A scientific study of the football fan would reveal a strange beast with wild mood swings.  These range from exhilaration to desperation with large amounts of paranoia, according to the result and performance of their team.  The one emotional area the fan finds difficult to accommodate is the middle ground.  It is difficult for the four-pint pundit to sound authoritative when their team draws and there are plus and minus points to extract from the game.

Those Amber Army members who travelled to Braintree will form their own conclusions according to whether their pint glass is half empty or half full.  This perspective leans towards the positive because County were facing a Braintree side coming off the back of seven straight home wins with 16 goals scored and one conceded.  In that spell, both Hampton & Richmond and Lewes have been crushed 3-0 and this is a different Braintree side from the largely spoiling outfit nurtured by former boss George Borg.

The positive features of County’s display include a hard-working team effort, but that is a pre-requisite when the amber shirt is donned, and their passionate following turned this corner of Essex into a Welsh colony with vocal support that must have made the home fans and players feel like strangers in their own back yard.  However, County took the game to their hosts and will really feel they should have been returning to Wales with all three points.

Ian Hillier was restored to the defence after injury for the first time in nine weeks, while Andy Gurney returned from suspension to central midfield in place of the injured Lee Fowler and Richard Evans recovered from the injury that kept him out of the midweek loss against Havant.  The match was always going to need a strong referee and Nigel Lugg gave an early indication that he was having no nonsense when Braintree’s James Hawes was shown a yellow card for simulation after being tackled by Nathan Davies.  Gurney suffered the same fate when he kicked the ball away after the whistle had sounded, though the experienced midfield man was providing a perfect foil for the ball winning skills of Davies with some thoughtful probing passes.

Steve Jenkins set up the game’s best chance on the half hour with a ball into the box which picked out Jason Bowen and it was a surprise when the winger’s first time shot flashed the wrong side of the post with Nicky Morgan helpless.  A Lee Jarman header needed a save utilising all of Morgan’s immense reach to tip over the bar and County were mixing their attacking game more than on Wednesday.  Braintree were fortunate when a 39th minute Gurney free-kick took a deflection and again a stranded Morgan breathed a sigh of relief as it passed narrowly wide.  The first half ended with County very much in the ascendancy though a previously prolific team is currently finding goals hard to come by.

Braintree were first to threaten in the second half and a rare slip from Damon Searle presented a great chance for home striker James Baker who held his heads in his hands at his failure to take advantage with a feeble effort straight at Glyn Thompson.  The previously largely inactive keeper then had to be alert to keep out a header from home skipper Brad Quinton before at the other end Charlie Griffin forced a save from Morgan. 

Peter Beadle replaced his front duo of Julian Alsop and Griffin on 63 minutes with the fresh legs of Jermaine Clarke and Craig Hughes but within a couple of minutes, he had to revise his tactics again when Hughes became engaged in a heated debate with Braintree’s Andy Porter.  Just why the pair became so animated is not clear but referee Lugg was left with no alternative but to show red cars to both.  Clarke and Iron defender Russ Edwards soon followed the duo into Lugg’s black book with cautions and the match was becoming an increasingly tense affair with defeat unthinkable for either side.

Both teams were going all out for the victory however and two of the game’s best efforts were reserved for the final moments with Quinton close with an overhead kick for Braintree before the shot of the game from late County substitute Sam O’Sullivan which was matched by a thrilling save from Morgan.  The reward of a single point will offer more encouragement for County than the hosts especially with the news elsewhere of defeats for Bishop’s Stortford and Havant which leaves the prize of a play-off place well within reach with four games remaining, three of them at home.

Concern will be felt that County have scored just six goals from seven games, especially as Hughes can anticipate a three match suspension beginning with the final scheduled fixture at home to Fisher.  The occasion should not pass without thanks to all at Braintree Town who did their best to make the County fans welcome, and to praise the exemplary behaviour of the travellers who were a credit to their club.  They will move on to Cambridge for Tuesday’s showdown which will doubtless be another emotional occasion.

Man of the Match:

Braintree: Russ Edwards (a strong figure at the back).

County: Andy Gurney (midfield maestro).

Special Mention: The Amber Army - inspiring support.