While conceding two late goals proved frustrating for Braintree Town, manager Hakan Hayrettin feels his team's display against Sutton United shows they are "making strides in the right direction".

The Iron are still bottom of the Vanarama National League table after their 2-2 draw on Tuesday night as they were legged back after leading 2-0 with goals from Justin Amaluzor and Billy Crook, but it was an encouraging display from Hayrettin's side.

The Iron boss felt the midweek game and their display at Harrogate Town - despite a 3-1 defeat - last weekend have shown that they are showing progression and wants his players to learn from the mistakes that hurt them late on, starting with the visiting of Barrow to Cressing Road on Saturday.

"We were good value for money at Harrogate and didn't deserve to lose that one and we were good again against Sutton," said Hayrettin.

"We came up against a strong team in Sutton and I felt we were better than them.

"But having gone 2-0 up, we let it slip as we didn't do the right things in the right areas at the end and that was a shame.

"I'm not going to take anything away from the boys, though, because they were very good and we just have to keep driving on.

"We have to realise that if we don't compete in those areas, then we will be hurt.

"But I think we are making strides in the right direction.

"We have picked up valuable points since I've been here and I've had people from outside the club saying to me that they've seen a difference in how the team is playing now.

"So we will continue to drive forward and continue to play the way that we are best at to keep teams on the back foot so we can make sure we are picking up points.

"A fan came up to me after the Solihull game and asked where the fight was, but you can't say there was no fight against Harrogate or Sutton.

"We just have to defend better than we did in that spell at the end. "Individually we were better all over the pitch than Sutton so it was frustrating not to get the full three points.

"I look at what the players are giving me and there are no complaints from me.

"What I'm looking for now is three points against Barrow and to get that we need the same intensity, the same level of performance and same belief that we had on Tuesday, but eradicate the errors that cost us at the end."