Braintree Town were held to a home draw by struggling Hereford in the Skrill Premier, with both goals coming in a hectic two-minute spell at Cressing Road.

An in-form Dan Holman fired the Iron in front in the 34th minute, with what was his seventh goal of the season and his third in the last three matches.

Defender Alan Massey’s initial shot was blocked on the goal-line, but poacher Holman was on hand to put the hosts in the driving seat against a side who had lost their previous five matches.

Holman had also scored in the two previous games against Hyde (2-1 win) and at Kidderminster (2-2).

However, Herford were level just two minutes later, thanks to Dan Walker’s smart finish into the bottom corner of the net following a break by Frankie Artus.

Walker had spent a spell on loan at Braintree from Luton Town a year ago, playing four games, so it was a special moment for the 23-year-old wide midfielder.

Iron squandered several chances to regain the lead, especially during a dominant second-half display.

Strikers Holman and Sean Marks both peppered the target, while Hereford keeper Daniel Lloyd-Weston also saved well from Watford loanee Bernard Mensah with just seven minutes remaining.

Boss Devonshire said: “I thought we deserved to win the game. Hereford came to spoil. We will take a point and move on.

“I’m delighted with the shift they have put in, since they coming back (from a series of postponements).

“I would have taken eight out of 12 points before we came back,” added Devonshire.

Iron remain in a fairly lowly position, down in 17th spot, but they still have several games in hand over all other clubs, in some cases as many as seven games.

Furthermore, the Essex club are closer to the play-offs, than the relegation zone, in terms of points – they are 11 adrift of the top five and 13 clear of the bottom four.

Iron have another home game tomorrow, against mid-table Wrexham.

BRAINTREE: Hamann, Peters, Wells, Massey, Habergham, Mulley (sub Daley 46), Davis, Paine, Mensah, Holman, Marks. Unused subs: McDonald, Isaac, Sparkes, Moore.

Attendance: 805

PICTURES: Neil Dady and Alan Stuckley