Maidstone kept their first clean sheet since September to earn a valuable point at Braintree.

Neither side really looked like scoring in a scrappy game but it's three games unbeaten for Stones in their fight for National League survival.

Referee Alan Young’s whistle dominated a forgettable first half at Cressing Road.

There were 22 fouls in the opening 45 minutes - 12 given against the Stones - with the game not given a chance to get going.

Throw into the mix a difficult pitch and the wind and we were hardly looking at a classic, no matter how hard the teams tried.

Monty Patterson looked the brightest player for the Iron.

His effort was kicked away by Lee Worgan after the Stones defence was opened up after 10 minutes but that was the only genuine chance of the half at either end.

Former Stones player Manny Parry - given a nice reception by away fans - put a header wide from a corner while Patterson’s 20-yard strike was easily held by Worgan.

Jamie Coyle had the ball in the net at the other end but the whistle had already gone while Alex Flisher picked up his 10th booking of the season, meaning a two-match ban for the Stones forward.

Braintree missed a big chance to score at the start of the second half, Jack Midson somehow clearing the bar from two yards out after Worgan parried a header.

Jack Paxman had a shot from Reece Prestedge’s corner blocked for Maidstone, while Prestedge saw a shot charged down after Joe Pigott brought down Coyle’s pass.

Tom Mills then brought a good save from Sam Beasant after the ball sat up nicely to hit from 25 yards, with Delano Sam-Yorke lifting an effort on to the roof of the net after running on to Paxman’s lovely pass.

Braintree thought they’d scored with 15 minutes left, Midson following in after Worgan denied Reece Hall-Johnson, but the flag was up.

The game was opening up a bit now, with Sam-Yorke’s strike blocked in a goalmouth scramble and Iron getting rid of the loose ball.

Maidstone: Worgan, Twumasi, Mills, Coyle, Lokko, Prestedge, Lewis, Paxman (Loza 86mins), Sam-Yorke, Pigott (Odubade 79mins), Flisher. Subs not used: Taylor, McCarthy, Okuonghae.

Attendance: 1,002 (445 Stones fans).