Manager Hakan Hayrettin was rueful in reflecting on shortcomings at both ends of the pitch as his Braintree Town team fell to a 2-0 defeat by Barrow.

The Iron had the lion’s share of chances throughout the 90 minutes of the Vanarama National League clash at Cressing Road, but still fell to a defeat that extended their winless run to five games.

The best of the scoring opportunities fell to new loan signing Callum Morton, who has joined the Iron from West Bromwich Albion, but they were unable to capitalise on chances created.

With goals not going in at one end, Braintree were vulnerable to mistakes at the other and so it proved as Hayrettin admitted that his team paid the price.

He said: “We had so many chances in both halves but we just didn’t take them and Barrow scored from the only two that they had.

“They punished us in the final third of the pitch.

“You can’t give away free-kicks as we did early on and there was a mistake by the goalkeeper there for the second.

“Things like that are costing us but we’ll keep working hard because that’s what we do.

“I think the keeper just made a mistake and he’s admitted it afterwards.

“If he comes out like he did then he has to clear it; his positioning wasn’t right, but we’ll go again.”

Braintree’s defeat means they have reached the halfway point in the season sitting rock bottom of the table, four points behind the side directly above them and seven from safety.

Hayrettin said it had been tough dealing with a lengthy injury list, as well as seeing key players depart in recent weeks and then having a couple of suspensions for the visit of Barrow.

“We’ll keep working hard as usual,” added the Iron boss.

“Since I’ve been here there’s been no Ben Killip, no Christian Frimpong, Lyle Della-Verde missing games, we’ve lost Mo Bettamer and Reece Grant, now we’ve lost Jake Cass and we had Justin Amaluzor and Kodi Lyons-Foster suspended for the Barrow game.

“So it’s difficult, but the boys are giving me their best and that’s what’s important.

“If we take our chances, we win the game, but make mistakes like we did and we get punished.

“Take one of those chances and it’s a different game.”