REPORT: Braintree Town 1-4 Wealdstone

Gary Waddock secured his first win as Wealdstone manager and the Stones’ first league win on the road since November as his side produced an emphatic performance to win four-one against Braintree Town!

In the Stones’ only change, this season’s top scorer, Micah Obiero, came into the starting XI in place of Sean Adarkwa.

The Stones side started quickly, Dom Hutchinson and Enzio Boldewijn combining well down the right-hand side. The ball was then played to Obiero, whose strike was blocked before it fell to Junior Tiensia, who could only fire wide of the target.

The hosts were awarded a penalty in the 10th minute following a counterattack. Zavier Massiah-Edwards was brought down by Connor McAvoy, and the spot-kick was duly converted by John Akinde.

The Iron could not hold onto the lead for long. Junior Tiensia showed excellent quality to turn his man and play the ball to Nathan Tshikuna on the edge of the box. He cut past his opposing defender and fired a strike into the bottom corner to level the scoring in the 16th minute!

It was a lively opening 20 minutes of the game at the Rare Breed Meat Co. Stadium. Tshikuna powerfully dribbled forward from the edge of his own box and played Obiero through on goal. He tried to chip Mason Terry from a narrow angle, but the shot-stopper was able to paw the strike away.

The turnaround was completed in the 25th minute! Hutchinson cut inside from the right flank and fired a low ball into the box, which hit a Braintree defender. It popped up to Obiero, who wrong-footed Terry with his strike on the half-volley!

Wealdstone were playing liquid football as Tshikuna played a lovely first-time ball in behind to Obiero, who fired across the box to find Olufela Olomola. The frontman’s effort was well-smothered by the onrushing Terry.

The Iron had a chance to get back into the game in the 36th minute after a cross fell to Massiah-Edwards on the volley. The young attacker’s strike was deflected out for a corner, which came to nothing.

Obiero was looking for his second goal of the game five minutes before half-time. He was found on the edge of the box by Hutchinson, but his left-footed strike was rifled just wide of the target.

Half time: Braintree Town 1-2 Wealdstone

The second half continued the same energetic zeal that the first period contained. The Iron lost the ball on the edge of the box, and Obiero was slotted through on goal. His poked finish looked to be nestling in the bottom corner, but ended up going marginally wide!

Due to a couple of injury-related stoppages, the contest became slightly broken up over the next 10 minutes. The hosts had a half-chance in the 58th minute as Aidan Francis-Clarke slipped through a packed defence, but Dante Baptiste did well to narrow the angle and block the shot.

Just two minutes later, Tshikuna cut in from the left-hand side and fired a strike at goal. Terry parried the shot into a fairly dangerous area, but a Braintree defender was first to the ball.

There was a big moment in the game in the 66th minute as Jack Hinchy brought down a Braintree attacker on the very edge of the box. The referee initially looked to have pointed to the spot, but after consulting with his assistant, gave a free kick.

Braintree began to wrestle control of the match and created a couple of half-chances, so Gary Waddock reacted by making a triple-change in the 70th minute.

These substitutions had a great effect. Five minutes later, Sean Adarkwa ran down the left flank and fired an, admittedly rather tame, shot at goal. Terry parried straight into the path of an onrushing Obiero, who tapped home to give the Stones a much more comfortable cushion.

Braintree almost got back into the game 10 minutes from time after Shay Spencer lost the ball in midfield and Lewis Walker ran through on goal from the left flank. The attacker’s effort hit the inside of the near post before being cleared away.

The Stones controlled the final stages of the game and got a fourth goal on the break in the dying moments as Tiensia squared for Dylan Kadji to tap in!

Full time: Braintree Town 1-4 Wealdstone

Wealdstone team: Baptiste, Hutchinson (Waller 83’), Boldewijn, Woodman, McAvoy, Tiensia, Kadji, Hinchy (Spencer 70’), Tshikuna (Agyemang 70’), Obiero (Hassan 92’), Olomola (Adarkwa 70’).

Subs not used: Johnson, Adu-Poku.