CHELTENHAM TOWN 1 BRAINTREE TOWN 1

Vanarama National League

The goals were saved until the end of the game as Braintree Town and Cheltenham Town finished with one apiece in an enthralling Vanarama National League encounter.

The point they earned was enough to send Cheltenham to the top of the table, while Braintree just missed out on a place in the play-offs, but it meant Danny Cowley’s team extended their unbeaten away run to seven games.

It was a battling performance as they had to overcome injury setbacks both before and during the game, with one extra moment of special note coming in the 68th minute when Sean Marks replaced Michael Cheek up front.

It meant the Braintree striker made his 300th appearance for the club and he helped as Anthony Edgar put them ahead in the 90th minute.

However, in a lengthy spell of time added-on, the hosts were able to find an equaliser to share the spoils at the end.

There was just one change from the line-up that had started the last two games for Braintree as centre-back Mark Phillips succumbed to the knock he picked up during the second-half at Eastleigh on Saturday.

It meant there was a different back line, with Remy Clerima moving back into the centre alongside Matt Paine and Mitch Brundle coming in at right-back against the side he had once played for while on loan from Bristol City.

It was a busy start, but neither side were able to craft much in the way of clear-cut chances in the early stages of the game.

But as Braintree settled into the match, they began to pose a greater forward threat and Brundle let fly from distance with a low shot that fizzed just wide.

Simeon Akinola then forced Robins keeper Dylan Phillips into a smart save with a 27th minute effort that he did well to get to after the ball had deflected off George McLennan.

Phillips was alert again five minutes later as the Iron stayed on the front foot and the Cheltenham keeper turned Akinola’s shot away for a corner.

The hosts remained a danger, though, and they had plenty of the possession.

The closest they came to taking the lead was when right-back Jack Barthram had a shot that looped up towards the Iron goal and as striker Danny Wright challenged Will Norris in the away goal, the ball clattered against the bar before bouncing to safety.

It was then the turn of Cheltenham’s woodwork to take a blow as Dan Sparkes let fly with a fierce shot that cannoned off the home crossbar.

The second half opened in a similar manner to the first, at a frenetic pace, and it didn’t take Cheltenham long to fashion the first chance.

On 50 minutes, Amari Morgan-Smith forced Norris into a good save and with Wright looking to follow it up, Sam Habergham took a knock as the ball was finally cleared.

It left Habergham needing treatment and he soon had to be substituted due to a dead leg with Taylor Miles coming on as the Iron back line saw another change.

Sparkes, who was playing through a groin problem, slotted in at left-back and Braintree had to make another substitution only four minutes later as Chez Isaac came off with a hamstring problem.

He was replaced by Anthony Edgar, who was soon into the action and he had a shot that Phillips had to make a save from, but Cheltenham upped their work rate and put the altered Braintree defence under pressure.

At the other end of the pitch, Iron boss Danny Cowley introduced Marks for Cheek to try to break the deadlock.

The experienced striker was making his 300th appearance for the club and there was a further reason for Iron celebration in the 90th minute as Edgar snatched a late goal with a shot into the bottom corner of the home goal.

It looked like Braintree would claim yet another win on the road, but with sixth minutes of time added on at the end of the game, Cheltenham went looking for a way back.

They threw everything at the visitors and having seen Norris make one great save from an effort by Billy Waters, the Robins substitute did come up with a leveller.

It set up a frenetic ending to the game as the hosts went in search for a winner, but it ended in a draw as both had to be content with a share of the points.

Braintree: Will Norris, Mitch Brundle, Remy Clerima, Kenny Davis, Sam Habergham (Miles 56), Matt Paine, Chez Isaac (Anthony Edgar 60), Michael Cheek (Sean Marks 68), Simeon Akinola, Dan Sparkes, Alex Woodyard. Subs not used: Jeremy Walker, Chris Haigh.