Bromley 2-0 Welling United - I have to beleive we can turn it around, says Welling United boss Dean Frost

Bromley 2 – 0 Welling United
Location	Hayes Lane, Bromley, Kent BR2 9EF
Kickoff	01/03/2016 19:45

BROMLEY  2-0  WELLING UNITED
Vanarama National League
Tuesday 1^st March 2016
Stephen McCartney reports from Hayes Lane

WELLING UNITED manager Dean Frost says he has to believe he can turn things around – but has challenged his side to stick together and convert their chances.

The Wings slipped down a place in to the bottom two in the table on 26 points from 35 games and Frost has 11 games to save his home-town club from relegation.

They remain eight points adrift of safety after losing to their Kent rivals for a second time this season.  Welling United have now extended their unwanted record of going 18 league games without a win and have now gone 450 minutes since scoring a goal.

Bromley, who won their first title for 54 years when previous manager Mark Goldberg claimed the Conference South title in April, can now look forward to a second season in the Vanarama National League next season, having climbed up a place into thirteenth on 47 points – 14 points clear of fourth-from-bottom side FC Halifax Town – with 12 games remaining.

A crowd of 1,100 watched a cagey Kent derby at Hayes Lane, which saw Bromley claim the local bragging rights and their third win on the bounce which has taken them over last season’s safety total.

Rohdell Gordon, 19, who is on loan from League Two side Stevenage, lashed home a stunning early strike to score his first goal for the club.

Moses Emmanuel won and converted a penalty early in the second half to score his nineteenth-goal of the season to hand Bromley their 14^th league win of the season to get over the line.

“I thought we started slowly first half and got punished for that slow start and then gradually grew back into the game,” said Frost afterwards.

“For us we don’t score enough goals. We’re the lowest scoring team in the league and we had a couple of chances to equalise and it proves to be costly.

“We go into half-time 1-0 down.  I thought we did reasonably ok. Bromley had the early bit of the first half and then second half we came out slow again and they punished us again.

“Once they go 2-0 up, we go back and play again and create some chances so take heart from that but we feel we need to score goals.”

Smith lost his first two games in interim charge against Grimsby Town (2-1) and Wrexham (2-0) but wins over Woking (2-1) and bottom-of-the-table Kidderminster Harriers (1-0) and derby day delight tonight has kept Bromley in the National League.

“Every win’s a great win,” said Bromley based Smith, who was Goldberg’s assistant manager.

“I was just saying to the boys, I was disappointed with the standard that we’ve set. It wasn’t quite up there but I have to give credit to Welling, who made it very, very difficult for us.  On another night might’ve had a couple of goals themselves but we started of really well, obviously got the goal and I think we just sat back and didn’t press as well as we have done.

“But not going to knock the boys because the character and determination to go and win a game has been fantastic since we’ve been here so it was a good result.”

Bromley created their first opening after only 31 seconds.

Joe Anderson, who was the match-winner on Saturday, released Emmanuel down the left and his powerful angled dipping drive was tipped over the bar by Madek Rodak.

Anderson swung over the resulting corner for central midfielder Lee Minshull to send his towering header over the bar.

Winger Gordon cut the ball back to Anderson, who floated in a cross towards the far post but target-man Adam Cunnington couldn’t steer his attempt on target at the far post.

Welling United arrived at Hayes Lane having scored only 25 goals to their name and Barney Williams hit a long ball out from right –back to release winger Kadell Daniel, who cut inside and flashed his left-footed drive past the near post from 25-yards.

But with Welling’s poor goalscoring record, you knew once Bromley had opened the scoring that they would go on to suffer their 21^st league defeat of the season.

Cunnington released Gordon, who showed quick-feet to cut inside before drilling a right-footed shot high into the roof of the net from 16-yards, to give Bromley the lead with 08:53 on the clock.

Smith said: “He’s come in from Stevenage and he’s been brilliant. He’s been a breath of fresh air. He’s lifted everybody just with him coming in.

“He’s deserved that goal for all of his performances for this club since he’s been here.

“I spoke to their management the other day and I couldn’t praise the club Stevenage and himself with the way he’s conducted himself. It’s ben first class. He deserved that goal and what a great goal it was!”

When asked about the winger’s length of stay, Smith replied: “He’s got another couple of weeks and then we’ll decide if we can keep him for another loan, whether he wants to stay.”

Frost added: “It came from a goal-kick when we probably weren’t set up well enough - I’ve just said that to the lads in the dressing room – and then two passes later it’s up to Rohdell Gordon and he scores.

“For me it was a very, very simple goal. Maybe was a bit in-balanced but when the goal goes in you have to re-group and go again.”

Welling United were guilty of giving free-kicks away around their penalty area but Bromley failed to capitalise from any of them.

Welling United were a threat down the flanks and lone striker Tomi Adeloye’s right-footed drive deflected off Rob Swaine and flashed just past the far post from 25-yards.

But Welling’s best chance of the first half arrived in the 20^th minute.

Reece Harris threaded the ball in behind Swaine and Sean Francis to put Adeloye in but Alan Julian rushed off his line and smothered the ball as the striker attempted to slot home.

“Tomi had a shot first half that was deflected and I think the second one just got underneath his feet and it gets stuck underneath Julian’s body,” said Frost.

“Apart from the first 10 minute start we had, I thought we done alright but that’s the story of my season so far and Welling’s season so far as a club. We don’t score enough goals and it proved costly.”

If Bromley had the 32-year-old all season then they would have been challenging for a position in the top eight.

“Alan Julian has come back from his injury, he looks like he’s got back to his old self,” said Smith.

“Glyn Shimel (goalkeeper coach) is working with him hard and he kept us in the game going in at half-time 1-0 up.

“I was so pleased because they had a couple of chances and again even in the second half he pulled off another great save for us.

“Defenders were throwing themselves in the way so it could’ve been a lot closer.”

The game then turned into a cagey affair with goalscoring opportunities at a premium.

Smith said: “But we didn’t expect anything different! I know Dean Frost and Barry Ashby, they weren’t going to come here and roll over. They were going to come here and put up a fight.

“I hope they stay up, I’ve got to be brutally honest with you, I honestly hope they do and with Dean and Barry Ashby, knowing them as I do, I think they will.”

Talented winger Luke Wanadio escaped handball appeals to play a one-two with Nortei Nortey down the left but his deep cross sailed over to an unmarked Harris, who failed to get his header anywhere near the goal.

Bromley right-back Jack Holland, celebrating his 24^th birthday today, pulled down Adeloye, but Wanadio’s resulting free-kick from the left-flank bounced into the hands of Julian for a comfortable collection.

It proved to be a tight first half with Welling United putting in a spirited performance but lacking any quality in the final third.

Both managers were asked their thoughts at half-time.

Former Welling United manager Smith said: “I had a go at them! It was great to have a 1-0 win. I thought we went sloppy a little bit towards the end and they had to raise their game. Some of it (my half-time team talk) worked because they came out and looked sharp and looked like there was more energy and we got the second goal.”

Former Bromley central defender Frost added: “We have to keep believing we can get back in the game and fight to get back in to the game and believe a chance will come.

“Unfortunately we’re on a run, it’s easy to be downbeat, for the lads to be downbeat, but we have to try to stay uplifted and motivate them and lift them up. We asked for a good start and we didn’t really get that!”

Bromley got off to a flying start by creating some decent chances to increase their lead inside the opening five minutes of the second half.

Nortey gifted a chance for Minshull, who cracked a left-footed volley towards the top corner from 25-yards, which was brilliantly pushed away by Rodak, a nineteen-year-old Slovakian goalkeeper on loan from Championship side Fulham.

Smith said: “Great save! Again, Minsh was brilliant. He’s been brilliant since whatever happened, happened (Goldberg’s departure) and I’ve taken over and he’s been absolutely first class for me.

“Again, his performance today, I only took him off because he took a slight knock and I need him for Saturday, he’s just got a dead leg that was seizing up a little bit.”

“He pulled off a couple of saves tonight,” added Frost.

“It was a very good save, he kept us in the game.  They’ve had another chance when they hit the crossbar so we sort of weathered a bit of a storm.”

Emmanuel then crashed a right-footed drive against the crossbar from 22-yards, before his left-footed angled drive was comfortably saved by Rodak from the right-hand corner of the penalty area.

Smith added: “I sort of had a, not a go at Mo, but I just think he can do a little bit more, just turn and get early shots off. He did everything right and it just hit the crossbar. It didn’t go in and you think is it going to be one of those days?”

But Welling United squandered an excellent chance to bring themselves level when two players were put through the middle of the pitch but Daniel’s shot was beaten away by the Bromley keeper.

Frost said: “We’ve had a couple of games like this where we’ve had great opportunities to equalise or to go ahead and I suppose people mention when you’re down at the bottom things seem to go against you.  We got punished for it again, missing a golden opportunity to equalise.”

Smith added: “The last couple of games, even against Kidderminster on Saturday, Alan Julian pulled off a couple of fantastic saves and keeps us in it. 

“It’s another clean sheet so I can’t praise the boys enough but then I can say we’ve set a standard and we just weren’t on it today as much as we were probably Saturday against Kidderminster but two games in the space of three days, I can’t knock it.”

Bromley wrapped up the victory with a second goal with 10:38 on the second half clock.

Emmanuel drew a foul from Welling Untied central defender Ian Gayle and referee John Busby pointed to the spot.

There was a delay before the penalty was taken but Emmanuel drilled his right-footed penalty into the top centre of the goal, with the goalkeeper diving to his right.

Smith is delighted that Bromley’s star striker is back banging in goals.

He said: “It was in the box where he needs to be, he’s turned quick and they’ve brought him down and despatched it, fantastic.

“I think he’s probably thinking about it too much. He doesn’t stop working, he doesn’t stop training, he’s practising all the time. He just needs to relax a little bit.

“There’s no pressure on him to score the goals. We want him to, don’t get me wrong and he wants to, but there’s no pressure on him to score every week.

“He took his penalty fantastically, with all that pressure on him.”

Frost added: “I thought it was a bit erratic and a bit desperate defending but I’ve been told it may not have been a penalty, a bit soft but they’ve given it and they’ve scored it.”

Welling United’s shooting was woeful and Williams found himself down by the right by-line to cut the ball back to Ibrahim Kargbo, who hit his first time shot screaming over the bar from 30-yards.

Anderson swung in another corner into the Welling box but this time Cunnington’s towering near-post header sailed over the bar.

Daniel sped past Francis inside the Bromley penalty area but a poor touch allowed Julian to come out and smother the ball at the striker’s feet.

But Welling United really should have called Julian into action when substitute Reise Allassani fouled Adeloye on the very edge of the penalty area with just over 20 minutes left to play.

It was to be a lick of paint away from being inside the penalty area but Daniel wasted the opportunity by lifting his left-footed free-kick over the bar.

A poor clearance from Rodak was controlled by Ali Fuseini, but Bromley’s former Millwall midfielder hit his right-footed shot over the bar from 30-yards.

Wanadio, who was Welling’s best player on the night, skipped past Anderson on the half-way line and raced down the line and swept the ball across to substitute Michael Bakare on the other side of the pitch but the striker’s driven shot was blocked by a resilient Bromley defence.

Welling United’s poor goalscoring form was summed up when they missed a glorious chance with the last kick of the game.

The Wings hit Bromley on a three-on-two counter attack and substitute striker Sahr Kabba played Bakare through on goal but he lashed his right-footed drive high and over the bar when it seemed easier to score.

A frustrated Frost said: “Minimum, it has to hit the target and he doesn’t! He’s hit it and it’s cost us.  I wouldn’t say cost us but it helps us putting a goal on the map. It’s a great opportunity, probably the best opportunity in the whole game for anyone to score.”

Welling United are only a couple of points off the foot of the table and Frost knows his side must play better if they are to manage pulling off The Great Escape, when leaders Cheltenham Town visit Park View Road on Saturday.

“The only way is to simply come training on Thursday, work hard, train Friday, work hard and stick together, you know,” said Frost, who has now lost six of his eight games in charge of the club.

“If you stick together you get a better chance. If you’ve got people pulling in the wrong direction it will be impossible (to avoid relegation), so all you can do is try to bounce back.  It’s tough, it’s tough especially as we’ve got a lot of young lads who are feeling low, might not have been in this position before but (we have to) roll our sleeves up and stick together.

“That might be a good game to play in, rather than someone floating in and around the middle of the table. 

“We played Cheltenham a couple of weeks ago. I know what they’re all about. They’re a good side, strong side, powerful side, got two forwards in form.  We have to match them and work as hard as them and hopefully when a chance does come along we have to take it!

“I have to believe we can turn it around. I have to believe that we’re going to create chances and eventually put one away.  It’s a story of our season and story of the club’s season before I was here that we don’t score enough goals.

“It’s not like that we haven’t created enough today, we’ve created enough on another day to maybe win the game, although Bromley had their chances themselves.”

With Bromley now safe from relegation, the board should consider “one of their own” in Smith to lead the club next season.

“It’s been difficult. It’s been hard. I’ve had fantastic support from the board, they’ve been absolutely brilliant,” said Smith.

“Jerry (Dolke, the chairman), every morning says can he help and do anything to help out?

“It’s been fantastic so in that respect it’s been fine. It is hard because you want to do well for the players and they’re not sure what’s going on. It’s just literally take a game, one game at a time, come in work hard and move on to the next one.

“I’m not going to put anything to the board, they’ll make their decision. Hopefully it will be one that’s going to move this club further forward than where it’s ben in the last few years.

“I’m just enjoying it. It’s a great win today, we’ll enjoy it tonight, put it to bed and then Thursday crack on for the game against Chester.”

Smith wants his side to carry on picking up points during their last 12 league games of the season.

“I’ve not given us a target. I’ve never set up a target. I want to win as many games as I can. I want to go on to the next game and win that one.

“I haven’t said if we get this amount of points we can all take it easy. I don’t want the boys to take it easy. I want them to keep on going. They’ve set a standard and I want them to keep that standard.”

Bromley: Alan Julian, Jack Holland, Joe Anderson, Ali Fuseini, Rob Swaine, Sean Francis, Rohdell Gordon, Lee Minshull (Ben Chorley 65), Moses Emmanuel (Pierre Joseph-Dubois 82), Adam Cunnington, Adam Coombes (Reise Allassani 62)
Subs: Ben May, Bradley Goldberg

Goals: Rohdell Gordon 9, Moses Emmanuel 56 (penalty)

Booked: Jack Holland 6

Welling United: Marek Rodak, Barney Williams, Noah Chesmain, Ibrahim Kargbo, Ian Gayle, Kevin Lokko, Kardell Daniel (Michael Bakare 75), Nortei Nortey, Tomi Adeloye (Sahr Kabba 77), Reece Harris, Luke Wanadio.
Subs: Mike McEntegart, James Ferry, Xavier Vidal

Booked: Ian Gayle 45

Attendance: 1,110 (76 away supporters)
Referee: Mr John Busby (Wallingford, Oxfordshire)
Assistants: Mr Michael Taylor (Alton, Hampshire) & Mr Lee Forrester (Luton, Bedfordshire)
Fourth Official: Mr Aji Ajibola (Dartford)