vs Prediction, probable lineups, recent form & season stats

Needham Market go into the second round unbeaten in their last five games: three wins and two draws, with the most recent round ending 2-0 over Worcester City, after a 3-1 win over Stanway Rovers; further back a 0-0 away draw with the same opponents, a 3-3 with Peterborough Sports and a 2-1 away win over Stratford Town. Braintree have three wins, one draw and one defeat: their most recent round is a 2-1 win over Maidstone Utd, preceded by another 2-1 win over Fulham U21 and a 2-1 away win over Slough Town; further back a 0-2 defeat to Farnborough and a 3-3 at Dover. In the three head to head meetings, all played at Needham Market, Braintree have won every time: 0-1, 2-4 and 0-3. The prediction may change in the hours before kick-off. Confirmed line-ups, late injuries, suspensions, rotation ahead of other fixtures and the state of the pitch and the weather can all alter the picture described above. In those cases the selection may be reviewed and updated within 12 to 24 hours of the match: this happens rarely, but when it does, the version published on this page is always the current one. The data and assessments here are provided for information and statistical purposes.