Even though having to make still more changes, including a first appearance for defender Colin Wall, Braintree journeyed to Leatherhead on Saturday, with every hope of putting an end to their recent run of disappointing results.

If Iron had problems the Surrey side were certainly not without their own having scored only six goals in eight league games at home this season.

Here, it was thought, was a real chance for Braintree to get back to winning form by putting into practice some of the lessons learned from recent shortcomings.

But all the good intentions were knocked on the head when a goal after only six minutes gave Leatherhead the opportunity to take the initiative and to leave Braintree under still more pressure.

As they were to do throughout the game the home side exposed the vulnerability of Iron's makeshift defence with a quick break and before the ball could be cleared Paul Malcolm snapped up his chance to drive the ball through a forest of legs with Braintree gaolkeeper Nicky Rust probably unsighted.

Boosted by this early success, Leatherhead proceeded to be the far more dominant side and had the best of what few first half scoring attempts there were.

Braintree gradually began getting some semblance of their game together but while they set up one or two promising attacks towards the interval there was seldom any real threat to the home goal.

If Braintree were to get back into the game they needed to level things up as soon as possible in the second half.

But the task was soon put beyond them when Leatherhead scored two more goals within three minutes.

Again attacks down the right did the damage and as Rust hesitated to come out for the cross Malcolm nipped in to grab the second goal.

Three minutes later from a similar move Malcolm this time provided the centre from which Richard Vercesi to grab the third.

By now it had become mission impossible for a struggling Braintree side but there was just one crumb of comfort when Declan Perkins pulled one goal back with a delicate lob after an Ian Brown shot had been blocked.

This however was too little too late as far as Braintree were concerned and, with the home side's fans scenting an unexpected victory, it came as no great surprise when Leatherhead rounded things off with their fourth goal.

Like a knife through butter, Vercesi ran in virtually unchallenged to complete another disappointing day for Braintree who have now gone nine games without a win.

Braintree Town: Rust, Wall, Perkins, Milton, Gunn, Reinelt, Adams (Green), Brown, Woolnough, Smith, and Forbes.

Forthcoming fixtures: Saturday, December 11 v Worthing, home, Ryman League, 3pm. Tuesday, December 14 v Heybridge Swifts, away, League Cup third round, 7.30pm.

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