WITH a squad stripped to the bare bones by injuries and international calls, Braintree Town brought off a vital 1-0 victory against fellow relegation candidates AFC Fylde at the Rare Breed Meat Company Stadium on Saturday, writes RON FOSKER.

Rio Davidson-Phipps was given his first league start, Kyrell Lisbie his first since September and Marley Miranda returned after a six-week injury lay-off in the unaccustomed position of right-back.

Unsurprisingly it was not Iron at their best but it gave them a further chance to illustrate their battling qualities as they badgered and beleaguered their opponents and never allowed them to settle to their patient, somewhat unadventurous style.

(Image: JON WEAVER)

Braintree looked the more threatening of the two sides in the first half but showed once again why they are the lowest scorers in the league when it came to taking their chances.

Chay Cooper, put through by an Inih Effiong flick, found the angle too narrow, a long throw reached Effiong but he could not turn in time and a Tom Blackwell shot zipped just over the bar.

They pressed even more strongly at the start of the second half when first Lisbie's effort, with keeper Ben Winterbottom out of his goal, passed agonisingly just wide of the empty net, an Effiong header went straight to Winterbottom and a Cooper free kick was headed clear.

(Image: JON WEAVER)

The pressure finally paid off in the 60th minute when Cooper, having one of his most productive matches in an Iron shirt, skipped through on the byline and his pullback was stroked into the net by Effiong.

What should have been the clinching factor came two minutes later when Fylde's Tyler Roberts was sent off after receiving his second yellow card in four minutes.

Instead, it was Fylde who were energised. For much of the rest of the half they took the game to the home side who were living on their nerves for much of the time.

(Image: JON WEAVER)

Desperate interventions by George Langston and Ryan Clampin helped save the day and a superb full-length save by Lucas Covolan kept the scoresheet blank.

Even first team coach Michael Brothers was brought into the action in time added on and he was as relieved as the rest of the team when the referee brought the game to a close.

Braintree Town: Lucas Covolan; Marley Miranda, Frankie Terry, George Langston, Ryan Clampin; Kyrell Lisbie (Michael Brothers 93), Chay Cooper (John Akinde 78), James Vennings, Rio Davidson-Phipps, Tom Blackwell; Inih Effiong.