BRAINTREE TOWN 1 BOREHAM WOOD 1

Vanarama National League

Braintree Town were left knowing that two points had slipped from their grasp as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Boreham Wood at the start of their festive fixtures list.

With the Iron still lodged at the foot of the Vanarama National League table, a three-point haul would have been a welcome early Christmas present.

They had chances to take it as well, holding the lead at half-time thanks to Lyle Della-Verde’s volleyed strike on 30 minutes and, even after Wood equalised after the break, a late penalty gave the Iron a great chance to grab a winner.

However, Billy Crook skewed his shot wide of the target and the chance – like the two extra points – slipped away as the two sides had to settle for a share of the spoils.

There were two changes for the Iron from their previous starting line-up – two weeks earlier in the 2-1 defeat at Havant & Waterlooville.

They saw Cameron James come straight back in after rejoining on loan from Colchester United and goalkeeper Ben Killip had his first appearance since October after being out with an ankle injury.

Coming out of the side were Ejiro Okosieme, who dropped to the bench, and George Legg, as the keeper had returned to Reading after his loan spell at the club.

It was a scrappy opening period to the game, with both sides taking their time to find their rhythm and too many wayward balls making it difficult for any pressure to be built at both ends.

That meant neither Killip nor Boreham keeper Ryan Huddart were unduly troubled in the first quarter of an hour.

While the quality wasn’t always there, though, Braintree did try to show some intent and a corner from the left fell at the feet of Joe Ellul but his shot was effectively blocked.

And they didn’t have to wait long for a proper chance to come along.

On 24 minutes as a lovely through ball from Callum Morton was into the path of Justin Amaluzor, who took the ball on, but could only prod it over the crossbar rather than testing the advancing Huddart.

Boreham Wood then had a chance when Gozie Ugwa headed over from a corner, but it was the Iron who broke the deadlock in the 30th minute.

The breakthrough came when a ball hoisted into the Boreham Wood box was punched out by Huddart, but only as far as Lyle Della-Verde, who got his body shape perfect to drill a first-time volley into the back of the net.

It gave the hosts the platform they needed and they controlled the closing part of the half, although they were grateful to Killip for maintaining their lead at the break.

On 45 minutes, the ball was laid in to Dave Stephens, but his shot was kept out as the Iron keeper read the danger perfectly to keep his side ahead.

That situation lasted for less than five minutes after the restart, though, as Boreham pulled level when a free-kick on the left was played into the home box and was headed down to where Justin Shaidu slammed the ball into the net.

It was a soft goal for the Iron to concede after they had controlled much of the first half and got themselves ahead and they knew they had to go again.

They thought they had a chance to regain the lead when Callum Morton appeared to be felled in the area by Huddart, but the referee was unmoved by Braintree’s penalty calls.

With neither side able to gain the ascendancy, the game became scrappy again and rather tetchy between the two sets of players.

Braintree were given a gilt-edged chance to get back ahead on 82 minutes, though.

A swirling ball into the Boreham area was collected well by Morton but as he tried to engineer space to shoot, his heels were clipped and this time the penalty was given by referee Martin Woods.

Hopes were soon dashed, though, as Billy Crook, who had only just come on as a substitute pulled his spot-kick wide of the target with Huddart not even tested.

It was a blow and was to prove costly at the end as the two extra points they could have banked were left on the pitch and it was only one apiece as the game finished at 1-1.

Braintree Town: Ben Killip, Justin Amaluzor, Joe Ellul, Ricky Gabriel, Kodi Lyons-Foster, Oscar Borg (Ejiro Okosieme 88), Cameron James, Courtney Richards, Lyle Della-Verde (Billy Crook 77), Callum Morton, Marcel Barrington.

Subs not used: Mo Sagaf, Taylor Curran, Nick Clayton-Phillips.

Referee: Martin Woods.