Braintree Town secured a compelling 3-1 victory over Eastleigh at the Silverlake Stadium in a National League match characterised by fluctuating fortunes and a late surge of goals.
Eastleigh took the lead in the 21st minute, Aaron Blair scoring with an assist from Sonnie Davis. The home side sought to capitalise on this advantage, but Braintree Town responded before the interval. Terrell Works equalised in the 35th minute, Chay Cooper providing the assist.
The second half saw a battle for dominance, with Eastleigh making an early substitution in the 59th minute, introducing Paul McCallum. However, Braintree Town’s substitution in the 62nd minute proved pivotal. Tom Blackwell replaced Freddie Hockey and subsequently played a decisive role.
The game remained tight until the 78th minute when Blackwell scored his first goal, assisted by Chay Cooper, to put Braintree ahead. Eastleigh, aiming to secure a draw, pressed forward, but faced a determined Braintree defence. Deep into added time, in the 102nd minute, Blackwell scored again, completing his brace and sealing the victory for Braintree Town, with Cooper once more providing the assist.
Aidan Francis-Clarke received a yellow card for Braintree in the first half. In the second half, Luis Fernandez, Mason Terry, Regan Clayton, Temitope Eweka, Aaron Blair and Chay Cooper were all cautioned.
This result represents a significant turnaround for Braintree Town, who were aiming to improve their league position. Conversely, the loss will be a setback for Eastleigh, who had hoped to climb the table. Both Braintree Town and Eastleigh are near each other in the standings, with each team on 10 points.
