Where did summer go? It only feels like two minutes since we were cheering the team on at Oldham Athletic at the play-off eliminator. Now, only a few months later, we were back on the road again for another football odyssey, hopes high, expectations wavering between realistic and stratospheric. The usual suspects were raring to go, slightly older, a little less glamourous, but still up for the adventure. With 232 miles ahead of us, and a breakfast booking in Peterborough, we were off.
Pre-season has been interesting. Following the departure of the management team, and the usual progression of some players into the football league, it’s been a case of trying to work out who’s who with numerous new faces. The games have been competitive, perhaps with more of a focus on winning compared to previous pre-seasons. The signs have been good too with lots of goals, entertaining football, and perhaps a decent first few league games, albeit away from home.
After a healthy breakfast, and with clear traffic, we arrived in Braintree and managed to find the ground at the first time of asking. It was the usual first day of the season hot sunshine, and the pitch looked hard, suffering the effects of a dry summer. Adult admission was a random £20.94 in advance, a saving of £1.06 on matchday prices, an offer far too good to miss. Braintree’s Cressing Road was its usual charming self, open terraces at both ends, with covered areas down both sides. Everything thing was painted either bright orange or royal blue. There was no segregation in place, so we were free to wander.
The travelling Shaymen were out in force, regardless of the announced paltry 79 away fans there were at least 130 of us. There were seven Town flags fastened to the wire fence behind the far goal as we set up camp. The Oslo Shayman had perhaps travelled the longest distance, with the Bishop Stortford Shayman having the easiest trip. That generous offer of a free lunch and a cup of tea in his back garden – the next time you’re passing, never came to fruition though, perhaps he forgot, but it was clearly written in the Greetland Shayman’s notebook.
The first half was disastrous; our high hopes took a battering in the first few minutes with a simple header from a cross. Then, watching from the other end, a cross seemed to escape the clutches of Johnson before bouncing into the net. We had a few corners of our own, a decent penalty shout, but it wasn’t the opening we were expecting.
The team came out for the second half transformed. Wave after wave of attacking football had us all fired up for a comeback, and Braintree were on the ropes. It was an impressive spell that lasted for about 25 minutes, then with Braintree’s first foray into our half, a free kick wasn’t cleared and suddenly it was game over, 3-0 down. Town continued to push after that, the referee handed out a good number of a cards to both teams. We were awarded a penalty late in injury time, but that was saved by the keeper, it rather summed up the day.
As the elated Braintree fans sang ‘Three nil down and a long way home’ we trooped out of the ground at full time. It wasn’t the start we had hoped for, but it’s only the first game. We looked good at times but were always chasing the game from the third minute.
Next up and we’re off back to Wealdstone, now it really was only two minutes since our last visit. C’mon Shaymen!
Miles on the road: 464. Goals on the road: 0
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