EARLY ROONEY STRIKE SEALS IT FOR BLUEBIRDS

BLUEBIRDS boss Ian Evatt was pleased by his side’s resilience as they held their lead after scoring the game’s only goal on seven minutes.

John Rooney proved to the match winner as the Bluebirds racked up their third successive home win, leaving Braintree winless and second from bottom in the table.

And it came to the huge relief of boss Evatt, who admitted: “It’s probably the worst we’ve played all season. Our defence and centre halves were brilliant today. It’s nice to see us dig a result out and to win the game 1-0.

“Dan Jones was excellent today. He deserved man of the match and was the best player on the pitch.”

Braintree manager Brad Quinton believes his side will improve once they get their first win. He said: “I think we need some luck; we’re missing a bit of experience. It’s obviously disappointing as we had the ball in their final third a lot and they broke on us. Once we get that first win we’ll be a team that other sides will not want to play.”

After three minutes Barrow had a penalty appeal turned down as Nathan Waterston beat Michael Clark before the centreback blocked the cross on the slide with what looked like a handball, but referee James Oldham waved the appeals away.

Moments later Bluebirds striker Tyler Smith sliced wide a glaring chance, as Josh Kay whipped a dangerous cross.

Barrow took the lead after six minutes as Lee Molyneux played a pass to Jack Barthram, who drilled a cross that Jason Taylor dummied for John Rooney, who met the cross with his right foot and his effort went in off the post.

Around the halfhour mark Barrow had more appeals for a penalty waved away, as Waterston beat his marker as he cut inside towards goal and was tripped as he looked to get a shot away.

It took Barrow until the 44th minute to fashion another chance as Jack Hindle had a powerful strike cleared off the line.

Braintree offered next to nothing going forward in the first half, with Mohamed Bettamer taking the Essex side’s only effort at goal from a tight angle midway through the first half which was high and wide.

The second half started in similar fashion to the first, as Tyler Smith got in behind the Braintree defence but Ben Killip tipped his shot around the far post.

Moments later Dan Jones played a long ball to Rooney, who on the half-volley from 25 yards out, fizzed an effort just wide. In the 53rd minute Braintree should have been level as Dan Thompson who blazed the ball over when he only had to hit the target.

In stoppage time Barrow should have doubled their lead as Braintree won a corner which goalkeeper Killip went up for.

AFC broke and Dan Jones should’ve shot at the empty goal but he squared the ball to Luke Burgess who was offside.