MANAGER Hakan Hayrettin hailed the "passion and desire" that his Braintree Town players showed to deliver a Christmas present as welcome as any that Santa could have brought the day before.

The Iron's fans were treated to a Boxing Day bonanza as their team battled their way to three points in a thrilling contest against Vanarama National League promotion hopefuls Dagenham and Redbridge.

In front of a crowd of 1,353 at the Ironmongery Direct Stadium, Braintree came from behind to edge a game that had five goals and two sending offs.

The points lifted the hosts up to 18th in the National League table - three points clear of the relegation zone - and Hayrettin was full of praise for his players.

He said: "The spirit that we have got now and that togetherness, that drive and that belief that we have installed in that team is coming out.

"You can see it in the way everyone wants to fight for the ball.

"There is passion and desire and all the qualities that you need to be in a good team; they are all there in that team at the moment.

"We are slowly slowly getting there; we are grinding out results.

"We are showing teams that we won't lay down and die and that we'll fight to the death.

"That's what those players are giving me.

"I'm just pleased for them.

"When I came here they were dead and buried, down and out.

"There was no belief and no desire.

"I said I was going to be the most upbeat person at the football club - win or lose.

"I have done that and hopefully it's rubbing off on them."

It was a game full of incidents, with the first goal coming the 32nd minute when Dagenham's Oliver Hawkins put them ahead with a header from a cross by Jordan Maguire-Drew.

The lead didn't last long, though, as Michael Cheek made it six goals from his last five league games with an equalising strike in the 35th minute.

And Braintree were ahead before half-time when Simeon Akinola made no mistake from the penalty spot in time added on at the end of the opening 45 minutes.

There was another penalty just after the restart, but this time it was for the Daggers and saw them level things up as Maguire-Drew fired in a loose ball after Sam Beasant had saved Hawkins' initial spot-kick.

The visitors wer reduced to ten men just before the hour mark as Scott Dow was sent off or a second caution and the Iron took advantage five minutes later as Akinola scored what would turn out to be the winning goal.

The teams were levelled up in terms of numbers on the pitch when Ebou Adams was sent off for Braintree on 73 minutes, but Dagenham were unable to equalise the scores as Braintree held on for a precious three points.

Daggers were reduced to nine men in the closing stages as, with all their substitutes used, former Colchester United captain Magnus Okuonghae had to come off with an injury.

They kept pressing in the latter stages and the Iron had Beasant to thank for one late stunning save, but they were unable to force a third goal even in eight minutes added on at the end.