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Thankful almost as much for the improved
performance and defensive solidity which steadied their position
at the top of the table as the victory itself, Aldershot Town
follow three points against Oxford with two Cup ties against
Blue Square South opposition.
The first, this Saturday, sees the visit to The Rec of a resurgent
Braintree Town, currently 11th in the League but with an impressive
record of 27 points from the 14 games played under new manager
Lee Patterson. Fireman Patterson enjoyed eight successful
years at East Thurrock United and his appointment, to replace
a certain George Borg, who was sacked in October, has precipitated
a rise out of the bottom four and back towards the Play-Off
places, alongside the announcement of ambitious plans to move
to a new £10 million, 6,000 capacity stadium built to
Football League standard.
Rebuilding the side to maintain the progress made in winning
the Ryman Premier League in 2005-06 and reaching the Conference
South Play-Off Final last year, Patterson has signed several
key players to bolster his squad, including bringing former
Captain Russ Edwards back to Cressing Road and pulling off
quite a coup with the signature of former Republic of Ireland
Under-21, Farnborough and Crawley midfielder, Adrian Deane.
He immediately won the Blue Square Manager of the Month for
November, winning all three League games during that month
despite a mounting injury crisis, and embarking upon what
is now their best-ever run in the FA Trophy. Such has been
his impact that Chairman Lee Harding has already shaken hands
with Patterson on a new 18-month contract.
Patterson’s primary aim has to be to improve his team’s
poor scoring record: only three teams – all of whom
are in the bottom four – have scored less than their
27 goals; however, with Edwards creating a formidable partnership
with former Heybridge Swifts Captain Ian Cousins at the heart
of the back-four, The Iron can boast the fourth best defensive
record in the League. Of course, it probably also helps when
your goalkeeper is 6ft 5 man mountain Nicky Morgan.
The team’s set-piece expert, midfielder Robbie Martin,
will look to link up with right-back Billy Burgess, who plunders
a fair share of goals with his aerial prowess.
Top scorer is 20 year-old ex Stevenage striker Chris Sullivan,
with seven in total including six in his last 11 games. Sullivan,
though, missed Saturday’s win at Maidenhead with an
ankle injury; a game where Braintree had no recognised striker
in their starting XI. Leon Archer has five goals but after
beginning the season in the first team has more recently found
himself on the bench and, as a result, in self-imposed exile
on the transfer list.
Hoping to evoke the underdog spirit of Havant and Waterlooville
– a team Braintree drew with on the opening day of the
season – Patterson warned his opposite number Gary Waddock
that The Shots will have anything but an easy ride. “We
have got a very good blend, a mix of experienced players and
some young and hungry players,” he said. “A lot
have been at pro clubs in their younger days and most players
at this level of non-league football have that kind of background
because they have got ability.”
Shots from: Bull, Jamie-Ruiz,
Smith, Straker, Newman, Day, Charles, Soares, Chalmers, John
Grant, Elvins, Hylton, Hudson, Winfield, Harding, Gier, Milletti
Huggins, Simmonds and Joel Grant.
Braintree from*: Morgan,
Soutar, Burgess, Burns, Cross, Jones, Cousins, Deane, Hawes,
Quinton, Martin, Riddle, Shinn, Baker, Boot, Archer, Sullivan,
Paul, Oxby, Hopkins, Laskowski and Smith.
* Most up to date squad list we could find.
| |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
Pos |
| Shots |
29 |
21 |
1 |
7 |
55 |
34 |
64 |
1st |
| Braintree |
25 |
|
7 |
8 |
27 |
26 |
37 |
11th |
Braintree have already picked up £12000 in prize money
on this seasons FA Trophy trail, having entered at the Third
Qualifying Round. A fairly easy tie against British Gas Business
League Division One South and West outfit Gosport Borough
got them off to a flying start when they secured a comfortable
4-1 victory (even scoring Gosport’s goal for them).
That result was quickly followed by another
away fixture – this time against side Gloucester City
and after recording a 2-0 victory they made the Second Round
draw. A home tie against Conference North outfit Workington
made for a much sterner test in the Second Round and after
a 1-1 draw, it was off to Borough Park for a replay. With
both clubs fully aware that the victors faced a trip to the
Recreation Ground – both sets of supporters were confident
of an “upset” against Gary Waddock’s men.
The Irons finally managed to complete
the job 2-1 and made it three away Trophy wins on the trot
– a statistic that should give them hope as they take
to the field on Saturday afternoon.
Shots: John Grant - 18
Braintree: Sullivan - 6
There are no current players in either side who have featured
for the opposition.
| |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
| Shots |
6 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
9 |
7 |
| Braintree |
6 |
|
1 |
2 |
6 |
6 |
Shots: Won last home game. Lost two of last
three games.
Braintree: One defeat in last three games.
Only one defeat in last six away games.
There have been a total of five games
between the two clubs. Four have come in the Ryman Premier
League and one in the FA Trophy.
The Shots have won a total of three of those
games (60% of games) while Braintree have won the other two
(40% of games).
In those games, The Shots have scored a
total of 11 goals (an average of 2.2 goals per game), while
Braintree have scored 5 (an average of 1 goal per game).
At the Recreation Ground there have been
three games, with The Shots winning them all. In those fixtures,
The Shots have scored a total of 10 goals (an average of 3
goals per game) and Braintree have scored 1 (an average of
0.33 goals per game).
The Shots record victory against
Braintree was a 4-0 victory at the Recreation Ground
on Saturday 1st September 2001.
Braintree’s record victory
against The Shots was a 2-0 win at the Cressing Road
Stadium on Thursday 18th April 2002.
The last time the two sides met was
at the Cressing Road Stadium on Saturday 28th December 2002.
Braintree ran out as 2-1 victors on that day, with Noble opening
the scoring after 25 minutes. Lee Charles equalised for the
Shots after 25 minutes and just as it looked like a point
was secure, Quinton grabbed Braintree’s winner with
three minutes remaining. It may have been a bad day for The
Shots – however they ended the season as Ryman Premier
Champions on 105 points while The Iron finished down in 16th
position with 54 points.
Shots side: Nikki Bull, Paul Buckle,
John Nutter, Matt Langston, Dean Hooper, Anthony Charles (Jason
Cousins), Nick Roddis, Ben Walshe (Paul Moody), Stafford Browne,
Roscoe D’Sane and Lee Charles (Richard Gell).
Un-used Substitutes: Lee
Holsgrove and Gareth Howells.
BBC SCR do not hold the rights to broadcast
the FA Trophy after the First Round so are expected to feature
regular score updates only. Subscribers to the clubs Shots
Online service will receive regular SMS updates. To join,
click here.
You can also join in with the match banter in the Phoenix
Chat Room here.
Shots win – 4/11
Draw – 3/1
Braintree win – 13/2
Odds from Blue Square here.
If the tie is drawn no
extra time will be played. The replay will be at The Cressing
Road Stadium on Tuesday 5th February 2008, kick off 7.45pm.
The winners of the tie will receive £6000 in prize money.
The final of the FA Trophy will be played at Wembley.
Other Third Round ties:
AFC Wimbledon vs Torquay United; Burton Albion vs Histon;
Crawley Town vs Droylsden; Ebbsfleet United vs Weymouth; Stafford
Rangers vs Tamworth; Halifax Town vs Rushden & Diamonds
and Farsley Celtic vs York City.
Braintree have fired an ominous warning towards their hosts
ahead of this Saturday’s FA Trophy encounter and as
the final Blue Square South club in the competition, will
have nothing to lose. With the form tables behind them and
the knowledge that all three of their away Trophy ties have
produced wins, Gary Waddock will hoping that his side can
show the same sort of character that was on display against
Oxford on Tuesday. Shots win.
Official Braintree website here.
Messageboard here.
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