A Frank Nouble flicked header was enough to seal three pints at Braintree Town yesterday. Dave was in the away end in Essex and here’s what he made of it all….
What a win: Do not underestimate the importance of the three points we picked up in Essex. With many questioning whether we were wobbling and Braintree in fine form – 14 unbeaten having not lost since New Year’s Day – getting our first win in three matches cannot be underestimated. Yes, it could have been even better had Taunton not screwed up against Chelmsford, but just think how things would have looked if we hadn’t won.
Frank deserved that: If there was one player who deserved to be the hero yesterday, for me it was Frank Nouble. He’s looked out of sorts during our recent stumble, but he was absolutely everywhere against Braintree. He never gave them a moment’s peace and his goal was a masterpiece straight off the training ground.
Genesini looks a gem: The loss of Michael Smith is huge and not even Brooklyn Genesini’s biggest fan would claim he is a like-for-like replacement but, on this performance, he is not a bad one. Thought he looked energetic and rarely beaten by his man. An honourable mention for Charlie Cooper (yes, I hear you call me a ‘fanboy’) but yet again he was there to do the dirty stuff and we controlled things as a result.
Clarke never got in to it: Jahmari Clarke has all the attributes to be an effective striker. Tall, powerful, obvious skill on the ball, but this really was not his day. For someone of his stature he did not ruffle too many feathers in a very diminutive Braintree backline which looked to struggle with balls in to the box. Olly Thomas on the other hand looked a real handful when he came off the bench. With so many games coming up in a short space of time, we are going to need them all.
Just keep grinding: This was not pretty, it didn’t need to be pretty, it needed to be three points. Nouble’s first goal in two months, another clean sheet and a big W, all this against a Braintree side whose form before Saturday cannot be underestimated even if they seemed off colour yesterday. Six games left, nine points needed to seal the title. Just keep grinding them out, boys.