EASTLEIGH 0 BRAINTREE TOWN 2

Vanarama National League

Braintree Town continued to be the Vanarama National League’s travel experts as they won once again on the road.

This time, it was Eastleigh who were on the receiving end of an Iron away-day win as they made it 16 points from a possible 18 in their last six games away from the Avanti Stadium.

Braintree’s 2-0 win at the Silverlake Stadium meant Danny Cowley’s team bounced back from the disappointment of a 1-0 home defeat the week before.

It was an unchanged starting line-up for the Iron from the one that began against Guiseley seven days previously.

It was a quiet start to the game, with Dan Sparkes having an early effort from a free-kick and Eastleigh’s Ross Lafayette cutting into the Iron box before having a shot, but both went straight into the arms of the respective goalkeepers.

The hosts were just starting to dominate possession as the half wore on, but the breakthrough came for Braintree from the penalty spot in the 32nd minute.

Michael Cheek chased a ball forward and was brought down in the penalty area.

Referee John Busby had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and skipper Kenny Davis stepped forward to slam home the penalty to put his team 1-0 ahead.

That was how it stayed until half-time and through the early part of the second half as Eastleigh were unable to get any grip on the game.

And Braintree’s own grip was further strengthened in the 60th minute when a cross was swung in by Dan Sparkes to the back post, where Cheek was waiting to tuck the ball away.

It underlined the dominant position that Braintree were in and they had chances to go even further ahead with Simeon Akinola forcing Eastleigh keeper Lewis Noice into a good save and also firing an effort just past the post against a static home defence.

It gave the Iron the breathing space they needed to see out the game, with their five-man midfield snuffing out any threat that Eastleigh may have had remaining.

Braintree were able to see out the game without any dramas and their three-point haul pulled them up to sixth and level with the National League play-offs.

Braintree: Will Norris, Remy Clerima, Matt Paine, Chez Isaac (Mitch Brundle 81), Sam Habergham, Mark Phillips, Alex Woodyard, Michael Cheek (Sean Marks 83), Simeon Akinola, Dan Sparkes (Taylor Miles 79), Kenny Davis. Subs not used: Anthony Edgar, Jeremy Walker. Referee: John Busby.