BRAINTREE TOWN 1 SOUTHPORT 0

Vanarama National League

Braintree Town kept their cool in the scorching summer heat to record their first home win under new manager Danny Cowley.

With Essex basking in sunny and humid conditions, the pitch-side temperature for their Vanarama National League clash with Southport was into the 30s at the Avanti Stadium.

It wasn’t ideal for football, however, the Iron’s players made sure of another three points to back up their win at Bromley in midweek and their draw against Tranmere seven days previously.

Dan Sparkes’ first-half strike proved to be the difference between them and Southport and Cowley was pleased to see them win in testing circumstances.

He said: “I think we’ll take the result away from the game.

“When you’re playing in conditions like we were, that’s what you need to do.

“It must have been 32 degrees at pitch side, so it was really tough for the players.”

However, the hosts’ win didn’t look like a formality in the game’s opening stages.

They were unchanged from the side that started their 2-1 win at Bromley, but Southport started well, looking anything but a side that had taken just a point from their first four games.

They were organised in defence and posed particular problems down their left, while the Iron struggled in the heat to find much fluency in their passing game.

So it was somewhat against the run of play when the deadlock was broken by Sparkes in the 23rd minute.

A free-kick forward by goalkeeper Will Norris was headed down well by Simeon Akinola on to the left foot of Sparkes, who drilled a sweetly-hit shot low into the Southport goal from the edge of the area.

That seemed to knock some of the stuffing out of the visitors and they struggled to match their opening 20 minutes in the final 20 minutes of the half.

It meant Braintree held the lead at the interval, but it was a slender one and Southport came out with renewed focus after the restart.

Clear-cut chances remained scarce, though, and the game became scrappy in the searing temperatures.

Referee Constantin Hatzidakis handing out eight yellow cards – three to Braintree and five to the visitors – didn’t help with the fluency of play in a game that was in no way dirty.

The best of the chances that did come, though, fell to Southport, with Luke Foster fluffing his lines when a free-kick fell to him eight yards out and substitute Jamie Allen dragging a shot across the Iron goal after he raced clear of the home defence.

At the other end, Matt Paine forced Southport keeper Andy Coughlin into a late save with a header at the back post, but neither side could add to the scoring.

It didn’t matter for Braintree at the end, though, as they held on for victory.

Cowley added: “We started a bit lethargic and I was disappointed with us in the first 15 or 20 minutes.

“We had to get into the boys to get them fired up and to get the same energy and intensity that we’d played with recently.

“But from 20 minutes, I thought we found that.

“The players dug deep and I thought we were well worth our win.”

Braintree: Will Norris, Remy Clerima, Sam Habergham, Tom Dallison, Mark Phillips, Matt Paine, Kenny Davis (Chez Isaac70), Simeon Akinola (Taylor Miles 80), Dan Sparkes, Alex Woodyard, Jordan Chiedozie (Michael Cheek 76). Subs not used: Mitch Brundle, Sean Marks. Referee: Constantine Hatzidakis.