Coach Gary Phillips, who made several changes from the team which lost to Dagenham & Redbridge, suffered a nightmare on the bench as his side folded against Division Three Braintree Town in the Guardian Insurance Cup First Round.

Braintree played far better than one would expect of a Division Three side, but that doesn't alter the fact that United's fans deserved far better from their own side. Indeed, by half-time Braintree had killed off the tie with three goals in the first half.

Simpson opened the scoring after seventeen minutes, scored his second after thirty-four minutes, and a minute later Falana made it three. Kevin Davies pulled a goal back on thirty-nine minutes to give United a ray of hope to make it 1-3.

But matters failed to improve in the second half, not helped when Devereaux scored after fifty-two minutes to put the result beyond doubt. After this embarassing defeat Phillips released winger Robert Boyce and defender Danny Honeyball.