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Bromley shine on night of promise

BROMLEY manager Stuart McIntyre was full of praise for nineteen-year-old midfielder Solomon Taywo, as the Ryman League Division One outfit impressed underneath their new floodlights against Crystal Palace at Hayes Lane.

The former Charlton Athletic and Millwall youngster, who finished last season at league rivals Banstead Athletic, looks to be the player the Hayes Lane club need to challenge for honours this season.

He scored a superb free kick to give the Ryman Leaguers a fourth minute lead.

However, Mario Noto, on trial at Selhurst Park from Tottenham Hotspur didn't want to be outdone by the youngster, scoring from a similar free kick only two minutes later.

Jay Conroy, however, saved the professional's blushes with a 29th minute winner.

But the hosts will come out of the game with their pride intact, and hopefully many locals in the 1,105 crowd will attend Ryman League matches at Hayes Lane to see McIntyre's side mount a serious challenge for promotion.

McIntyre said: "We gave away a silly free kick and gave possession away for their two goals, so we hurt ourselves a little bit.

"Other than that, we competed well, created chances and our fitness stood up to the test against a lively full-time side.

"So I thought we came out with some plus points tonight."

Taywo and winger Gary Drewett were influential in Bromley's attacking play and substitute Tutu Henriques showed some promising touches to give McIntyre a selection headache for the Ryman League opener at Hayes Lane against Horsham on Saturday 14th August.

McIntyre admitted: "Gary Drewett and Solomon Taywo both played very well."

He added: "Solomon has tremendous energy and tremendous awareness, and he brings our wide players into play.

"I want him to be a little bit more direct, go for goal a little bit more, but that takes a little but of confidence for such a young man."

He surely showed plenty of confidence with his fourth minute strike giving Bromley the lead, however.

After looking at the goalkeeper, Taywo noticed the Palace shot-stopper had left his right hand side open and from a right-footed 25-yard free kick, he dipped the free kick over the four man wall with pace and found the top left hand corner.

However, the visitors responded quickly, and it took another superb free kick to level the scores two minutes later.

Bromley captain Mark Willy gave away a free kick and this gave an opening for Noto, who obviously learnt his free-kick techniques at Spurs Lodge, and his free kick from the same distance as Taywo gave trialist Bromley goalkeeper Andy Walker no chance.

Ten minutes later, Noto almost gave the visitors the lead, receiving the ball from Jay Conroy, who slid the ball inside central defender Danny Arkwright.   Noto, cutting in from the left, shot high and wide, with the goal at his mercy.

A deep cross from Bromley playmaker, Gary Drewett almost found Scott Bennetts steaming in at the far post, but Conroy made a last ditch sliding tackle on the former Hampton, Farnborough Town and Metropolitan Police winger.

Walker, the 22-year-old goalkeeper, who is vying for the number one jersey at Hayes Lane with Alex O'Reilly, got down low twice in as many minutes to deny Gareth Williams.

The shot-stopper, on trial at Hayes Lane lives in Welling, and has played for Colchester United, Exeter City, Doncaster Rovers and Charlton Athletic and has been on trial recently at non-league clubs Bishop's Stortford and Heybridge Swifts.

Good play from the home side created another opening, when Mark Watson used his strength to hold off his marker, played the ball through three defenders and Drewett's cross was cut out at the near post by Ricky Banks.

However, Palace scored what turned out to be the winning goal after 29 minutes.

Crystal Palace took advantage of a tired looking Bromley side - who soon rediscovered their fitness after making three chances at the half time interval.

Jay Conroy's fierce drive from 20 yards flew past the diving Walker and found the right corner of the net.

Taywo, tried his luck once more, in the 33rd minute from another free kick, but this time his shot flew over the target.

Just before the break, trialist James Harris, who was replaced at the interval due to a lack of match fitness, hoofed a long speculative effort straight into the arms of the goalkeeper from 35 yards.

Eleven minutes after the break, Walker got his body behind Noto's early strike but Bromley substitute Paul Vines had a couple of chances to give Bromley a deserved, and hard earned draw.

Play started way back at their goalkeeper Walker, who rolled the ball outside his penalty area, had time to launch the ball upfield and Watson nodded the ball towards goal.

Vines used his pace to nip infront of the defence, nod the ball past them, but as the goalkeeper came out, he lost his composure and ballooned a 12-year shot high over the crossbar.

Drewett was withdrawn shortly after the hour with a knock to his knee, but he should be fit enough for Thursday night's home friendly against Windsor & Eton.

Vines got past the Palace defence, again,  but brought a fine block out of Cedric Berthelin.

Impressive play down the right hand side by the home side gave them another chance to hurt their professional opponents, but former Carshalton Athletic midfielder Tutu Henriques lacked the finish the play deserved after former Hastings United striker Joel Bevis reached the by-line and delivered a telling cross.

Taywo's impressive home debut almost brought a second goal after 76 minutes when a 28 yard effort whistled narrowly wide of the foot of the right upright.

Bevis, however, almost, and should have brought the home side level, but he twice spurned chances, but McIntyre's men come out of the game with credit, and the Hayes Lane outfit for the way they professional handed such a high-profile fixture.

Bromley: Andy Walker (Harry Hunter 73), Ahmet Akdag, James Harris (Steve Potterill HT), John Myatt (Tutu Henriques HT), Mark Willy, Danny Arkwright (Dean Frost 75), Gary Drewett (Tim Murdoch 62), Solomon Taywo (Chris Hill 77), Mark Watson (Joel Bevis 67), Adolph Amoako (Paul Vines HT), Scott Bennetts

Crystal Palace: Ricky Banks (Cedric Berthelin HT), Jay Conroy (Glen Wilson 63), Nathan Simpson, Tom Soares (Aaron Fray 80), Sam Togwell, Karim El-Salhi (Wesley Beckles HT), Tyrone Berry, Bradley Pritchard (Gary Prigent 63), Elliot Onochie (Ricki Dolan 63), Gareth Williams, Mario Noto (Ryan Hall 76)

Referee: Ian Crouch
Assistants: Mike Kempster & Paul Chick


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