BRAINTREE Town manager Brad Quinton has praised the impact that Dan Thompson has had since joining the Iron and in keeping them on track for a place in the Vanarama National League South play-offs.

The Iron head into tonight's home game against Oxford City (kick-off 7.45pm) sitting sixth in the table after their 2-1 win at Truro City on Saturday and with their play-off push reignited by a four-match winning run.

The departure of leading scorer Phil Roberts and striker Karl Oliyide after Christmas may have hit the Iron's hopes of a top-seven finish, but Thompson's arrival in February has helped maintain their push towards the play-offs.

It was the 24-year-old forward, who works as a PE teacher, who fired home the winning goal at at play-off rivals Truro and Quinton has been impressed by the impact the tall striker has had.

His strike in Cornwall, added to the one he scored on his debut in the 1-0 win against Poole Town, has underlined what Thompson has brought to the team, but it is more than just his goals that have caught his boss' eye.

“Dan is a remarkable player who has moved us on so much," said Quinton.

“There may be some frustration that he hasn’t scored as many goals as he’d have liked, but the things he gives us when we’re under pressure and his link-up play is unbelievable.

“He has come in and just hit the ground running.

“I think he can be such a threat with the balls that we can put into the box.

“With a little bit of luck, he could be massive for us in the rest of the season."

Braintree's game against Oxford City tonight - their penultimate outing of the regular season - is a rearranged fixture after the initial meeting between the two sides was abandoned on Good Friday.

The game had been poised at 0-0 before it was called off after 31 minutes due to severe waterlogging of the IronmongeryDirect Stadium pitch.