Braintree Town breathed new life into their National League campaign with a resolute 2-0 victory over Altrincham at the Rare Breed Meat Co. Stadium, ending the visitors’ four-match unbeaten run. The Iron coupled a disciplined defensive display with clinical attacking moments to secure a vital three points.
The home side broke the deadlock in the 17th minute with a well-constructed move. Defender Louie Annesley delivered a pinpoint pass to Jermaine Francis, who displayed composure to slot the ball past the Altrincham goalkeeper and give Braintree the advantage. Altrincham responded by increasing the pressure, but the well-marshalled Braintree defence held firm. The intensity of the match was highlighted in the 35th minute when Braintree’s Marley Marshall-Miranda received a yellow card for a foul.
The physicality of the contest continued into the second half, with Jamal Fyfield (Braintree) and Tylor Golden (Altrincham) both entering the referee’s notebook. Altrincham sought a route back into the game, introducing a series of substitutes to inject fresh energy into their attack. However, Braintree remained disciplined and posed a constant threat on the counter-attack. The introduction of John Akinde in the 69th minute proved decisive, albeit after a slightly delayed impact. Although Akinde himself picked up a yellow card shortly after his arrival, he made a dramatic contribution in the 91st minute, converting a penalty to seal the victory for Braintree.
Altrincham, who had pressed hard for an equaliser, were deflated by the late goal. Their efforts ultimately proved fruitless as Braintree professionally saw out the remaining minutes to claim a crucial three points. The victory lifts Braintree to 20th in the table on 13 points, while Altrincham remain in 11th place with 18 points. This fixture marked the first meeting between the two sides in three seasons.