Nothing to split Essex rivals again as Braintree and Chelmsford draw in pre-season action

Pre-season friendly

Just had been the case when Braintree Town and Chelmsford City met in the Vanarama National League South last year, there was nothing to split them as they clashed in pre-season action.

When the two county rivals had clashed twice over last year’s festive period, both the home and away encounters both ended in draws and it was the same this time as well as the match finished in a 0-0 stalemate.

It was Braintree’s last game ahead of the start of their National League season – at home against FC Halifax Town – next week and gave boss Brad Quinton another chance to finalise his plans.

A crowd of 254 were there to see the two Essex rivals meet, but the opening part of the game was reasonably quiet, with neither side really able to dominate in terms of possession or territory and hence clear-cut chances were scarce.

Ben Killip, who made ten appearances in the Football League for Grimsby Town last year, was between the sticks for Braintree, but neither he nor his City counterpart – Ross Worner – was tested in the first 15 minutes.

It meant much of the play was restricted to the midfield as both defences comfortably dealt with anything thrown at them.

The first real sight of goal didn’t come until the 26th minute and when it came, it was for the Clarets.

A corner – the first of the match – was taken by former Braintree player Jai Reason and hit short to Amos Nasha, who drilled the ball into the area where it was headed on by Reece Murphy, but it was over the crossbar.

The ball continued to spend much of the half in the middle third of the pitch, but Braintree did pose a threat towards the end of the half.

A strong header by Dan Thompson allowed Reece Grant to get clear on the left, but no-one was able to get up to pressurise his cross when it came into the box.

There was better again from Braintree on 39 minutes as they built patiently down the right and a good cross from Jon Muleba had to be cleared, but it did see Braintree get their first corner of the game.

A short corner routine saw the ball come out to Christie Pattison, who drove in a curling effort that just didn't have the bend it needed and it flew past the post to mean it stayed goalless at the break.

There was almost an entirely new side out for Braintree with only Christian Frimpong remaining from the starting line-up as manager Brad Quinton continued finalising his plans.

Chelmsford made a decent start to the half, with Nasha firing over from a corner and then Tom Wraight firing into the keeper’s arms from long distance.

However, Braintree started to dominate possession and nice work by Mahrez Bettache on the left opened a chance for Billy Crook in the 51st minute, but he pulled his shot and it was well wide of the target.

As in the first half, neither keeper was really threatened as both sides struggled to sustain a consistent presence in their respective final thirds of the pitch and when chances did come, they ended frustratingly.

On 75 minutes, Frimpong and Luke Allen combined down the right for Braintree and worked the ball to Mustafa Tiryaki in a central position but his curling effort was straight into the Chelmsford keeper's arms.

At the other end, the deadlock was almost broken on 87 minutes when a shot by one of the Clarets’ trialist players was tipped on to the woodwork with a great save by Ashlee Jones and it cannoned off the Braintree crossbar to safety.

However, neither side was able to gain a decisive edge and, just had been the case in last year’s league meetings, there was nothing to split the two county rivals.

Braintree Town: Ben Kilip, Jon Muleba, Khristian Campbell, Christian Frimpong, Joe Ellul, Olu Durojaiye, Lyle Della-Verde. Christie Pattison, Reece Grant, Dan Thomposn, Marcel Barrington.

Substitutes: Mahrez Bettache, Ben Wyatt, Luke Allen, Mohamed Bettamer, Danny Rowe, Leon Rolle, Henry Orchieny, Mustafa Tiryaki, Kodi Lyons- Foster.

Chelmsford City: Ross Worner, Elliot Omozusi, Rob Swaine, Matt Young, Max Porter, Anthony Church, Jai Reason, Tom Wraight, Joe Anderson, Amos Nasha, Reece Murphy.