Braintree Town 3 Hampton & Richmond Borough 0

Hampton & Richmond Borough's poor record at Braintree Town continues after a 3-0 defeat at Cressing Road on Tuesday night.

The previous four visits all since 2001 have also ended in defeat, on this occasion the Beavers couldn't even summon a goal.

There never seemed that much between the teams, Hampton looked very good going forward but were caught out three times at the back.

Hampton had two excellent opportunities at the top and tail of the first half.

In the seventh minute Elliott Godfrey threaded the ball through several defenders but Lawrence Yaku lifted his shot over and then in the 42nd minute after some good approach work, Stuart Lake set up Ian Hodges, for what seemed a certain equaliser, but the striker steered his shot wide of the post, Braintree having gone ahead following a free kick in the 15th minute, Lee Burns scoring with a header following a free kick.

Braintree went further ahead in the 54th and 57th minutes through Burns, again, and Garry Close.

Hampton continued to try and get forward but that first goal just wouldn't come their way.

Typical of their luck came in the 50th minute when Yaku ran on to a Hodges flick only for Braintree's keeper Nick Morgan to save when the shot hit his back!

No points from a long midweek trip, but the Beavers still remain in third place, well positioned for the promotion play off places.

One thing that was different at Braintree last night, their players seemed a lot calmer and less histrionic without their former manager George Borg in charge.

Hampton: Matt Lovett; Marcello Fernandes, Barrie Matthews, Orlando Jeffrey, Stuart Lake (Shaun McAuley, 60), Dean Wells, Alan Inns (Francis Quarm, 60), Elliott Godfrey, Ian Hodges, Lawrence Yaku (Elliott Frost, 76), Kelvin McIntosh. Sub not used: Rob Paris