Stones hit back from first-half deficit to claim a comeback point at Braintree

WEALDSTONE FC came from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Braintree Town on Saturday.

Braintree took advantage of a scrappy first half and were the better team early on as Stones keeper Jonathan North was called into action to stop an effort from Dan Thompson ten minutes in.

Bradley Bubb and Jerome Okimo had chances at either end but couldn’t make the breakthrough until the hosts took the lead after 42 minutes, when Luke Allen finished a fine attacking move.

Matters got worse for Stones before the half ended, when North bundled over a forward and Billy Crook dispatched the resulting penalty for 2-0.

The Stones improved in the second half and got back into the game after 59 minutes, when Matty Whichelow got free and unleashed a stunning strike that arrowed past Nathan McDonald into the top corner.

Six minutes later the Stones were level, when Dave Pratt burst into the box and was brought down by the Braintree goalkeeper, for Danny Green to convert the spot-kick.

Stones substitutes Ryan Sellers and Mustafa Tiryaki almost combined to score the winning goal but the latter couldn’t connect with a cross.

Braintree were still pushing for a winner and would have had one but for last-ditch blocks from the Stones defenders.

Pratt might have scored the winning goal with nine minutes remaining but couldn’t connect with Sellers’s cross as both sides came away with a point.