A tense and closely fought match at the Laithwaite Community Stadium saw Woking secure a vital 2-1 victory over Braintree Town, a result that shuffled the National League standings. The early stages were a cagey affair, with both sides feeling each other out. However, the deadlock was broken in the 24th minute when Woking were awarded a penalty. Harry Beautyman calmly slotted home from the spot, giving the home side a crucial lead. The remainder of the first half saw a flurry of yellow cards, with Woking’s Olatunji Akinola cautioned early on, followed by bookings for teammate Daniel Moss and Braintree’s Louie Annesley as the two sides battled for midfield supremacy.
Woking started the second half brightly and quickly doubled their advantage just three minutes after the restart. This time, Beautyman turned provider, setting up Akinola for Woking’s second. Braintree Town responded immediately with a double substitution at half-time, looking to inject some much-needed energy into their midfield. Woking also made a change, introducing Lewis Walker for Josh Osude. The changes for Braintree seemed to have the desired effect, and their increased pressure finally told in the 70th minute. Aidan Francis-Clarke, assisted by Ryan Clampin, reduced the deficit, setting up a tense final 20 minutes. The goal ignited a series of bookings for both sides as the pressure mounted. Despite a late surge and further substitutions from both teams, Braintree were unable to find an equaliser.
Woking held firm to secure all three points, a victory that saw them move to 45 points, remaining in 18th place. Braintree, despite the defeat, retained their 48 points but dropped to 19th. The result offered a stark contrast to the goalless draw between these two sides earlier in the season, underlining the fine margins in this encounter.