While most of this year’s Vanarama National League campaign will be a voyage into the unknown for Braintree Town boss Danny Cowley, he will be on familiar territory in tonight’s game game at Bromley.

Bromley have been regular opponents of Cowley’s during his time in charge of Concord Rangers in recent seasons, but both the Kent side and the Iron boss have made steps up this year.

Cowley took over the managerial reins at Braintree over the summer, while Bromley have come up into the top flight as last year’s South Division champions.

After defeats in their opening two games under Cowley, Braintree head into tonight’s game on the back of a robust defensive display that gave a 0-0 draw against Tranmere Rovers last weekend.

And the Iron boss is looking to continue some good form that his teams have enjoyed at Bromley’s Hayes Lane ground.

He said: “We’re looking forward to the game and they’re coming thick and fast.

“We know Bromley well from our time in their division over the last two years.

“They are a good team and an ambitious club.

“They have got big money there, they’ve just gone full-time and they have some very good players there who we’re aware of.

“So we are under no illusions about how tough it’s going to be.

“Clubs who have been promoted and you play them early on always have a bit of extra energy and intensity so it’s going to be a tough game.

“We know them well and have had some good games, but we’ve managed to beat them twice there in the last two years.

“The club where I was at last year were a million miles away from Bromley in terms of finances so it was always a challenge but we’ve always been competitive against them.”

Matt Fry is set to be out for Braintree tonight after suffering a knee injury against Tranmere on Saturday, but there will be a return for Mitch Brundle after a one-match suspension.

Brundle received his ban after being sent off in Braintree’s 3-1 defeat by Lincoln.

It was a difficult match for the Iron defender, but Cowley feels he will have learned from his experience against the Imps.

He added: “Mitch only had a one game suspension so he’ll come back.

“He will be fine; he had a difficult night against Lincoln but it will be a positive night from him if learns from it.

“I know he will do.

“We use a performance analysis tool that allows players to watch a game that is edited so the players can watch all the footage that involved them.

“Mitch watched it for four hours on the day after the game and I know that because it tells you how long they’ve been watching it.

“So it tells me that Mitch is keen to learn from it.

“He’s only 20 and you have to remember that he’s learning the game.”