BRAINTREE TOWN 1 ALDERSHOT TOWN 2

Vanarama National League

Braintree Town were unable to extend their winning run to three games as Aldershot Town came from behind to beat them 2-1 at the Avanti Stadium.

The Iron had won their previous three Vanarama National League outings and were unbeaten in four, but that record came to a disappointing halt on Bank Holiday Monday.

They had been leading thanks to Jordan Chiedozie’s first-half headed goal with 69 minutes on the clock, but two late goals from the visitors turned the game on its head.

Braintree made four changes from the side that had started at Welling 48 hours earlier.

Mitch Brundle, Chez Isaac, Jordan Chiedozie and Simeon Akinola all returned to the starting line-up, with Remy Clerima, Kenny Davis and Michael Cheek dropping to the bench and Taylor Miles not involved.

Heavy rain in the hours preceding kick-off had left the Avanti Stadium pitch very wet underfoot and it took a while for both sides to find their way into the game.

Braintree did have an early sight of goal, though, after a poor ball in the Shots defence gifted possession to Isaac, who advanced forward and tried an effort with his left foot, but couldn’t get it on target.

Whether it was the conditions or not, the game remained scrappy for much of the opening half as neither side was able to take command of the possession.

Braintree tried to pass their way through the Shots defence but they lacked a cutting edge in the final third and chances remained scarce.

Simeon Akinola did see one effort go just wide of the target after some poor defending from the visitors, while a 23rd minute corner offered Aldershot the best chance as Braintree had to make two goal-line clearances.

In the end, it was two pieces of real quality that broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute.

A series of crisp passes saw the ball moved to Sparkes wide on Braintree’s left and his cross was whipped into the middle with precision towards Chiedozie.

The Iron striker shouldn’t have got to the ball between two much taller central defenders but he did and steered the ball into the back of the net to give the hosts the lead.

Aldershot almost hit back immediately as Richard Brodie was given far too much room from a free-kick, but his bullet header was turned away by Norris in the home goal to make sure the lead was maintained at the break.

Braintree looked the more positive of the two after the restart and Alex Woodyard saw the ball spin just past the post after he charged down a clearance by Shots keeper Phil Smith.

Aldershot were making too many errors to maintain any prolonged pressure on the Iron defence, so it was slightly against the run of play when the equaliser came in the 70th minute.

Richard Brodie found space down the Iron right to pick a cross in to Charlie Harris and the Shots substitute took full advantage of Braintree’s defenders standing off him as he was allowed two efforts to drill the ball past Norris.

The visitors’ tails were suddenly up and it was Braintree’s turn to look ragged, with Norris having to be alert to deny a second goal for the visitors after Charlie Walker had flicked on Brodie’s header.

All the pressure was suddenly directed towards the home goal and that told in the 87th minute when Aldershot took the lead when a cross from the right found the head of Brodie at the back post.

He headed it back across the goal and it went in off the post to give Norris no chance and even though Braintree pressed late on, they had to concede defeat.

Braintree: Will Norris, Mitch Brundle, Sam Habergham, Tom Dallison, Mark Phillips, Chez Isaac (Kenny Davis 72), Matt Paine, Dan Sparkes, Alex Woodyard, Jordan Chiedozie (Michael Cheek 75), Simeon Akinola (Anthony Edgar 77). Subs not used: Remy Clerima, , Sean Marks. Referee: Craig Hicks.