FC HALIFAX TOWN 0 BRAINTREE TOWN 0

Vanarama National League

A second successive clean sheet on the road earned Braintree Town a valuable point as they drew 0-0 with FC Halifax Town in the Vanarama National League.

Having been poor in defending on home turf in their 4-0 defeat by Ebbsfleet United a few days earlier, the Iron were more resilient on their travels.

And that saw them back up the 1-0 win they had at Maidenhead seven days before as they collected another point towards their National League survival bid.

It was a disciplined display from the visitors and perhaps the only frustration was the inability to make more of the chances they had themselves as they recorded their first goalless stalemate of the league campaign.

There were four changes to the Braintree side from the one that had lost 4-0 to Ebbsfleet on New Year’s Day.

They had brought in four new signings in the wake of that defeat and two of those - Andrew Eleftheriou and Robert Atkinson – stepped straight into the line-up.

The others coming into the starting side were Luke Allen and Marcel Barrington, while a third part of the new quartet, Danny Rowe, who had made a return to the club, was on the bench.

Coming out of the side were Ejiro Okosieme and Jon Muleba, neither of whom were involved in the matchday squad, and Lyle Della-Verde and Oscar Borg dropped to the bench.

With their changed line-up, the Iron had an encouraging first half.

They showed greater resilience in defence than they’d shown against Ebbsfleet and Atkinson was quick to make a mark as a timely interception denied Halifax striker Scott Quigley – himself a new signing for the hosts – a one-on-one chance against Iron keeper Ben Killip.

And Braintree were carrying a threat at the other end in the early part as well as a Courtney Richards effort was only narrowly wide of the target.

Justin Amaluzor then fired a shot that was just inches wide of the upright as the Iron continued to pose a danger going forward.

As the game settled down neither side was able to really get on top and the action flowed from end to end, but it was the visitors who kept producing by far the better of the chances.

Halifax’s Joe Skarz almost put the ball into his own net as he looked to clear a low driven cross into the home box by Ricky Gabriel and Barrington then saw a powerful effort fly just wide, but with the opening goal refusing to come, the two sides headed in still level at half-time.

It was a brighter start from Halifax after the break and Dayle Southwell saw an early effort blocked from the edge of the box and Killip had to punch clear from a dangerous ball into the area.

However, Braintree were also quick to get back into their stride and a through ball from Morton set Cameron James off on goal, with home keeper Sam Johnson making the save.

They went even closer on 78 minutes when a swift break ended with Amaluzor firing in a fierce shot that clipped the post, but the breakthrough just wouldn’t come and the Iron had to settle for a point.

Braintree Town: Ben Killip, Andrew Eleftheriou, Luke Allen (Lyle Della-Verde 80), Robert Atkinson, Ricky Gabriel, Kodi Lyons-Foster, Marcel Barrington (Danny Rowe 73), Cameron James, Courtney Richards, Callum Morton, Justin Amaluzor.

Subs not used: Dave Blackmore, Taylor Curran, Oscar Borg.

Referee: Joe Hull.