BRAINTREE Town were beaten 4-0 at home by National League South leaders Dorking Wanderers as their losing start to the new season continued, writes RON FOSKER.

The length of the league table separated these two teams, and never was the cliché that the table never lies more accurate.

Dorking were in a different class, powerful, fast and skilful while Braintree were timid, clumsy and largely devoid of ideas.

For the first half they made a contest of it.

Rohdell Gordon, Liam Smyth and Louis Yamfam all had efforts at goal. None was very close but at least they were positive.

And shortly before half-time, Smyth almost had the ball in the net when an upfield clearance from keeper Preston Edwards caught his opposite number Slavomir Huk on the wrong foot.

Smyth slipped round the back of him but there was just a fraction too much pace on the ball and he was only able to put it into the side netting.

Two minutes later, in time added on, Dorking took the lead.

And they never looked back.

The visitors looked dangerous every time they came forward and almost took the lead in the opening minute of the game when a cross from Jason Prior narrowly missed two attacking heads.

Shortly afterwards Prior had a header saved by Edwards but for the rest of the half they were kept at bay.

The killer blow came when Wesley Fogden played a neat one-two inside the area and slotted the ball home from close range.

Two minutes after half-time it was 2-0.

It was a long throw this time that two Dorking players seemed to get their head to but credit was given to Kane Wills for planting the ball in the net.

If conceding just before half-time is always a deep psychological blow, doing so again immediately after the restart is likely to sink spirits to rock bottom. And so it proved.

This young and inexperienced side never gave any indication that they could rally from the setbacks and the second half was played out largely in their half.

Dorking seemed content to play the ball around waiting for openings but did not translate their dominance into goals until late in the game.

First Jimmy Muitt and Barry Fuller combined down the right before Muitt’s cross was hammered in by Wills.

Five minutes later Muitt took it upon himself to increase the lead, exploiting space allowed to him on the edge of the penalty area to slam a shot into the corner of the net.

Manager George Borg was left with plenty to think about at the end of the match.

High on his list must be to bring in some more players.

There is some raw spirit and some players with promise but at the moment the squad looks to be a couple of notches down on last season’s.

Only one team is due to be relegated from the National League South this season. Iron can only hope there is some team somewhere in a worse plight.

Braintree: Preston Edwards; Jamie Fielding, Oliver Kensdale, Tarik Moore-Azille, Kyran Clements; Rohdell Gordon, George Forrest, Louis Yamfam; Olumide Oluwatimilehin (Romario Dunne 60), Liam Smyth.