BRAINTREE Town’s 14-match unbeaten run came to an end with a 1-0 defeat to Yeovil on Saturday, writes RON FOSKER.

But there was no disgrace in losing to the National League South leaders, who showed why they are where they are with a solid and disciplined display.

In front of a season’s highest attendance of 1,985 – a large contingent having travelled up from Somerset - Iron had most of the play, particularly in the second half, but they could not break down a well-drilled and organised defence and solid midfield.

Instead they were restricted to taking hopeful long shots, efforts from Aaron Blair and Jayden Davis passing well over the bar.

It was a later effort by Davis that came closest to troubling keeper Joe Day but it too failed to dip low enough and the visitors breathed again.

They had scored the game’s only goal after 13 minutes when Frank Nouble rose above everyone else to glide a header just inside the post.

They came close to making it two midway through the second half when Jack Sims brought off a magnificent close range save from the unmarked Jordan Young’s header.

Braintree and Witham Times:

Nouble and fellow striker Jahmari Clarke towered several inches above Iron’s back line but Joe Grimwood and Ben Tompkins as usual gave little away.

The problem was that neither did their opponents.

Iron played the ball around patiently at the back but achieved limited penetration.

A neat multi-man move shortly after Yeovil had scored ended with Shaq Coulthirst planting his header straight at Day but the closest they came to equalising was when a Freddie Sears cross was just out of Tom Blackwell’s reach midway through the second half.

Coulthirst was withdrawn at half-time in favour of Davis to give Blair, wasted on the wing, a chance to use his speed through the middle.

It gave the visiting defence some uncomfortable moments, as did Davis, who had one of his best games in an Iron shirt, but the lethal final touch was just not there.

Braintree: Jack Sims; Baris Altintop, Ben Tompkins (Charlie Wakefield 78), Joe Grimwood, Lewis Miccio; Tom Blackwell, Dom Odusanya, Alfie Payne (Reggie Lambe 70), Aaron Blair; Freddie Sears, Shaq Coulthirst (Jayden Davis 46).