BRAINTREE TOWN can have no complaints about their 1-0 defeat at Eastleigh on Saturday because they were below par all afternoon with a rather lethargic display and a lack of urgency with too many wayward passes going astray.
It was the first game since the opening day of the season that the Iron had failed to find the net and it was all down to the home side's Stuart Fleetwood's headed goal in the 34th minute that was enough to win it for the hosts.
The key to the home side's win was that they simply stopped the Iron from playing their usual fast pace and passing game, slowing the whole game down to literally walking pace at times.
The Spitfires too have an expensively gathered team with older, more experienced players, including ex-Football League men, who know all the professional tricks to cope with quicker, younger sides and in this game they used this streetwise know-how to outwit the younger Iron side.
Despite all that Eastleigh on this showing are not a particularly good side despite their big spending and had Iron, who created the more clear-cut goal chances in the game, taken at least one they would have returned home with a point.
Their two best chances came in the first half a minute when on 17 minutes Simeon Akinola set up the unmarked Danny Sparkes with a right wing cross but he headed just the wrong side of the upright.
The second came a minute after the home side had scored when Sparkes was through on goal from a super pass by Akinola only for keeper Ross Flitney to pull off a great save.
It proved a disappointing afternoon for Sparkes who was about to substituted in the second half when he picked up an ankle injury that now looks set to deny him his first England C call-up this week.
Just on half-time the busy Akinola almost equalised but like Sparkes his header was just the wrong side of an upright.
The Iron did improve a little in the second half, again creating a few half chances, but there was a general lack of conviction once nearing the home goal.
On 57 minutes Sparkes was substituted and his replacement Dan Walker did create some problems for the home rearguard down the left but again it was that final delivery into the danger area that left him down.
He did pulled one ball back from the byline on 63 minutes but young Akinola's second touch of the ball let him down as he was about to shot from close range and a good chance of an equaliser was lost.
The Iron continued to press but their general poor quality passing and play let them down and five minutes from time they almost conceded a second but Mitch Brundle was on hand to head the ball off the goal line.
Their best second half chance came a minute from time when substitute Michael Bakare worked the ball deep down the left and his cross was right in the path of Jordan Cox who somehow managed to miss with an easy header that would have given the Iron a point.
That last act about summed up a dismal afternoon for the Iron and they will need to get back to form for this Saturday's visit of high riding Halifax.
Braintree Town: Hamann; Peters, Massey, Brundle, Habergham; Sparkes (Walker 57 ), Issac, Davis, Mulley (Bakare 75 ); Cox, Akinola. Unused subs: Smith, Case, Pentney.
