BRAINTREE Town paid for their profligacy as they went down 2-1 at home to Forest Green Rovers on Saturday.
In an entertaining game against a vastly more experienced and expensively gathered visiting side, Braintree just missed that in the that little bit of extra quality in front of goal where it counted.
Despite going a goal behind on 68 minutes the Iron came back strongly and equalised with six minutes to go but three minutes later conceded a dreadful goal that allowed the visitors to return to their Cotswold home with all three points.
It left Iron manager Alan Devonshire a frustrated and angry man after the game: "We worked really hard and should have been in the lead by at least a couple of goals before they scored.
"But we get ourselves back in the game and deservedly so with an equaliser, then they go straight up the other end and we give away a dreadful goal that shouldn't have happened and we know better not to do.
"It really is frustrating and I was annoyed with the players and afterwards told them so."
Devonshire, who kept the same starting line-up from their FA Trophy win the previous week, emphasised that his players must take the chances when they come along.
"I felt we were really in control the game in the first half against what is a good side who, like us, want to play attractive football," he said. "But we let ourselves down because we should have at least taken a draw from the game if nothing else."
The only real first half threat on the Iron goal came from a terrific first time shot by Sam Wedgebury which Iron keeper Nick Hamann saved superbly pushing the ball on to the bar and away.
Hamann said: "I saw it coming late but my natural reflexes pushed it away but really we had the more chances to score in the game, particularly in the first hour.
"I am disappointed because we've been doing well recently on a good run with everyone back from injury and we again played well in this game but simply didn't take the chances when we had them.
"We then get punished for giving away two poor goals so quickly and there are no excuses."
Forest Green Rovers boss Ady Pennock admitted his side were fortunate to win adding: "It's a really tough place to come and they put us under a lot of pressure and it really could have ended 6-6.
"But conceding a goal like we did, then to go up the other end and score three minutes later was very good but we threw our bodies on the line and had that little bit of luck."
The Iron, who forced nine corners to the visitors' two in the first half, should have taken the lead from one of their three gilt-edged chances within the first six minutes.
First Remy Clerima saw his header deflected just over and the unmarked Jordan Cox put his header was just wide of the target from the following corner and on six minutes Cox, again unmarked, missed a completely open goal from the edge of the penalty box after great work down the right from Chez Isaac.
All he had to do was tap the ball into the empty net although in fairness the ball appeared to initially get caught in the heavy surface of the goalmouth but the chance nonetheless went begging.
Forest Green settled into the game after the hosts' early burst and began impressing themselves on what was an open game of football.
The visitors gradually saw more of the ball, particularly the effective left winger Elliott Frear, who fired just over with a shot from the left and then on 18 minutes worked the ball back to Wedgbury who unleashed a fierce shot from 25 yards that Hamann finger-tipped on to the bar.
The Iron kept up the pressure and again looked dangerous going forward but lacked a cutting edge in front of goal.
Within six minutes of the restart the Iron again wasted a great opportunity to score when they broke into the visitors' box. Simeon Akinola evaded a challenge by Wedgbury and raced clear before switching the play over to Isaac on the right.
The diminutive midfielder cut inside and had a shot that was smothered first by Rovers keeper Sam Russell and as the ball ran loose Cox was just unable to flick it into the net as, somehow, Russell managed to turn round and grab the ball at the second attempt.
With the game being played at a breathless pace, flowing relentlessly from end to end, it seemed neither side was going to be able to produce that moment of quality in front of goal.
It all changed on 68 minutes when Iron failed to clear their lines from a right wing corner and the ball eventually fell to the unmarked but experienced Jon Parkin, who flicked it home from almost on the goalline.
Sensing fresh legs were needed Devonshire made a double substitution with Cox and James Mulley replaced by Sean Marks and Dan Sparkes who immediately combined to create a great opportunity.
Sparkes raced away down the left and his teasing cross was almost met by the onrushing Marks and only a last ditch clearance from on his own goalline by Aarran Rancine saw the danger cleared.
With ten minutes to go striker Charlie Strutton replaced midfielder Matt Paine as the Iron went in search of an equaliserl.
It seemed to work as on 84 minutes Sparkes' long free-kick into the box was scrambled clear to just outside the area where Kenny Davis drove the ball slow and hard through the defence and Marks was able to get a foot to it sending the ball into the bottom corner of the net.
But it all quickly when horribly wrong, as three minutes later the tricky Frear was given far to much room deep on the left to send a high cross over to the edge of the Iron box where Parkin managed to get a slight head on it, sending a looping header over Hamann and into the far corner of the net.
It was a bitter blow to the Iron players having held sway for most of the game but they were to rue those earlier missed chances in a game they should have won.
Braintree Town: Hamann; Peters, Clarima, Massey, Habergham; Mulley (Sparkes 76), Davis, Paine (Strutton 79); Cox (Marks 76), Akinola. Unused subs: Walker, Pentney.
Attendance: 661.
