MANAGER Brad Quinton was delighted that his Braintree Town players earned their rewards after listening to the advice given to them for their Vanarama National League South play-off final at Hampton and Richmond Borough.

It proved to be a glorious day for the Iron as they secured a place back in the top flight of English non-league football with a 4-3 penalty shootout win against the Beavers after it had finished 1-1 after extra-time.

The victory meant there would be a speedy return to the National League after the club's relegation 12 months previously and Quinton was pleased that his players were rewarded for taking on board the advice given to them.

He said: “What a day we had – our boys are tremendous and they never know when to give up.

“The composure from the penalty takers was something else.

“At that moment in time, it takes a lot of hard work and it’s credit to the boys with the way they stuck together and did this.

“We knew that we would come back, even after we went one-nil down.

“We spoke at half-time and told them not to doubt themselves, to be proud of what they had done and where they had got to.

“And they delivered the goods.

“We work on a way that we want to play and we coach them to be patient – to believe in what they do and to play within that pattern and shape.

“They listen and they really did listen in that game.

“I promised them that if they listened, then we would see success and get promoted and that’s the way it panned out.

“We had no players when we took over last summer and we had boys coming in from lower leagues or who had been let go by clubs and we just instilled that confidence in them.

“We told them to enjoy their football and said we’d get them promoted or full-time football.

“They believed in it.

“There were some who left along the way and wanted to chase a few quid elsewhere, but I bet they are regretting it now."

Having fallen behind after just eight minutes to a goal by Hampton's Max Kretzschmar, Braintree had to battle back inthe play-off final and a superb cross from Dan Thompson was headed in by Reece Grant to pull them level at half-time.

The second half and 30 minutes of extra-time proved to be cagey affairs from both sides and after neither was able to find a decisive strike, penalties were required.

Quinton admitted it was a cruel way for the game to be decided and extended sympathies to Hampton boss Alan Dowson and his team, but he was happy his club were on the right side of the shootout drama.

“We had to wait for the penalties, but we delivered then," he added.

“It’s a cruel way to go out if you do and I take my hat off to (Hampton manager) Alan Dowson for what he’s done with his team.

“They did to us when I was in charge at Enfield when they got a goal to win the league and we missed out on the play-offs, but it can turn around and I was proud to get over the line."