Iron’s all-square

Braintree Town v Bath City – Vanarama National League South – Rare Breeds Meat Co. Stadium – Report

Braintree Town 1-1 Bath City

Former Iron loanee Aaron Blair celebrated his signing from Dagenham & Redbridge with a ninety-fourth-minute equaliser that saw Braintree Town claim a late point in a 1-1 draw at the Rare Breeds Meat Co. Stadium.

Scott Wilson’s ninth goal of the season, coming at the end of a well-worked move involving Joe Rayners, Ewan Clark and Tom Smith, put the Romans ahead just after the hour mark and looked to have secured the visitors three points. The main threat from Braintree all afternoon had come from Ben Watt’s dangerously towering long throws and it was from the final one of these that Blair lashed home the leveller in the dying seconds.

Bath went close just before the half-hour mark when Dan Hayfield’s dipping header was turned wide of the post by Josh Blunkell, making his Iron debut in goal in place of the injured Jack Sims.

Hayfield went close to making it 2-0 when his curling twenty-five-yard free kick flew narrowly wide of the post before Smith’s volley was also just inches wide of the target shortly after.

Reggie Lambe hooked a Watt throw over the bar from close range before Jordan Dyer denied Will Davies with a great block eight minutes from time. 

However, in the final minute of stoppage time, the Romans’ resistance was finally broken when Watt’s missile-like throw-in wasn’t fully cleared – allowing Blair to cut inside before spectacularly smashing the ball past Ollie Wright from twenty yards to make it 1-1 and steal a point for Braintree at the death.

Next up for the Iron is the visit of Chesham United to the Rare Breeds Meat Co. Stadium on Saturday, October 14, in the Emirates FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round (3pm).

Braintree Town: Blunkell, L Davies (Quantrell 76’) Tompkins, Grimwood, Carson, Lambe, Watt, Payne (Mason 27’) Blair, W Davies, Blackwell (Critchlow 71’) Subs not used: White, Stevenson

Bath City: Wright, Raynes, Dyer, Batten, Parselle (Capt) Hayfield, Smith, Clark, Thomas (Fear 81’) Wilson (Cooke 66’) Russe Subs not used: Greenslade, Lines, Morgan

Referee: Josh Crofts

Assistants: Jeffrey Aldous and Lukas Wood

Attendance: 705