Punching Above

Braintree Town  0  Aldershot Town  1

National League

I was talking to an Alfreton Town fan recently about the spell they had in the top flight of the non-league game, and during that course of conversation I happened to mention that I was planning a trip to Braintree Town.

His comments were quite honest, suggesting that if he could think of one club that the Reds could draw parallels with during their four years in the Conference National, it would be the Essex outfit.

Cressing Road Terraces

Upon probing, I could sort of see where he was coming from.  Both clubs have risen up through the pyramid, with modest support from relatively small sized towns in comparison to some of the much bigger names in the league. They both have grounds that have been developed as best they can from a fairly basic state, and clearly defying the odds, they’ve gone on to upset some very big names along the way.

Alfreton arrived in the Conference National in 2011, achieving mid-table finishes for the first three seasons before finally succumbing to relegation in year four. Since going back to the Conference North, a return has never looked likely.

Home End

Braintree on the other hand did somewhat better by comparison. They arrived in the National at the same time, but unlike Alfreton, they survived for six seasons, and even better than that, they made the play-offs in 2015-16 after a quite incredible third placed finish, only to lose out to eventual winners Grimsby Town.

The Cowley brothers who were Managers at the time, moved on to Lincoln City and by the end of the following season, the Irons as they are known, had been relegated. To be honest, I didn’t have them down as being a returner, but whereas Alfreton have had it tough since relegation, Braintree bounced back the following season, finishing in sixth place, and then winning the play-off final against Hampton & Richmond Borough.

Quag End

So, forget Alfreton Town just now, this is all about Braintree Town, and the story of how a small club who once were Eastern Counties League stalwarts, reached the top table, and for a brief period, looked like they may crash the professional game!

Football in Braintree can be traced back to just before the Second World War, when works outfit Crittall Athletic plied their trade in the newly formed Eastern Counties League. A bit of league hopping took place over a number of years until 1968 when the club changed its name to Braintree & Crittall Athletic.

Under this guise, the club made its final league move for several years to come when they returned to the ECL from the Metropolitan League, and then in 1981 they dropped the works name and were simply known as Braintree Football Club. This lasted only two seasons before they became known as the club they are today, Braintree Town.

Action

The newly named club were very successful, winning the league twice and finishing runners up four times, before eventually taking a deserved spot in the Southern League in 1991. They were moved into the Isthmian League and over the course of six seasons they’d worked their way into the Premier Division.  The title was won in 2005-06 and with that came promotion to the Conference South. Five years later and that had been won, it was big time for Braintree.

So what about the town of Braintree? With a population of just over 40,000, it sits on the road that links the M11 with Colchester, and from my dear old homestead it’s a drive of around two and three quarter hours, depending on how bad the congestion is around the Freeport Retail Village that sits on the very edge of the town!

Main Stand

This season has proved a real challenge for the club, prior to the game they sat bottom of the table, but recent victories over Eastleigh, Salford City, Hartlepool United and Barnet have put them in a far better place, after just a month ago looking in perilous trouble. The visitors Aldershot Town had slipped down the table in recent weeks and also found themselves in the relegation zone, this was a real six pointer!

Arriving nice and early in Braintree, I found street parking close to the ground and wandered through a cul-de-sac and into the car park. The area had a bit of a rural feel to it, and compared to other National League grounds I’ve visited, this definitely felt like you were arriving at a non-league club. I mean that respectfully and indeed positively, no delusions of grandeur about this football club.

Entering through the old fashioned turnstiles, immediately to the right, behind the uncovered terracing was the dressing rooms, the club house, the club shop and the boardroom, all set in traditional structures that from the outside looked untouched from the clubs days as an Eastern Counties League outfit.

The Away End

Going round in an anti-clockwise direction was a small area of terracing near the corner flag, which ran up to the large main stand that’s been extended in recent seasons to add more seats. Once the stand ends, the terracing starts again, and this is where the visiting support was housed today.

Another area of open terracing (The Quag End) sat behind the opposite goal and this was out of bounds today due to the segregation, while on the Cressing Road side is a long strip of terracing that is covered for two thirds of the length, straddling the half way line.

You can make out from the perimeter that the ground was once an oval, but now it’s been enclosed and is much tighter. I have to say, I bloody loved it. It had clearly been modernised, but a rustic charm remained, Cressing Road, whatever happens to Braintree Town Football Club, decked in club colours orange and blue, will always be a proper non-league football ground, and a great one at that.

Another obvious difference when experiencing Braintree compared to many other top tier clubs, was the lack of officiousness from the stewards and club officials. As opposed to acting as though they were an extension of the local constabulary or a firm of nightclub bouncers, they were actually very friendly, helpful, accommodating, and in not in slightest bit jobsworths.  

Under Cover

A crowd of 829 turned up, which was slightly up on the seasons average, which itself was boosted by a massive 2,574 turning up for the Leyton Orient game. The lowest was just 371 against Boreham Wood, while on another four occasions they’ve not got to 500 in the ground. Braintree do not get huge support, but what they do get is loyal support.

As far as the game went, to be brutally honest Braintree were just not at the races. They had possession, they grafted, but in terms of craft, guile and a bit of presence in attack, it was largely non-existent.

Aldershot had the better chances and took the lead in the 64^th minute when Reece Grant shot low from an angle and found the bottom corner. To be fair the goal had been coming.

Despite the well supported visitors having the experienced Scott Rendell sent off, they managed to contain a sustained period of pressure from the hosts late in the game, but in all honesty, had they still been playing at midnight, I don’t think Braintree would have scored.

Cressing Road Again

So Braintree stay bottom, eleven points from safety, and if we are being brutally honest, the defeat was a hammer blow in terms of survival. I hope they stay up, but if they don’t, who’s to say they can’t bounce back a second time?

Punching above their weight is something Braintree Town specialise in.