FIRST-half goals from the strike-force of Ben Wright and Sean Marks secured a 2-1 home win for mid-table Braintree Town over crisis club Kettering on Saturday.

The Iron have been well clear of the relegation zone all campaign, in their first season at Blue Square Premier level, but the Poppies, by contrast, have been dogged by problems on and off the pitch.

And they ended this match with just nine men, following two red cards.

Braintree showed no mercy for their opponents at Cressing Road, in what was their first home game for a month.

They took a 15th minute lead via Wright’s penalty, after skipper Sol Davis had handled in the box. It was Wright’s 12th goal of the season.

Kettering were reduced to 10 men on the half-hour mark, when Jerel Ifil was sent off for putting a hand in the face of Marks.

Marks netted Iron’s second at the perfect time, just before the interval, with his first goal in six games.

Marks headed home Jai Reason’s cross, to move level with Wright at the top of Iron’s goal-scoring charts on 12 goals.

Djoumin Sangare halved the deficit for the visitors with a low drive on the hour mark, but they were reduced to 9 men following Patrick Noubissie’s dismissal in the 78th minute for a second bookable offence.

The Iron comfortably held out to stretch their unbeaten home run to six games.

Manager Alan Devonshire said: “I’m just glad we didn’t get any serious injuries today.

“Sometimes you have to be able to stand up to the physical side of the game, but I felt we had enough chances to win the game very comfortably.”

Meanwhile, Braintree will entertain League Two promotion hopefuls Southend United in a friendly fixture at Cressing Road tomorrow evening (kick-off 7.30pm). Admission is �5 adults and �3 concessions.

Braintree Town: McDonald, Thomas, Bailey-Dennis, Paine, Wells, Reason, Davis, Assombalonga, Quinton, Marks, Wright (sub Kiernan, 80). Unused subs: Jones, O’Connor, Symons, Pooley.

Attendance: 730.