bromvtoot230903

Character building

Bromley 1-0 Tooting & Mitcham United
Tuesday 23 September 2003
Ryman League Division One South
by Stephen McCartney www.kentishfootball.co.uk

Bromley central defender Joe Vines lit the blue touch paper in this fiery local derby and was shown the red card after twenty minutes, but ten-man Bromley showed their true character to win their third game in a row, by a 1-0 scoreline, at their newly sponsored The Clive Christian Stadium in Hayes Lane.

Vines was shown a straight red card by referee Ian Gosling for a meaty challenge on Tooting's Steve Darlington some fifteen yards from the edge of the centre circle.

Bromley rolled their sleeves up, however, and three minutes after being reduced to ten men, Mark Willy headed a Mark Hammond free kick over Tommy Dunn's crossbar.

James Mordey missed a superb chance for the Terrors just before the half hour mark but his close range shot sailed wide of the left upright.

Bromley goalkeeper, Danny Harwood, who has now kept three clean sheets in concession, and  five clean sheets in eleven games this season, dived low to his right to deny former Carshalton Athletic striker Steve Darlington, who ran
towards goal, after evading Willy's challenge outside the penalty box.

But Tooting's Scott Kinch almost had a red face, like his shirt, when he fired wide of his own goal from the edge of his own penalty area after 35 minutes.

Tooting had a goal disallowed five minutes before the break.  Richard Thompson, who started the beginning of last season at Hayes Lane, without finding the net after six starts, fired a free kick against the wall.  The ball struck the right post and Kunle Adeoye responded first to fire home.  The goal was disallowed for offside.

Bromley boss Stuart McIntyre replaced striker Tony Reid for combative midfielder Joe Wade at the half time break to add more strength to the team.

Adolph Amoako broke free of the visiting defence before drawing a fine block from former Sutton United shot-stopper Dunn.  The ball rebounded off the goalkeeper and rolled narrowly wide of the foot of the left post.

From the resulting corner, taken from former Cray Wanderers and Aldershot Town wing wizard, Mark Hammond, Dean Forbes' header was handled by Daniel Nwanze standing by the right post, and referee Ian Gosling pointed to the penalty spot.

Nwanze was lucky only to be shown a yellow card but Amoako served up severe punishment from the penalty spot.  Dunn dived to his right and got a slight touch to the ball but the shot had enough power to find the back of the net to give Bromley a well deserved 52nd minute lead.

Harwood pulled off a superb reflex save from Keith Dublin after 63 minutes before Thompson fired a free kick well wide of the right post six minutes later.

Buoyed on by fantastic home support, Tooting & Mitcham were reduced to ten-men after 80 minutes when Nwanze finally got his marching orders after chopping down Gary Drewett from behind.

Seven days ago, Wade fired home Bromley's winner against Ashford Town from an 81st minute free kick from the edge of the penalty area.

Wade had another chance in the same minute against Tooting, but this time his free kick ballooned high over the crossbar.

Amoako and Jason McKoy had further chances to increase Bromley's lead but Tooting & Mitcham couldn't beat a solid, determined and talented Bromley side.

Delighted Adolph Amoako said after the game: "I wasn't really thinking about what the referee or other players were trying to do before I took the penalty. I was concentrating on what I was going to do, which was to put the penalty away. 

"A great win and a better performance than Saturday's 1-0 win at Corinthian-Casuals.  Every player stuck to their task and everyone worked hard. We went 1-0 up and luckily Tooting & Mitcham had a man sent off as well, so both
sides finished the game with ten men."

Bromley entertain Dartford at the Clive Christian Stadium in Hayes Lane on Saturday in the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round (3pm).

Bromley: Danny Harwood, Steve Potterill, Mark Willy, Joe Vines (sent off 20), Danny Smith, Dean Forbes (Capt), Gary Drewett, Paul Kember (Jason McKoy 73), Tony Reid (Joe Wade HT), Adolph Amoako, Mark Hammond (Bobby George 79).  Subs: Andy Hunt, John Butler

Tooting & Mitcham United:  Tommy Dunn, Dean Worsfold, Husani Thomas (Darren Beale 19), Daniel Nwanze (sent off 80), Oliver Hunt, Keith Dublin, Kunle Adeoye, Scott Kinch, Richard Thompson, Steve Darlington (Eniola Oluwa 53), James Mordey. Subs: Danny Twin, Eddie Achoito, Shane Graham

Attendance: 246

Referee: Mr I Gosling
Assistants: Mr J Vallance and Mr D Colvin