Braintree 3 County 2

COUNTY were given a rousing reception by their fans at the finish, but it was Braintree who went home with the points, and if the result was harsh on a much-improved Newport side, there are clearly lessons to learn.

The old adage that you only score good goals and those you concede are, by definition, bad ones was never more true as County netted a couple of crackers while giving away three absolute shockers.

All the work on the training-ground at defending set pieces counts for nothing if players switch off at vital moments, and that was exactly how it happened at Cressing Road as first a routine long throw-in and then a near-post corner produced the goals that twice edged the home side in front in the first half.

Twice, though, County came back to level and each time the contribution of Craig Reid was crucial and the speedy on-loan forward from Grays Athletic is already taking on a talismanic status in the Exiles’ attack.

The former Ipswich, Coventry and Cheltenham forward looks an absolute gem, and once again he linked well with crowd favourite Craig Hughes to prove the outstanding player on show on Saturday.

Braintree were first to threaten when James Hawes found space behind the County defence but Glyn Thompson was quick off his line to block the 14th-minute effort, and Sean Marks then snatched at a great opportunity, firing wide of the County ’keeper’s right-hand post.

County gradually settled and two home defenders picked up cautions for rash challenges before the home side took the lead following the first piece of sloppy defending.

A long throw from Billy Burgess on the right was flicked on and Danny Hockton was free at the far post to nod the ball downwards into the corner of the net.

County struck back quickly with Reid showing great pace down the right and his cross was swept home in majestic style by another of County’s trio of loan signings, defender Justyn Roberts, whose left-footed shot was unstoppable.

A left-wing corner from Braintree’s Micky Shinn just before the interval produced the second goal when nobody checked the run of Burgess, who was able to attack the ball without challenge and nod home inside the near post.

County had not created much in the way of chances but they had more than matched their hosts with the quality of their play and deservedly levelled when Reid showed superb control to collect the ball and fire past Craig Holloway in the home goal in first-half injury time for his third goal in just four County appearances.

Braintree had their best spell of the game early in the second period and Thompson reacted well to tip over an effort from Mark Jones before the cheers of the home fans were silenced in their throats when the County ’keeper somehow clawed away a Marks header as it was about to cross the line.

It was the visitors who once again were looking if anything the likelier winners, however, before Braintree were awarded a penalty for an off-the-ball piece of shirt pulling by County’s third loan player Paul Bignot, while Ashley Vickers was busy clearing a home corner.

Hockton blazed wide from the spot but immediately redeemed himself in the 79th minute when he outpaced Vickers to a ball played in behind the big defender and held his nerve to beat Thompson.

The goal sparked an unpleasant and unnecessary incident as members of the home bench ran to the area, where the bulk of the County fans had congregated and made obscene and threatening gestures to the visitors.

Police and stewards quickly intervened to placate the furious away contingent, with some of the County fans also acting quickly to defuse the situation.

County spent the closing stages camped in home territory and were denied a third equaliser deep into stoppage time by an incredible reaction save from Holloway to block a stinging volley from Martyn Giles.

Braintree: Holloway, Burgess, Jones, Bruce, Moran, Shinn, Hawes, Piper, Marks (Williams 70), Hockton (Riddle 90), Burns. Subs not used: Porter, Quinton, Deane.

Scorers: Hockton 2 (34, 79), Burgess (45).

Cautions: Jones (20), Moran (26).

County: Thompson, Bignot, Giles, Davies (Leek 82), Vickers, Roberts, Rose, Harris, Reid, Hughes (Duffy 67), Hall. Subs not used: Cooper, Jenkins, James.

Referee: M George. Assistants: M Potkins, K Theobald.

Attendance: 626.

Man of the Match: Craig Reid.