BRAINTREE Town chairman Lee Harding has praised the work being done by manager Glen Driver and his team in lifting the Iron into the Vanarama National League South's play-off positions after the first 13 games of the campaign.

However, Harding has said expectations should remain realistic on the back of the solid start that the club have made this year.

Iron are sat seventh in the table and return to action on Saturday with a trip to Weymouth before a home game on Tuesday that will see former boss Hakan Hayrettin back at Cressing Road with Maidstone United (kick-off 7.45pm).

The Weymouth excursion will be Braintree's first game after two weeks without a run-out and will see them attempting to get back to winning ways after a 5-1 defeat at Tonbridge Angels in their last outing.

That result was a disappointment after a run that had lifted Iron joint top of the National League South's form table, but while he shared fans' frustration at the manner of that loss, Harding felt some of the criticism in the wake of the game was unjust.

Driver has only been at the helm since June and his team was brought together from scratch over the summer and the Braintree chairman appreciates that there will be downs as well as ups this year.

So he feels expectations need to stay realistic.

Harding said: "When you put in a bad performance, it does not mean you are rubbish and doesn't make it time to pack up, but equally, when you go out and beat someone like Havant & Waterlooville, it doesn't mean you are a team of world-beaters.

"We need to keep a perspective on where we are.

"Anyone who shares the players', manager's and board's desire to progress needs to continue their support in good times as well as bad.

"It's easy to be a fair-weather fan; it's easy to be on board when we've beaten Havant & Waterlooville, but we need to stay behind the team after a result like at Tonbridge.

"I don't respect anyone who chose to abuse our players and manager at Tonbridge.

"How does that help us progress?

"I don't like to see us get beaten heavily, but I believe that you can learn more from defeats.

"You find out any inadequacies of systems and individuals so defeats can be useful even though we are all disappointed because we want to win every game.

"We all need to be realistic.

"Braintree Town are where we deserve to be."

Harding had praise for what Driver and assistant boss Tony Kinsella had achieved in their short time at the club so far.

While an early exit from the FA Cup had been frustrating, what the duo and their players had managed in the opening part of the league campaign has impressed the chairman.

He added: "My hopes for the season were for us to play some better quality football, but I expected and was prepared to accept defeats as well as wins along the way.

"That was on the basis of this being a new group of lads who had been brought together, who were feeling their way at this level and learning their trade.

"After three games (which were all lost), it looked like it would be a long haul for us, but they have come together and done very well.

"I think Glen and Tony have thrown themselves whole-heartedly into the job and we are seeing good football from the team.

"Neither of them take any nonsense.

"There have been one or two players who may have let themselves down a little bit, but they have two choices - it's Glen's way or the highway.

"The majority have responded very positively to that but one or two have left the building and we wish them well.

"What Glen and Tony are doing is working very hard; they are out there watching a lot of games, talking to a lot of people, working hard with a sensible budget and they are doing a very good job.

"When we came down in 2017 and Bradley (Quinton) took over, there was talk about him not having the experience having only managed at Enfield, but we were top in the October.

"Now two years later, we find ourselves in a very similar position.

"We're in the play-offs - I think we're doing OK. A lack of progress in the FA Cup takes away any wriggle room for Glen and being able to offer players a better deal because they have not earned the Club the money that would allow us to reward them, but that is where we are.

"Yes, we didn't play well at Tonbridge but, all things considered, we are doing OK."