Hatters Win Battle Of Braintree

By Tom Caldon

Braintree Town 1-2 Luton Town   

Holman 67’                         Benson 30’, Parry 65’
Skrill Conference | Tuesday 12^th November 2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goals from Paul Benson and Andy Parry either side of half time propelled Luton up to second in the Skrill Premier table and stretched the Hatters’ unbeaten run to ten games as they claimed a 1-2 victory at Braintree’s Amlin stadium.

The visitors had to defend resolutely against Braintree’s aerial bombardment. Daniel Holman’s deflected long range strike in the sixty-seventh minute gave the Iron hope heading into the dying embers of the game. With the last kick, Sean Marks found himself through on goal but was denied superbly by Alex Lacey’s brave sliding tackle, which effectively clinched victory for the Bedfordshire club.

Alan Devonshire made two changes to the side that held newly promoted Newport County to a 1-1 draw in the FA cup first round. In midfield, Daniel Sparkes replaced Dan Holman while up front Jordan Cox was picked ahead of Alan Massey.

John Still made five changes from the side that went down 2-1 at Welling in the FA cup first round and altered his side’s formation to a conventional 4-4-2, playing Alex Lawless on the right side of midfield. In goal, Mark Tyler replaced Elliot Justham and Andre Gray returned in the striker role. Meanwhile, convalescent captain Ronnie Henry regained his right-back berth.  

In the opening exchanges, very little passing football emanated from the fierce midfield battle between Jonathan Smith and Iron captain Kenny Davis and the attacking endeavours of both teams were quashed by the mud-covered pitch.  The only goalmouth action saw Iron keeper Nik Hamann make a fine block on the edge of the area from Gray’s low shot.

Half an hour had elapsed when Luton took the lead through Paul Benson. After Smith dispossessed Ryan Peters in midfield Gray seized the ball and darted towards the right side of the penalty area. Gray evaded the tackles of Matt Paine and Newman Carney and centred for Alex Lawless whose shot was cleared off the line by Dean Wells. Luton midfielder Andy Parry proceeded to ferociously volley the ball back into the area where Benson, six yards out, half-volleyed into the empty net with expert composure.

In the final fifteen minutes of the first half Braintree retorted with a series of dangerous set-pieces; from the most threatening of which parity should have been restored. An in swinging corner by Daniel Sparkes caused confusion amongst Luton’s defensive cadre. Mark Tyler failed to claim the enticing delivery and the ball found Wells at the back post; the defender managed to escape his marker but stooped to head wide merely three yards from goal. Luton had been handed a reprieve and went into half-time with a 0-1 lead. 

In the fifty-seventh minute, Luton almost conceded a self-inflicted equaliser. Despite being under pressure from tenacious forward Sean Marks, Steve McNulty delayed his backpass to his keeper. Tyler, who should have cleared immediately, took an audacious first touch and had to make a sliding tackle to prevent the predatory Jordan Cox from tapping into an empty net.

In the ensuing eight minutes Luton pushed for a second; Gray’s close range effort was well saved by Hamann, culminating in a series of corners that tested the Braintree defence.  An in swinging corner by Alex Lawless was bundled towards goal at the back post by Paul Benson, and after Carney blocked on the line Andrew Parry poked the ball into the net to the jubilation of the 728 travelling supporters. 

Somewhat surprisingly, the intensity of the contest did not subside and Braintree immediately attacked with fervour. In the sixty-seventh minute, Dan Holman lashed a long range shot towards Mark Tyler’s goal. As Luton’s defensive rear-guard threw their bodies at the shot, the ball ricocheted off the chest of Andy Parry and dipped just under Tyler’s crossbar to half the deficit.

In the final ten minutes the Iron piled on the pressure. Due to an injury to Benson, the Hatters lacked an attacking outlet and the ball rarely left the Luton half. Firstly, Holman’s pirouette on the edge of the area bamboozled opposing centre-half Alex Lacey, the substitute proceeded to fire a shot towards the bottom left corner of the goal but Tyler displayed his agility by palming the ball to safety. 

With the last play of the game, Ryan Peters launched the ball deep into the Luton penalty area. After substitute Liam Enver-Marum flicked on for Sean Marks the striker recoiled to surely equalise and gain a point for the hosts. However, Lacey lunged valiantly to boot clear. As the ball flew out for a Braintree corner, referee Justin Amey blew for full-time to the delight of the exhausted Luton players.

Although Devonshire will be disappointed with the result, it would be easy to understate the artistry of his team; Chez Isaac and James Mulley were particularly impressive performers. Their pragmatic style should stand them in good stead for the rest of the season, starting away at Alfreton on Saturday afternoon. 

Luton manager John Still will be delighted with the result as well as the determination of his squad. More importantly, what was most impressive about the visitors was their strength in adversity; with domineering centre-half Steve McNulty replaced due to injury, Luton had to repel Braintree’s attacking presence with a youthful defensive pairing of Lacey and Parry. This victory may well galvanise the Hatters ahead of their trip to Chester this weekend.

 

Braintree Town: Hamann , Wells , Paine, Carney, Sparkes (Daley - 61' ) , Isaac, Mulley (Enver-Marum - 84' ) , Davis, Marks, Peters , Cox (Holman - 61' ).

Luton Town: Tyler, Henry, McNulty (Stevenson – 62’), Howells, Griffiths, Lacey, Parry, Smith, Lawless, Gray, Benson (Cullen – 72’).

Attendance:  1,518 (728 Luton)  

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