DANNY Searle has issued a rallying cry for everyone involved with Braintree Town to come together in a positive way to help get the club on the front foot as they approach what could be a critical part of their season.

The Iron head to Havant & Waterlooville on Saturday sitting bottom of the Vanarama National League table and know they must turn their fortunes around over the busy upcoming Christmas period.

Despite a positive upturn when manager Hakan Hayrettin took over after the departure of Brad Quinton, when the team claimed seven points from three games, they now head to Havant on the back of a run that has seen them claim just a single point from their last five league outings.

It is the type of form that will make fans nervous and Searle said he had spoken to some disgruntled supporters in the wake of last weekend's 2-0 home defeat by Barrow as they expressed their frustrations over the team's predicament.

However, the Iron's assistant boss said he knew the team had it in them to get themselves safe this year and called for people to get behind them to create a "positive environment" during a crucial part of the campaign.

“Fans pay their money and they are entitled to opinions," he said.

“They see things how they see them and sometimes they are able to point things out that you’ve missed yourself.

“But the main thing for me, and I had a conversation with some fans after the game on Saturday, is that we have to create a more positive environment at the club.

“Everyone needs to be on the same page.

“There isn’t one person in the club who wants to go down so if we have a common goal then surely we have to come together as a team.

“That’s supporters, board, staff and players and we have to make sure we are heading forwards together in a positive way.

“Some of the stuff that comes in off the terraces is justified but some of it – quite a lot of it really – is unjustified, especially to some of the players.

“To say they’re not trying is an insult because they are and I firmly believe that this team can get out of trouble if we can get the right positivity around it.

“We have proved that we can already.

“We’ve gone toe-to-toe with sides in the six and I’d argue that we should have taken points from those games.

“We know we haven’t always, though, and that’s the frustration because we see how hard the players are working.

“Sometimes things don’t work, but we have to make sure that we keep improving.

“We haven’t always shown that, but I can see from a coaching perspective that the boys are getting better at things.

“Are they being consistent yet, no, but are they improving, yes.”

Searle is confident that Braintree's players do have what it will take to get them out of trouble this year.

He said they had shown it when he and manager Hakan Hayrettin first came in and they claimed seven points in three games, so he wants them to get back to what they were doing in that period when they had early success.

He added: “It’s all about repetition of information and detail about what we want to do as a team.

“There is a reason why the team is where it is and that’s because mistakes are being made and we haven’t been as decisive in the final third as we need to be.

“We have shown we can do it, but consistency is the key; consistency and sustainability.

“I thought we were the better team from a footballing perspective against Barrow on Saturday.

“Other than a silly free-kick and the second goal coming from a mix up between goalkeeper and centre half, I can’t recall them causing us too many problems.

“But when you are down where we are, you don’t get the rub of the green and we can’t afford to make mistakes.

“We keep saying to the boys, as good as they are, they have to be outstanding in defending your own area and outstanding in attacking the opposition’s area.

“If we can do that then we have a chance."