron, but they were only trailing for four minutes as a long hanging cross from the right was met bravely by Grant’s head and nestled in the back of the Hawks goal.

It was a breathless spell of action and both sides went looking for the winner that would mean so much to both.

And just as they had in their previous game, the Iron grabbed a winner deep in time added on at the end.

Five extra minutes had been added and that was enough for Grant to get on the end of another cross with the fourth header of the night to spark more wild celebrations and a precious three points, Braintree Town: Nathan McDonald, Jon Muleba, Ricky Gabriel, Josh Hill, Mark-Anthony Okoye, Diaz Wright, Luke Allen, Billy Crook (Reece Grant 62), Marcel Barrington (Roman Michael-Percil 45), Dan Thompson, Ben Wyatt (Christian Frimpong 94).

Subs not used: Jack Curtis, Mahrez Bettache.

Referee: Paul Howard.