Lincoln stay as Braintree's bogey team with eighth straight victory

Vanarama National League

Lincoln City’s hoodoo over Braintree Town continued as the Imps completed an eighth straight victory against the Iron.

Braintree manager Danny Cowley, who was taking charge of his first Vanarama National League game in front of the home fans, had asked for more threat in front of goal than his team had shown in their 1-0 defeat at Chester on Saturday.

They responded by creating some stunning chances in the opening stages but goals from open play stayed frustratingly scarce and they only had Simeon Akinola’s goal from a second-half free-kick to show for their efforts.

Lincoln had no such problems, though, as three goals at the other end gave them the points and Braintree’s woes were completed by the sending off of Mitch Brundle in the lead-up to the second of those.

Braintree made just one change from the side that started their defeat at Chester on the opening day of the season.

Michael Cheek came in for his first start in an Iron shirt, while Taylor Miles dropped to the bench.

Braintree were quickly out of the traps and a dominant early spell opened some excellent opportunities.

The first came in the third minute when Dan Sparkes’ free-kick from 30 yards kicked up off the Cressing Road turf and into the face of Imps keeper Paul Farman, but the loose ball was hacked clear.

Two minutes later, a ball forward from Matt Fry was well controlled by Cheek and he hit a sweet shot on the turn that Farman did well to parry away.

And the pressure continued with Simeon Akinola cutting in from the left before unleashing a fierce low drive that went agonisingly wide.

The game did settle a bit after that early burst from the hosts but they were inches away from taking the lead in the 21st minute.

A great break saw Akionla skip clear of a challenge from Jon Nolan and he laid the ball into the path of Chez Isaac who squared it across the face of the Lincoln goal.

Cheek was flying in at the back post but he was a hair’s breadth away from turning the ball into an empty net as it somehow stayed 0-0.

Sam Habergham then slipped in a neat pass to Sparkes in a central position and he used his body well to turn his defender before advancing and letting rip with a great shot that just cleared the crossbar as Braintree stayed on top.

However, it suddenly looked like it may have changed as Mitch Brundle was judged by referee John Busby to have pushed Nolan over in the area and pointed to the penalty spot.

Callum Howe stepped forward to take the spot kick and drilled it low to the bottom corner, but Iron keeper Will Norris got to it and turned it away.

It was a let-off for the hosts, but Lincoln then almost caught then napping in the aftermath as Liam Hearn raced clear of their back line and slid a shot across the face of the home goal.

It meant it stayed goalless at the break but that was quickly remedied after the restart as Lincoln caught the Iron napping in the 47th minute.

A dinked ball in behind the defence fell to Matt Rhead and with the Iron defenders looking for off-side, Rheade tucked the ball home for a 1-0 advantage.

Braintree battled to get back on level terms with Cheek only denied by a block from Luke Waterfall and they were rewarded with an equaliser in the 63rd minute.

In the end, it came in rather bizarre fashion.

Akinola was fouled in a central position and took the ensuing free-kick himself with a sizeable Lincoln wall in front of him.

His forceful effort saw the ball stike the wall and the spin of it took it past the grasp of Farman and into the net to make it 1-1.

Parity didn’t last that long, though.

In the 71st minute, Brundle pulled down Rhead in the area and referee Busby pointed to the spot for the second time as well as drawing out a red card to send the Iron defender off.

He was judged to have denied a clear goal scoring opportunity and having made his way to the home dressing room, Rhead drilled home the penalty this time.

It left the Iron with an uphill task and that got even steeper in the 81st minute when a period of Lincoln pressure was ended with a fierce shot from Craig Stanley that flew into the top corner of the goal.

Norris had just made two great saves to deny Rhead and then Waterfall, so conceding a third was tough on the home keeper but he could do little to stop Stanley’s thunderbolt.

A late rally from the Iron saw them try to rescue something, but the damage had already been done and they were left still looking for their first point under boss Cowley.

Braintree Town: Will Norris, Mitch Brundle, Remy Clerima, Matt Fry, Sam Habergham, Alex Woodyard, Chez Isaac (Taylor Miles 62), Kenny Davis, Dan Sparkes (Mark Phillips 84), Michael Cheek (Sean Marks), Simeon Akinola. Subs not used: Matt Paine, Jeremy Walker.