Braintree beat Dagenham 2–1 with a 90th-minute goal as chairman Harding issues board update

Wednesday 28 October 2026 · By Giles Hembury

Braintree Town ended a run of seven defeats in all competitions on Tuesday night, beating Dagenham & Redbridge 2–1 at home with a goal from Bolovan in the 90th minute, and moved out of the bottom four of the Enterprise National League South.

Louie Johnson gave Braintree the lead in the 28th minute. Substitute Clayden equalised for Dagenham in the 80th minute, but Bolovan, the supporters’ man of the match, broke away and lofted the ball over Ashmore in the 90th. Amine Sassi made his debut, and Steve Pitt made three changes. The crowd was 791. The win ended a run of five league defeats in a row.

Braintree are 20th on 13 points from 13 games, with four wins, one draw and eight defeats. They are three points above Chesham United, who are 21st, the first relegation place. Braintree have scored 20 goals and conceded 34, and only Slough Town, with 37, have conceded more. Their last six league results are five defeats and the win. Only the champions are promoted automatically, with the clubs from second to seventh going into the play-offs, and the bottom four are relegated.

Chairman Lee Harding published a board update on the club’s website and in the programme notes on 27 October. The update does not announce a sale of the club or a change of manager. Harding wrote that Pitt “said to me that he would be giving himself four matches to turn our season around” before Saturday’s 6–0 defeat at Farnham Town.

He wrote: “Our Club are still owed money – lots of it, hundreds of thousands of pounds – by The FA, UEFA and FIFA.” He said that the “six-man board… are now just two: Vic Dixon and me”, and that “we remain prepared to step down when we believe we have better people for us to pass the Club on to.”

Harding said that he and Dixon “have spoken with several interested parties”, many of whom “seem to be entirely focused on the assets (primarily the land)”.

Braintree host Hampton & Richmond Borough on Saturday 31 October at 3pm. Hampton are 22nd on nine points, four behind Braintree, and are without a permanent manager after Alan Dowson left on 12 October by mutual consent, the club said.

Braintree then travel to Weston-super-Mare on Saturday 7 November at 3pm. Weston are 14th on 18 points and are at Farnborough tonight. On Tuesday 10 November, Braintree are at Salisbury at 7:45pm, a date confirmed by the club. Salisbury are fourth on 25 points and won 2–0 at Walton & Hersham on Tuesday.

The FA Trophy second round brings Kettering Town to Braintree on Saturday 14 November, with kick-off at 3pm.

Dagenham stay seventh on 23 points, a point ahead of Billericay Town, who have played two games fewer. Chesham, who lost 4–2 at home to Farnham on Tuesday, are 21st on 10 points, and Walton, who lost 2–0 at home to Salisbury, are 23rd on eight.