Braintree ended their hosts' unbeaten run and powered up to the third place in the league with a disciplined display which added to the Essex club's growing belief that promotion could be in the offing this season.

The black and ambers continued in their role as Lowestoft & Yarmouth's bogey team as they pulled off their fourth successive win against the Corton-based side, who seemed to lack confidence from the first whistle.

There was a feeling among home ranks that they were in a false position going into this match as despite their unbeaten run they had yet to face any of the fancied sides in the division.

Those fears were confirmed when Braintree, again superbly marshalled at stand-off by the burgeoning talents of Craig Willis, grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck right from the off.

A Willis penalty fired the visitors into a seventh minute and three minutes later they scored the first of their five tries when Josh Winwood beat two men before outstripping the L&Y full-back to score in the corner and crown a 40-metre dart.

Just two minutes later centre Andy Bennett went over in the left hand corner after beating two opposing players in an almost identical move to score a try which Willis was again unlucky not to convert.

The Essex side's stand-off did manage to add a second penalty after 23 minutes to stretch their lead to 16 points but L&Y partially clawed back the deficit with a converted try six minutes from the interval.

For the first 20 minutes of the second half the game ebbed and flowed constantly with Tree refusing to yield to their hosts but finding the going hard until the lightning pace of winger Tim Ashford enabled him to tear through the home side's cover to score try number three.

This time Willis converted the score and just eight minutes later Winwood added his second after jinking inside on his right foot to beat two players and execute a straight run to the line. Once again Willis was on hand to claim the extra points with his kick.

Scrum-half Dan Shine rounded matters off with the fifth try six minutes from time when he went over from close range to cap a fine victory for Braintree, who are next in action a week on Saturday when they entertain Essex rivals Chelmsford in an eagerly awaited local derby.

Braintree's selection boss Jeff Lewis said: "The lads deserved their victory. It was a very significant win for is because L&Y were unbeaten prior to Saturday and we ended their run. The hard work in training is really starting to pay dividends."

Published Friday November 8, 2002

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