Bulls end pointless run at Braintree

Dan Walker’s 36^th minute strike levelled the scores following Holman’s opener two minutes earlier and United were made to fight to hold on the a point some desperate late defensive graft.

Dan Walker And Chris Sharp Led The Hereford Attack

Michael Rankine failed to recover in time for the match meaning Chris Sharp and Dan Walker linked in a two-prong attack with Danny Leadbitter in a wide right attacking position.  Jamie Edge and Kingsley James filled the central midfield positions with Frankie Artus on the left while Dom Collins, Luke Graham, Rod McDonald and Chris Bush lined up in front of Danny Lloyd-Weston in defence.

The Bulls kicked off attacking the clubhouse end but DLW was first into the action coming to cleanly catch an early cross.  Holman lifted a free kick out of the ground from 22 yards with a miss-hit that was to set the tone for the afternoon.

Sharp chased a long ball to cause panic in the home back division as keeper Hamann fly-kicked into touch aided by a deflection of defender Alan Massey and Dan Walker caused similar consternation for the hosts forcing Wells to hack clear under pressure.

A low cross from overlapping fullback Peters flew across The Bulls’ goalmouth without contact from either side as the game settled into a pattern of poor quality that was to remain for the rest of the game.  It has to be said, in the players defence, that the pitch was very bobbly in all areas apart from the centre where is resembled the floor of a treacle mine.

For Braintree, Mensah broke down the right but his effort was high and wide.  Dom Collin s produced a cross that just evaded Artus at the back post before a Paine volley sailed wide of the upright for The Iron.  Massey was extremely fortunate to get away with a dangerously high boot that caught Sharpie in the chest yet Danny Leadbitter was carded for little more than a firm challenge a few seconds later.

Braintree took the lead on 33 minutes following a corner on the right.  Holman’s shot had deflected off Luke Graham for the flag kick and when Mensah’s cross came in, Massey’s shot was blocked on the line by Artus.  With the ball inside the six-yard box, Holman was first to react and prodded the ball over the line.

Goalscorer Dan Walker Receives The Ball From Frankie Artus

The Bulls were quickly back into the game with a fine Dan Walker finish just two minutes later.  Good work between Walker and Frankie Artus saw the former cut inside and crack home from the edge of the box.

Players Thank Dan Walker

The remaining minutes of the first period produced little of note apart from two added minutes before the break provided 15 minutes of relief for those in attendance.

HT Braintree 1 Bulls 1

Jamie Edge took a nasty bang in the face during an incident that referee Colin Lymer appeared to miss completely although, to be fair, he seemed oblivious to most of what happened throughout the game.

Not one player from either side seemed able to take a grip on the game, which was certainly not one for the connoisseur.  Long ball after long ball emanated from both defences and regular periods of head tennis ensued.  For Braintree, Marks dragged a shot well wide when he really should have done better and Jamie Edge drifted a free kick straight into the waiting arms of Hamann.

Holman produced a shot from 25 yards that whistled past DLW’s near post while another Edge free kick was headed wide by Chris Sharp.

Dom Collins Heads The Ball Out Of Danger

With time running out (not to mention patience) Lloyd-Weston kept The Bulls in the game with a fingertip save to tip Mensah’s shot over the bar.  Referee Lymer conjured up 5 added minutes at the end before bringing the game to an end and send home the 805 spectators that included about 80 in black and white.

FT Braintree 1 Bulls 1

Hereford: Lloyd-Weston, Collins, Graham, McDonald, Bush, Leadbitter (Brown 88), Edge, James, Artus, Walker, Sharp. Subs Unused O Evans, Murphy, Purdie, Smith.

Braintree: Hamann, Peters, Habergham, Wells, Massey, Davis, Paine, Mulley (Daley 46), Mensah, Marks, Holman. Subs Unused: McDonald, Isaac, Sparkes, Moore.

A point is a point is a point.  It’s probably a little harsh to judge either team on a pitch that was hardly fit for grazing let alone a football match.  The Bulls injury hit squad did work hard albeit with little finesse and on another day might have found reward from a number of Sharpie’s well-won flicks.

Clearly, the absence of Rankine is something The Bulls do not deal well with and for all their effort, the strike partnership lacked that little bit of craft to bring others into the game in the final third.

For a side with six games in hand, it’s difficult to see how Braintree will turn that advantage into many points on today’s performance.

Grimsby will probably provide a stiffer test on Tuesday.  See you there.

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