WWW.BROMLEYFC.COM - MATCH REPORT
BROMLEY 3 CRAY WANDERERS 2 - LEAGUE - 09/04/05
Bromley just held on against their tenants and rivals to secure three more points in their late bid for the playoffs in front of a good 500+ crowd.
Playing 4-4-2 Bromley just had the better of the early play in a very tense start, which was palpable both on and off the pitch. But it was Cray who had the first clear chance to score when Kempster saw his scuffed shot come back off the post and Walker pounced on the rebound. Bromley struck back playing the ball around nicely and were only denied by a late offside flag as Tommo swept the ball in. Henriques went close with two headers from corners before the Ravens finally edged in front on 32 mins. Kempster slipped trying to keep the ball in play, Drewett picked the loose ball up, sent it across the field to Luckett who floated the ball in off the bar over Northwood from over 25 yards out. Cray put the pressure on late into the half, but Walker was equal to the task and Bromley went in 1-0 up.
Bromley came out strong in the second half and played some really nice football. They extended the lead on 53 mins when Potterill surged down the right and played in Drewett who sent a low cross over for Tommo to hit a sweet first time effort from the edge of the box just inside the near post. At 2-0 Bromley looked to push on and kill the game off as Cray struggled to match their lower placed rivals. As the Ravens grew in confidence they made it 3-0 on 66 mins when McLeod hit a wonder volley from 30 yards out that flew in just under the bar. This took the Wands defence and the crowd equally by surprise, before the latter went crazy! The game still had more twists and turns to take though. Bromley's midfield general Danny Carroll had to go off injured and Cray made two attacking substitutions, coming right back into the game. The Wands pulled the score back to 3-1 when Collins smashed in a loose ball from a free kick on 73 mins and with Bromley looking rattled another scramble in the box from a set piece saw Taylor deflect in a second on 81 mins. The Ravens looked to have lost their way for a while but did start to make some attacks again. Drewett failed to deliver a good ball after a fine run and Falana was denied by Northwood. On one Bromley attack Cray's coach Joe Francis kicked a spare ball onto the field in an attempt to break it up and generally behaved like a spoilt child as his internet boasts of the previous week came back to haunt him. Late in the game Cray had two chances to equalise from set pieces, the first just going over and the second being repelled by some brave last ditch defending. Bromley held on for the vital three points and tied the series at one each with a possible third encounter to come in the playoffs! Falana led the line brilliantly, the midfield worked tirelessly and the defence was so solid in a display that showed just how far we had come sine October's humiliation.
Quote for the game: 'Francis, Francis what's the score?' - Eameso & Co.
Team: Walker, Luckett, Potterill, Henriques, Okafor, Locke, McLeod, Carroll, Drewett, Tompkins, Falana.
Subs: George, Amoako, Harding, Logan, Stradwick.