DAN Holman was the Braintree Town hero at the Amlin Stadium, as Iron secured a controversial 2-1 victory over a battling Tamworth side in the Blue Square Bet Premier.

Holman fired home the rebound on the hour after Kenny Davis’ second unsuccessful penalty kick was saved by Tony Breedon.

The ‘keeper had also denied the Iron skipper from the spot seconds earlier, only to be penalised by referee Kieran Amey for moving off his line too soon.

In a scrappy but entertaining game, on-loan Cambridge striker Michael Gash opened the scoring for the hosts on 21 minutes, soaring above his marker to head home a Dan Sparkes right-wing corner at the Quag End.

However the visitors, who were putting the home defence under some severe pressure without really creating too much, levelled on 35 minutes, Adam Cunnington firing home a volley from close range after a mix-up between Davis and Town team-mate Sam Habergham.

Iron had a chance to put the game out of sight late in the encounter but Breedon made a fantastic triple save to deny Brad Quinton (twice) and Gash before substitute Josh Dawkin fired over from close range with the goal at his mercy.

As for Braintree goalkeeper Danny Naisbitt, he also pulled off a fine double save to deny Peter Till and Cunnington and late on parried Shaun Jeffers’ long-range effort to safety as the home side held on.

Holman’s strike was his third in two games since signing from Histon.

For a full report and quotes from manager Alan Devonshire and Dan Holman, see Monday’s East Anglian Daily Times.