Iron win out after scrappy affair at Hungerford

Braintree's Diaz Wright and Ricky Gabriel on the ball at Hungerford. Photo: JON WEAVER (Image: Archant)

It wasn’t pretty and it was a game that overall lacked quality and any finesse but the Iron revitalised their promotion play-offs with a single goal victory at Bulpit Lane on Saturday.

“It’s a win and three points and that’s all that matters,” said Iron manager Brad Quinton.

“Even though it was a scrappy game I still think we fully deserved the victory. The pitch was dreadful and didn’t help our style of football but full marks to the players they stuck to their individual jobs and we were successful.

“We are still in play-off contention and we simply keep taking it one game at a time and with rivals dropping points it’s a further incentive for us to finish as strong as we can.”

The only goal came in the 55th minute and it was a scrappy one like the game itself and credit was given to Dan Thompson for forcing the ball over the line in a goalmouth melee.

It developed down the left wing where Luke Allen, back from suspension, lofted the ball over to the far post where Josh Hill headed it down back across the area giving Thompson a chance to stab the ball home.

But home keeper Oliver Davies managed to only parry the ball and Thompson was able to hit the rebound home helped by Alfie Kilgour on the line.

Once in front the Iron began to dominate the game and both Roman Michael-Percil and Luke Allen had great chances to increase their side’s goal tally, but the bumpy playing surface denied them.

The first half had been more even but few chances at either end although Thompson, Ben Wyatt and Mahrez Bettache all went close for Braintree, while at the other end the Iron had a lucky let off when Louie Soares drove a shot at the foot of an Iron post before the ball was scrambled clear.

But with Hill outstanding in the Iron defence they survived the scare and in the second half the longer the game went on the stronger the Iron became and deservedly ran out winners on the day.

“It’s good to come away from home and get a crucial win particularly after throwing away the chance to win at St. Albans on Easter Monday where we should have collected all three points,” Quinton added.