QUINTON: IRON MUST LEARN TO BE HORRIBLE

BRAINTREE were given a rude awakening on their promotion back to the National League allowing a more experienced and streetwise Yorkshire side to deservedly come away from Cressing Road with all three points.

And but for the heroics of debutant Ben Killip in the home goal who pulled off six outstanding saves during the afternoon, the winning margin would certainly have been greater.

Despite a fairly even first half, with both sides counter-attacking well and having chances, the visitors’ breakthrough came two minutes from the interval when they gained four consecutive quick corners and from the last one scored the opening goal.

It came from a series of accurate corners by Ben Tomlinson and with his final effort, his cross was met at the far post by the unmarked Jonathan Edwards, who headed it back across the goal and into the top corner of the Iron net.

It was a bitter blow for the Iron right on half-time and it clearly affected their players because in the second half, they were second-best and simply failed to cope with the quickness and accurate passing of the visitors.

The all-important second goal for the visitors came on 65 minutes when, from another left-wing Tomlinson corner, defender Nathan Clarke ran unchallenged into the Braintree box to deliver a bullet-like header into the top corner, giving Killip no chance. From then on, it was almost one-way traffic as the young and inexperienced home side ran out of ideas and again, but for Killip in the home goal, the final scoreline would have been much different. The Iron’s failure to penetrate the visitors’ defence in that final quarter of the field and clearly lacking a target man up front also led to their demise and left manager Brad Quinton with plenty of thinking to do before his side go to Barnet on Tuesday night. “It’s going to be a big learning curve for my young players and the more experienced visitors cleared their lines and did a horrible defensive job when needed but we didn’t do the same,” he declared. “You have to be on your toes all the while at this level and it cost us the game from two corners, otherwise I thought we did well even if we overplayed it too often proving to be our own worse enemies.” Halifax manager Jamie Fullarton was delighted with the opening day win, he said: “I think we fully deserved the win and you always want to start with one and I am pleased with the way my players kept pressing right from the start to the end. “There’s still a long way to go - it’s only one game and one victory but it’s an ideal start.”

STAR MAN: Ben Killip (Braintree) ATT: 621 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Will Finnie (7/10)