BRAINTREE Town’s disappointing last couple of months continued with a narrow defeat at Tamworth last night.

The hosts leapfrogged the Iron in the Blue Square Bet Premier table, thanks to a 57th minute winner from Danny Mills.

It was a quality finish from the gangly striker, who turned to lash home a shot out of the blue, from just inside the penalty area.

The Iron never really like fashioning an equaliser during the final half-hour, and to cap another frustrating evening, skipper Kenny Davis was sent off for violent conduct in the 89th minute.

Alan Devonshire’s men, since beating Tamworth 3-1 at home in late September, have now won just one of their last 11 fixtures, accumulating just six points from a possible 33.

Ironically, the Iron had looked comfortable in the first period, with the visitors’ defence coping well without the suspended duo of Matt Paine and Aswad Thomas.

And the Essex club showed more as an attacking force during the last 10 minutes of the first half, peppering the target from long distance and close in.

Jai Reason tried his luck with a curling 20-yarder which home keeper Jonathon Hedge was grateful to catch, and Hedge was also stretched to keep out Andy Yiadom’s angled shot.

Livewire Yiadom burst past a couple of defenders before cracking a shot over the bar on 52 minutes, but just three minutes later and the visitors were trailing to Mills’ slick finish.

Chib Chilaka thought he had equalised just after the hour mark when poking home an inswinging cross by Nicky Symons. But the assistant referee had raised his flag early for offside. The Iron never seriously threatened again.