Created 19-Feb-23
109 photos, 1 videos
18 February 2023. Dartford share the points with Braintree in a 1:1 draw.
The Dunmow Stadium is located in Clockhouse Way and Braintree in Essex has had a long association with Critall metal windows. The urgent need for new housing, after the First World War, was instrumental in the development of the standard metal window. Between 1918 and 1920 Francis Crittall built 65 flat roofed houses at Braintree – the Clockhouse Way Estate. These revolutionary houses were the first modern buildings anywhere in the country and were the forerunners of modernist architecture. The houses were designed on a metric grid with units of standard sizes. The idea was to provide low cost housing capable of being built anywhere. The size of the window openings chosen became standard sizes to be used universally by manufacturers and architects and it was found that the standard window was ideally suited to quick and cheap mass production and it proved an enormous success. These houses are still largely as they were built, some still have the metal windows. Coach access to the ground is a tricky procedure. Braintree currently charge £3.00 to park your car at the ground.
Jernade Meade scored his first goal since returning to the club, as Dartford came from behind to earn a hard-fought point against Braintree Town at the Dunmow Group Stadium. Neither side could really ignite the fire that this game needed.
The Iron started on the front foot, controlling long periods in the first forty-five. And they forced the first corner of the afternoon after just six minutes, via the lively Aaron Blair. Despite dominating in terms of possession, the hosts didn’t create an awful lot during the opening exchanges and it would take a little bit of good fortune to help them edge ahead. Blair was again involved in a good attacking move which saw him capitalise by getting beyond the Dartford defence. Yet his strike somehow managed to squeeze underneath Ben Dudzinski before resting in the bottom corner (17).
The hosts came close again in the 22nd minute when Blair got through again. However, on this occasion Dudzinski rushed out and, even though Blair beat the goalkeeper, he couldn’t keep his effort below the crossbar. Blair continued to be Braintree’s main focus of attack, and yet another blistering move set him on his way again in the 28th minute, forcing Tom Bonner to make a late challenge which earned him a yellow card from referee Mr Liam Corbett (28). With the visitors missing first choice strikers Charlie Sheringham (injured) and Alex Wall (suspended), they looked a little light in the final third, but the halftime break did them the world of good. The pendulum seemed to swing in the opposite direction throughout the second-half, as Alan Dowson’s side grew in confidence and gained more control of proceedings… a fact that improved even more when Keiran Murtagh came on to replace Luke Allen in the 52nd minute. Pressing forward with more intent saw the Darts rewarded with a handful of set-pieces, the closest of which saw Tom Bonner unable to keep Luke Coulson’s corner down with a trademark header (54).
What came next in the 63rd minute, however, was arguably the move of the game! The move involved Keiran Murtagh, Luke Coulson, Samir Carruthers, and Maxwell Statham, and it was exquisite. The latter received the ball towards the end of the move, before delivering a delightful low cross into the Braintree box where Jernade Meade met it. And he calmly slotted the ball home to score his first goal since returning to Dartford. Braintree boss Angelo Harrop responded by throwing on Matt Rush for Aaron Blair (75) and Alfie Matthews for Lamar Reynolds (81). But, the visitors weren’t going to be breached again this afternoon. In fact, it was the Darts who came closest to stealing all three points via Jack Smith in the 79th minute. Unfortunately, his effort was comfortably caught by Braintree goalkeeper Jack Sims. The result sees the Darts stretch their unbeaten run to three games while remaining in second place in the National League South table, as the battle for the play-offs heats up.
BRAINTREE TOWN: Jack Sims, Leon Davies, Kyron Farrell, Baris Altintop, John White (c), Kyran Clements, Gene Kennedy, Alfie Payne, Alfie Pavey, Aaron Blair, Lamar Reynolds .
SUBSTITUTES: Chris Regis, Jack Turner, Joe Boachie, Matt Rush, Alfie Matthews.
DARTFORD: Ben Dudzinski, Jordan Wynter, Samir Carruthers, Connor Essam, Tom Bonner (c), Luke Coulson, Luke Allen, Maxwell Statham, Jack Smith, Pierre Fonkeu, Jernade Meade.
SUBSTITUTES: Dan Wilks, Keiran Murtagh, Jamar Loza, Isaac Ogundere, Malachi Napa.
Referee: Liam Corbett, Assists Morgan Conn, Craig Charles.
Att: 754
Match report: Chris Palmer
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