GRIMSBY TOWN 0 BRAINTREE TOWN 1

Vanarama National League

Play-off semi-final first leg

There was a sense of déjà vu for Braintree Town as they made sure they held the advantage at the halfway stage of their Vanarama National League play-off semi-final against Grimsby Town.

It was a 1-0 win for the Iron when they visited the Mariners three weeks ago and Kenny Davis’ 53rd minute penalty at Blundell Park saw them in the driving seat ahead of Sunday’s second leg at the Avanti Stadium.

In front of a crowd of 5,271 – 82 from Braintree – the Iron defied the odds once again as they kept out sustained pressure from the hosts and snatched a priceless goal to take back home.

It was an unchanged line-up for Braintree from the one that started the 3-0 win against Altrincham in the final game of the regular season.

With the ease that Braintree won that game, it was probably no surprise that boss Danny Cowley went with the same players and they responded well with a positive start to the game.

While the hosts had plenty of the ball and a lot of the territorial advantage, the Iron showed great maturity as they defended well to try and take the sting out of the hosts and the home fans’ enthusiasm.

It did mean that there was little consistent pressure on the home goal, but Kenny Davis did try his luck in the opening minutes with an effort that flew just wide of the target.

Braintree had to rely on players breaking from midfield to support Michael Cheek and they looked most dangerous from a number of corners that they won.

Mitch Brundle had a go from distance from one of these that looked to be heading into the bottom corner, but a great block from Grimsby’s Aristote Nsiala kept it out.

Another corner then saw the ball squirm its way towards the home goal from Matt Fry’s shot in the 33rd minute but a frantic bit of defending managed to clear the danger.

The half ended with Grimsby looking more dangerous, though, and both Iron centre-halves – Fry and Mark Phillips – earned cautions as they made challenges to blunt the Mariners’ threat.

However, the hosts were unable to force an opening before the break and the first quarter of the play-off semi-final ended goalless.

That almost changed twice in the opening five minutes of the second half as first Tom King had to make a smart save from Padraig Amond and then Andy Monkhouse’s header was glanced just wide from a free-kick.

So it was perhaps a bit against the run of play when Braintree broke the shackles and took the lead.

Simeon Akinola finally got on the ball and broke through two challenges before being fouled right on the edge of the box by Josh Gowling, which referee John Brooks thought was inside it.

He pointed straight to the spot and Kenny Davis was the coolest man in the ground as he drilled the ball home from the spot.

It was a goal that shocked the home crowd and they showed their frustration but their team responded strongly and pressed for an equaliser.

King had to make an amazing save from almost point-blank range from a shot by Amond and Fry blocked another goal-bound effort by the Mariners’ top scorer in a spell of real pressure.

However, the Iron saw off all of that pressure and defended stoically to hold on to their lead on a fabulous night for the Essex side.

Braintree: Tom King, Sean Long, Matt Paine, Kenny Davis, Sam Habergham, Mark Phillips, Mitch Brundle, Matt Fry, Alex Woodyard, Michael Cheek (Sean Marks 76), Simeon Akinola (Dan Sparkes 83).

Subs not used: Remy Clerima, Taylor Miles, Harry Cardwell.

Referee: John Brooks.