Braintree 1-0 Town - Half-Time Saturday, 14th Jul 2018 15:58 The Blues are 1-0 down to Braintree Town at half-time in their friendly at Cressing Road, Aryan Tajbakhsh having netted the goal. Blues manager Paul Hurst named a strong starting XI for this afternoon’s pre-season friendly at Braintree Town. As is usual at this stage of pre-season, the rest of the large travelling squad are all likely to play a part at some stage. Missing are striker Joe Garner, who is understood to have picked up a minor knock, while Emyr Huws and Tom Adeyemi are presumably not considered ready for match action. Teddy Bishop, who is a couple of weeks away from full training, watched the game from the stand. Trevoh Chalobah is away with the England U19s, while striker Ben Morris was also missing and is also believed to be with the Young Lions ahead of the Euros in Finland. Bartosz Bialkowski and Jonas Knudsen are still away following the World Cup. Martyn Waghorn hit an early effort not too far over from distance. Last season’s 16-goal top scorer was in a role behind new signing Jordan Roberts playing as a lone striker, with Freddie Sears on the left and Grant Ward on the right. Cole Skuse and Flynn Downes were the deeper central midfielders in front of the back four. On seven, Christie Pattison broke down the centre, just to the right and hit a low 20-yard shot which Dean Gerken did well to push past his post. From the corner, Olu Durojaiye diverted the ball on to the bar at the near post. Five minutes later, the Vanarama National side took the lead. Dan Thompson appeared to foul Downes midway inside the Town half and Tajbakhsh struck a low well-placed shot to Gerken’s left. The Essex side went close to doubling their lead soon afterwards when Tajbakhsh crossed and Michael Clark headed over, then Blues skipper Luke Chambers diverted Pattison’s low ball from the right over. From the corner, Gerken turned Josh Hill’s header over. On the half hour, Pattison’s curling effort from just outside the area was deflected wide with the home side having had the better of the opening third of the match. The Iron should have added to their lead on 32 when Pattison crossed from the left and found Thompson, who somehow diverted it the wrong side of the post fro six yards when it was easier to score. New boy Roberts headed Town’s first effort on target into the arms of Braintree keeper Nathan McDonald on 34 with the Blues having struggled to dictate the game despite having tried to pass the ball when they’d had it, although on an unhelpful bumpy surface. Two minutes later Waghorn tried to catch McDonald unawares with a chipped effort from distance but the ball sailed a few feet over the bar The Blues, with Sears now on the right and Ward on the left, began to make some headway in the half’s final minutes and on 38 Roberts teed-up Waghorn on the edge of the box and the former Rangers man hit a low effort wide. Neither team threatened again before the break with the home side having been the better side and having had chances to be more than a goal in front. Town: Gerken, Emmanuel, Spence, Chambers (c), Kenlock, Skuse, Downes, Ward, Sears, Waghorn, Roberts. Subs: Wright, Cotter, Webber, Woolfenden, Ndaba, McGavin, Nydam, Dozzell, Folami, McKendry, Drinan. Braintree: McDonald, Mulera, Wyatt, Durojaiye, Hill, Clark, Barrington, Crook, Thompson, Tajbakhsh, Pattinson. Subs: Grant, Rapai, Mensah, Ellull, Bettache, Frimpong, Barker.
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