CROOK IS SPOT ON TO RESCUE THE IRON
BILLY CROOK kept his cool from the penalty spot as Braintree Town pocketed another three points.
The Iron got back to winning ways through Crook’s spot-kick just as Eastbourne looked like they might nick a point.
Bradley Quinton’s side were ahead 2-1 through Phil Roberts’s two goals before Kiran Khinda-John pulled the Sports level.
But within 60 seconds they’d been awarded a penalty and midfielder Crook did the rest to keep the Essex side second in National League South.
“When we do lose the response has been superb from the boys,” Quinton told The NLP. “We’ve got a very good, honest dressing room. It’s not always pats on the back and I want the guys to improve week in, week out.
“It’s showing from the performances from these young boys. I’m over the moon. If you’d told me at the start of the season that at this time of the year we’d be sitting where we are, I’d have bitten your hand off.”
Braintree, second but without a win in three games, found themselves behind after just 13 minutes. Eastbourne’s Lloyd Dawes showed great persistence to get on the end of a long ball forward, wriggled away from his defender in the box and pulled the ball across the face of goal where Shaun Okojie tapped in.
Sports keeper Mark Smith saved with his legs to keep Samir Bihmoutine out when he got on the end of Roberts’s inch-perfect cross-field switch as Braintree hunted an equaliser.
It came on 36 minutes when Crook’s corner fell to Roberts on the edge of the box and his low shot was just too hot to handle for Smith.
The Iron started the second period better. Crook’s free-kick to the far post was volleyed wide by Marc-Anthony Okoye before a similar routine paid off on 62 minutes.
Crook’s deep delivery was headed back into the danger zone by defender Joe Ellul and Roberts was on the spot to nod over the line from close range for his 14th goal of the season.
Then a frantic twominute period unfolded. Eastbourne were level on 75 minutes when KhindaJohn’s low shot through a defender’s legs went into the bottom corner.
But the Iron were back in front immediately when Matt Drage fouled Roman Michael-Percil as he raced into the box. Crook took the ball and sent Smith the wrong way from the spot.