IN Cheltenham week, form horses Forest Green were left on the rails in a frustrating stalemate.

Boss Ady Pennock may have been feeling hoarse, but insists his side can stay the course as the play-off battle enters the final furlong.

He was brimming with confidence as fifth-placed Rovers made it a record-breaking 12 unbeaten Conference matches, but missed the chance to close the gap at the summit with new leaders Barnet the only side in the top five to claim a weekend victory.

Impressive defender Charlie Clough put the Nailsworth side ahead with Rovers’ 1,000 goal in the Conference, but Braintree bit back on the stroke of the interval when a sublime 40-yard Mitch Brundle free-kick caught out goalkeeper Steve Arnold.

Pennock beamed: “It’s four points in a week and apparently 12 games unbeaten is a club record “It makes our win at Barnet even better. Maybe Braintree surprised our fans with how they played but not me.

“As I’ve said before, nobody has a given right to win games in this league. People might have expected us just to turn up and win but that was never going to be the case.

Arnold will no doubt feel frustrated to see the ball whistle over his head from distance, but Pennock felt the Braintree equaliser was top-notch.

He added: “It was a freak goal and a fantastic strike by their lad (Brundle) to put it in the top corner from that distance.”

Earlier, Pennock stuck with the team that brushed aside Barnet. However, Danny Coles was left off the bench with fit again James Norwood taking his place on the sidelines.

Braintree opened on the front-foot with Brundle's skidding shot seeing giant goalkeeper Arnold dropping down smartly. The Iron remained a threat. Defender Chez Isaac planted a free header wide from a Kenny Davis cross as the Essex boys looked for an early opener.

However, in Rovers’ first meaningful attack they nosed ahead. Rob Sinclair's corner was met with aplomb by Clough’s hammer head for a 21st minute lead. Nonetheless, The Iron remained a threat as Arnold smothered a Matt Paine prod.

Rovers were gaining a foothold. Jon Parkin watched his strike repelled by the chest of Alan Massey for a corner with Clough denied by the fingertips of keeper Nick Hamann.

The game was warming up. Simeon Akinola let fly from distance, but his shot just missed the top corner with Arnold rooted to the spot.

Clough and Arnold were Rovers' first half lights with Arnold saving well from Issac on the cusp of the break.

Rovers were failing to fire, but an audacious angled Parkin volley upped the ante.

With the last kick of the half, Braintree netted parity. Aarran Racine was booked for a nudge on Sean Marks and Brundle thumped home a free-kick from distance.

Rovers were forced to make a change at the break with Tom Bender replacing the limping Sinclair.

The Iron were threatening and an unconvincing Arnold punch put Rovers all at sea.

Marcus Kelly raised Rovers' hopes - Racine planting a free header over the bar from Kelly's set-play.

The willing Kurtis Guthrie tried an eye-catching overhead kick from an Elliott Frear assist as Rovers looked for a winner.

Pennock freshened things up as he turned to forwards James Marwood and Norwood with 23 minutes to go.

Rovers looked for a way in, but desperate Braintree defending prevented Rovers taking the lead. Marwood put the ball on a plate for Frear, who picked out Parkin and his flick was somehow gloved away by Hamann.

Rovers huffed and puffed with Parkin fizzing over from seven yards and Norwood getting a shot off from 30 yards as Rovers ran out of gas.

Forest Green: Arnold; Bennett, Clough, Racine, Kelly; Guthrie (Marwood 73), Kamdjo, Sinclair (Bender 46), Frear; Parkin, Fleetwood (Norwood 67).

Subs not used: Pipe, Russell.

Star Man:Charlie Clough: Scored a thumping header and was in dominant form throughout.

Next: Woking (A) Saturday, 3pm.