And so the great escape continues! A hard-working performance by the Whites beat a Cheshunt side low on confidence after eight straight defeats. And with all the other sides at the bottom losing, Whites are only four points off safety, with the next match against Folkestone – one of those teams we are chasing.

There were a couple of changes to the side that lost to Yeading the week before. With Bradley Sandeman leaving after only playing 45 minutes last week, Narada Bernard, a midweek signing from Farnborough, took his left back berth. Chris Wright was also given a starting place, with Tom Hickman dropping to the bench.

It was the visitors who looked the more dangerous from the outset, and their speedy strikers looked to cause as much trouble as they did back in August, when Cheshunt raced to a 5-2 victory. After ten minutes, Dean Fenton played a neat one-two on the edge of the area, and Paul Hyde was forced to make a good save to take the ball off of his feet.

Cheshunt continued to have the better chances, and Bobby Highton shot well over when well placed inside the area. And although Shane Hamshare had a goal-bound effort blocked, the visitors almost broke the deadlock when Steve Obeng volleyed just over after a deep cross to the back post.

With 25 minutes gone, the visitors still looked the most likely to score, especially when George Gregoriou was given too much time in the area, but thankfully volleyed wide.

After the chances the visitors had had, it was slightly against the run of play when Whites went ahead. Braithwaite hit a free kick from the touchline, and it reached Dean Readings at the back post. He took his time, evaded his marker, and curled a wonderful shot past the keeper. It was fitting that Deano scored such a superb goal, it being his 100^th start for the Whites.

But the visitors could have equalised moments afterwards, as Hyde was forced to make two good saves from the feet of Glen Parry, and then a curling effort from Bobby Highton.

Referee Frank Meilack, who had made some strange decisions throughout the game, surpassed himself when he only booked Cheshunt’s Ross White. The midfielder had taken Anthony Hogg out, and then seemingly swung an arm at the referee, but Meilack decided that a caution was sufficient.

The goal seemed to knock the confidence of Cheshunt, and Whites could have increased their lead before the interval. Chris Wright shot wide, and Narada Bernard curled a free kick inches wide of the post – the former Arsenal youngster had a fairly impressive debut on the whole.

Glen Parry and Nicky Gyoury both had half-chances in first half injury time, but Whites went into the interval a goal up.

A slow start to the second half was interrupted by a Cheshunt equaliser after 53 minutes. A mix-up in the Whites defence left Dean Fenton free to poke the ball home from inside the area.

Whites could have re-taken the lead minutes afterwards, when Braithwaite fired a dangerous cross all the way across the face of goal, it needed only a touch to be diverted into the net.

Walid Matata replaced Chris Wright just after the hour mark, as Whites went for the vital winning goal. And within five minutes, the goal had arrived. The dangerous long throw of Craig Cloke was headed down by Renner to Braithwaite on the edge of the area. He drove the ball home from 18-yards, and the River End went delirious.

But Whites should have made the game safe three minutes later. Renner chased a ball through the defence, only to be pushed off of the ball at the vital moment. Cloke stepped up to take it, but after lengthy protests which probably put him off, his blasted penalty was stopped by the legs of Cheshunt keeper Michael Kalli.

Braithwaite could have scored again, from a similar situation to his goal minutes before, but shot over, as Whites aimed to sew the game up. Cheshunt introduced Byron Bubb, who played for the Whites earlier on in the season, as they went for the equaliser. And the nerves of the Whites fans got worse as Cheshunt’s George Gregoriou turned and volleyed from 12-yards, but Hyde was equal to it.

Braithwaite, who was awarded the man of the match award, almost sealed the win when his diving header from a Carruthers cross went inches wide. Instead it was a very nervy final few minutes, with Whites fans holding their breath for the referee to blow the final whistle.

Although the visitors had a couple of corners and crosses in the final  moments, Whites held on and recorded a vital win. Whites have certainly played better in recent weeks, but it is all about points at this stage of the season, and with the sides around us losing, it makes Easter Monday’s game with Folkestone even more important. If results go for us again, we can be within one point of our local rivals if we manage to beat them, but we will have to be at our best to do that.