BLUEBIRDS DREAM DIES DESPITE WIN
THIS was a bittersweet victory for Barrow boss Paul Cox who saw his side dominate most of this game at Cressing Road and score two second-half goals but still fail to make the playoffs as rivals Aldershot also won.
He told The NLP: “We’re disappointed but we knew it was really out of our hands but I am still pleased with the way we played today and felt we deserved the win and three points particularly with our second half display.”
“On reflection it was perhaps a step too far this season but little by little we are building strong foundations for the future and I believe that next season we will be even stronger and more determined to succeed with promotion,” he added.
His counterpart, Iron manager Hakan Heyrettin, knows that mathematically his side can still stay up if they win handsomely away to Aldershot next week and other results go their way.
He added: “It’s a tall order but I will keep doing my job to the best of my ability and I’m striving to stay positive.
“There are no excuses over today’s defeat because we didn’t work hard enough as a team to get something from it and again basic mistakes cost us dearly.
“I admit it’s been hard work to try and motivate the team
in recent weeks and our results have been really disappointing.
“It’s not been helped by the negativity off the field around the club for the past three months or so when transparency and togetherness was needed.
“But we fight again in this last game and will work hard to avoid relegation.
“It’s very difficult as parttimers at this club to compete on equal terms with teams like Barrow who are full-time.”
On the day Barrow were clearly the better with more cohesion in their play and they always looked dangerous every time they attacked the home side but some glaring misses and saves from home keeper Sam Beasant kept the game goalless at half-time.
The second half was no different with the visitors in the ascendancy and it was no surprise when they opened the scoring on 65 minutes through substitute Byron Harrison.
It was a scrappy goal though, created by Moussa Diarra out on the right and his cross-cumshot was bundled home at the far post by Harrison with the home defence in total disarray.
Moments later they nearly added a second but Jordan Williams’ shot glanced past the post. The inevitable second goal came on 70 minutes when home defender Jake Goodman allowed Akil Wright to escape free into the home penalty area, where he drilled the ball low past the stranded goalkeeper Beasant with a fine shot. In all honesty a comfortable 2-0 victory was no more than the visitors from Barrow had deserved and they were able to see out the rest of the game without seriously being troubled by the disappointing home side. In reality it looks as though Braintree’s six-year stay in the National League’s top division will be over next week and there can be no excuses with a much weaker Braintree team than that which finished third in the table under Danny Cowley last season.