Nathan Ellington netted his first goal of pre-season as a Town XI beat Blue Square Bet Premier side Braintree 1-0 at Cressing Road. The home team will feel themselves unlucky not to have got something from the game having had the better of the chances and with Ellington’s 25-yard second-half strike having taken a big deflection.
What was essentially a Town reserves team — largely comprising of youngsters perhaps with an eye towards the new U21 league - started with Arran Lee-Barrett in goal, Jaime Peters at right-back, trialist Soualio Bakayoko on the left and with skipper Jack Ainsley and Joe Whight in the centre of the defence.
In midfield, academy second-year Mark Timlin was on the left, Josh Carson on the right with Luke Hyam and Cheick Kourouma in the centre. Jimmy Bullard started behind lone striker Nathan Ellington.
Sean McCarthy and Mark Kennedy were the men in the dug-out with Paul Jewell, assistant Chris Hutchings, U18s coach Russell Osman and chief scout Steve McCall watching from the terraces.
Braintree’s Nicky Symons forced Lee-Barrett into the game’s first save in the seventh minute, then from the corner Matt Paine the ball flicked off centre-half Matt Paine’s head and dropped wide.
The Iron came close again on nine when a long throw from the left reached Symons but the midfielder failed to get a decent contact on the ball and missed the target.
Town first threatened in the 25th minute when academy second-year scholar Mark Timlin sent in a dangerous cross from the left which Braintree keeper Nathan McDonald grabbed at the second attempt. At the other end, Kenny Davis forced Lee-Barrett into a save down to his left from the edge of the box.
The Blue Square Bet Premier side should have gone in front in the 39th minute when Josh Dawkin got away from Ainsley down the Braintree left and crossed low for Kieron St Aimie, who somehow diverted the ball over the bar.
Ellington, who had toiled without too much reward, shot over for Town, then three minutes before the break Sean Marks went narrowly wide for the home side, who had had much the better of the first-half chances.
Town were probably fortunate to be on terms at the break with the Essex side having had more than a few opportunities, particularly when given time and space to shoot on the edge of the box. At the other end, the Blues hadn’t created too much with the ball given away cheaply all too often.
The Blues made two changes at the break, academy full-backs Joe Robinson and David October taking over from Peters and trialist Bakayoko, who had put in a tidy but not spectacular shift.
Braintree continued to threaten in the early stages of the second half, however, and in the 49th minute sub Bradley Quinton forced Lee-Barrett into a save to his right.
Bullard went close with Town’s first chance of the second half on 70 with the home side — who finished 12th in the Blue Square Bet Premier last season — still looking the more threatening side, although with neither keeper particularly busy.
But it was the Blues who were to score the game’s first and only goal. Joe Whight brought the ball out of defence and found Ellington, who cut in from the left and hit a shot which deflected into the air and over keeper McDonald from 25 yards.
Lee-Barrett was in action again in the 81st minute, stopping a strike from the edge of the area from sub Kaine Sheppard. Moments later, Paine headed a corner goalwards and Robinson cleared off the line.
Keeper Arran Lee-Barrett was probably the stand-out performer for the Blues, having repelled a number of strikes from the home side, largely efforts from just outside the area, while otherwise being secure with his handling.
Kourouma — still to sign a contract due to red tape — put in a composed display in the centre of midfield alongside Hyam, passing tidily, moving the ball around and wasn’t afraid of a tackle.
Ellington, who worked hard but without particularly threatening until his goal, will have benefited from hitting the net, while Bullard never took control of the game in the manner he showed he was capable of during his loan spell despite one or two sublime passes, although the role behind the lone frontman doesn’t really suit him.
Overall, it was probably a decent result for what was generally a very young Town team up against a more senior mid-table Blue Square Bet Premier side.
Town: Lee-Barrett, Peters (Robinson 46), Bakayoko (October 46), Ainsley, Whight, Hyam, Timlin, Bullard, Ellington, Kourouma, Carson. Unused: Loach, Thorsteinsson, Willbye.
Braintree: McDonald, O’Connor, Habergham, Bailey-Dennis, Paine, McNish , Symons, Davis (c), Marks, Dawkin, St Aimie. Subs: Bryant, Sheppard, Wells, Quinton, Mulley, Wedderburn, Walker, Ward.