BRAINTREE T 2 GUISELEY 0

BRAINTREE TOWN banked a vital three points in their relegation battle – and pulled Guiseley right back into the mire.

Second-half goals from Jerome Okimo and striker Michael Cheek saw Hakan Hayrettin’s side to a deserved victory.

Although other results didn’t exactly go their way and they remain in the drop zone, this was a huge win for the Iron and one boss Hayrettin felt showed their fighting spirit.

“We deserved something out of our last game against Dover,” Hayrettin said.

“We had to bounce back. I told them at halftime, ‘This is it. You can’t think about Monday, you’ve got to fight today’.

“It’s going to be nervy, I’ve been in this position as a player before. We deserved it.” Guiseley looked to be inching ever closer to safety a few games ago. But things can change quickly in the National League and they spurned a good chance to take the lead in a tight first half. Will Hatfield found himself with a clear path to goal but dragged his shot wide. At the other end, Jonny Maxted clawed out Jack Midson’s header. But on 56 minutes Braintree were ahead when left-back Okimo stooped to head in Sam Corne’s corner. Then, on 72 minutes, the prolific Cheek extended their lead – netting his 25th of the season from close range. “You have set-backs,” Guiseley boss Adam Lockwood said. “We had chances early on and didn’t take them. It’s something we have to react to.”