Braintree Town’s injury-ravaged squad overcame the odds to continue their recent run of results in the Vanarama Conference Premier with a 3-1 win at Aldershot Town.

Despite a late Damon Lathrope goal for the Shots denying them a fifth clean sheet, it was the Iron’s fifth win from their last six games and lifted Alan Devonshire’s team to seventh place in the table.

Dan Sparkes gave them the lead in the 17th minute when he rifled home a left-footed shot from the edge of the box and they extended their advantage after the break.

Braintree came into the game with a squad selection hampered by suspension and a number of injuries.

But one of the players who was a doubt before it, Jordan Cox, added strikes in the 52nd and 78th minutes to wrap up three more points and make sure Lathrope’s goal in stoppage-time was only a consolation.