MANAGER Brad Quinton feels Braintree Town's first win of the Vanarama National League season shows that his players are learning from the hard work they have done at the start of the campaign.

It has been a tough opening spell for the Iron, but they head into back-to-back home games against Maidstone United - on Saturday - and Leyton Orient - on Tuesday - on the back of a very welcome 1-0 win at Gateshead last weekend.

Joe Ellul's headed goal in the 55th minute proved enough to finally get Braintree a three-point haul that lifted them off the foot of the table.

Everyone at the Iron has had to be patient while waiting for the first win to come, but Quinton feels that patience is paying off and his players are gaining a greater understanding about what will be required to prosper in the highest tier of non-league football this year.

"It's going to be good to get back home after a week without a game, but our foot won't be coming off the pedal," said Quinton.

"We have to keep working with the players on how they manage games as they have to be organised.

"We'll keep getting into them that they can't play as individuals; they have to be a team.

"They are young boys and and they have to know that sometimes you have to sacrifice your own game to make someone else in your team look better.

"We've been getting that into them as they sometimes feel they have to impress people looking on all the time and it's a fine line to get them thinking of the bigger picture.

"They're all ambitious and want to be full-time, but I think they have finally realised what they need to do.

"There is a long long way to go.

"It was a tremendous effort from the boys at Gateshead and we have to concentrate on it one game at a time."

Quinton said he had no fresh injury concerns ahead of the game against Maidstone after the trip to Gateshead.

He said last weekend's goal hero, Ellul, had come off during the second half at the International Stadium as a precaution after he felt his hamstring, but he would be fit for the weekend, while striker Justin Amaluzor's substitution had been made because he was on a booking rather than because of any injury concerns.

The journey from Braintree to Gateshead was a 550-mile round trip for Quinton, his players and the 24 Iron fans who headed north to see their team win.

With the players leaving Essex at 5am to make it to the International Stadium in time, it proved a gruelling excursion for them all, but the Braintree boss was delighted that it had proved a worthwhile one.

“I was pleased with the boys,” he said.

“Not many are going to go to Gateshead and put in a performance like that.

“I think Gateshead were running out of ideas at the end as the boys dealt with everything that was thrown at them.

“It shows that they are listening and all the hard work that we’ve had is paying off and I’m pleased for them.

“I was pleased for the fans as well.

“It was good of them to go all that way; they know what we have been through.

“We have been unlucky and have been getting beaten a few times, but you have to be positive.”