Braintree Cricket Club will be in the peculiar position of hoping that their main Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship division two title rivals are victorious this weekend.

A 69-run win at Ipswich kept Braintree on course for promotion to the top flight and challenging Copford for the division two title ahead of a home game against Sudbury seconds today.

Copford stayed clear at the top with a six-wicket win at Dunmow and now face third-placed Easton in a game whose result could have a big bearing on Braintree’s dreams.

A Copford win would hit the Panfield Lane side’s title hopes, however, it would also see Easton drop out of the promotion race and as a move up remains Braintree’s principle aim this year, skipper Will Jackson said they would probably be rooting for the leaders.

Jackson said: “Nothing has really changed after last week – Copford are still top, we are still second and Easton are looking to chase us down.

“I think we’re comfortable with that and where we are and the pressure hasn’t changed.

“It’s now three games to go and it’s business as usual for us.

“We just have a three-game season now and as long as we win all three, we’ll be up.

“In fact, two wins may be enough if we win and Copford beat Easton on Saturday.

“It could be done this weekend if results go our way and that would suit us because promotion is most definitely our primary aim rather than the title.

“We want to be in division one and as long as we go up, the title is only going to be the cherry on the cake.

“Because of that, I think we’re more focused on Easton rather than Copford.

“We would love to win the championship, but we just have to make sure we are not being chased down.

“With that in mind, I think we’d rather Copford won on Saturday.

“It’s horrible to think that you want the side above you to win, but it would make it that much harder for Easton to chase us down.”

Jackson said Dan Chalk is unavailable for the visit of Sudbury but Braintree will look to add experience to the side with the addition of Steve and Dave Hale.