With Braintree Town set for their fourth game in 11 days, manager Danny Cowley feels his players are back to being “battle-hardened” once again after a lean spell of action during December and much of the opening month of 2016.

The Iron will welcome Welling United for a third consecutive home appearance as they have gone from playing just one Vanarama National League game between December 5 to January 23 to having four in quick succession.

It has been a complete turnaround for Cowley’s players and while they took time to get back up to speed, the Iron boss feels his team are back on track after wins against Wrexham and Chester in their last two outings.

“I do feel we’re back to where we want to be,” said the Iron boss.

“It wasn’t about fitness, but it’s about being battle-hardened.

“For us, we’re better when the games come thick and fast.

“It suits us better.

“When you are a part-time club in this league, when you are playing regularly, the gap between being full-time and part-time shortens.

“You get match fitness through playing.

“When it’s just Saturday to Saturday that you are playing, a lot of the full-time teams get a lot more contact time than we do and they get much more time to develop fitness and become better organised.

“That then becomes a real disadvantage to part-time teams.

“It’s important to get these games played.

“We’ll have had a busy spell, but there is a break coming up after Tuesday with another ten days with no game and that may be nice after the little run we’ve had.

“From not playing at all, the games have come thick and fast over the last two weeks.

“That is tough in itself, but the last two results have been really positive.”

The run of games has tested the Iron’s resources, though, and Cowley admitted that a couple of players were carrying knocks after their busy run.

The visit of Welling will see the Wings making only their second outing under manager Dean Frost and Cowley is aware of the dangers that may pose.

The Kent side parted company with former boss Loui Fazackerley last week following a run of five straight defeats and Frost’s first game in charge saw an immediate upturn as they drew 1-1 at Halifax on Saturday.

Cowley added: “It’s a big game for us.

“Welling have got new management and you often see a reaction when that happens.

“They got a positive result in their first game under him with a one-one draw.

“So it will be a tough one for us.”