Bromley 1-2 Yeovil Town

Bromley 1 – 2 Yeovil Town
Location	Hayes Lane, Bromley, Kent BR2 9EF
Kickoff	08/12/2020 19:45

BROMLEY 1-2 YEOVIL TOWN
Vanarama National League
Tuesday 8 December 2020
Stephen McCartney reports from Hayes Lane

Yeovil Town claimed their first league win of the season to climb off the foot of the Vanarama National League table.

Darrell Sarll’s side inflicted Bromley’s fourth home league defeat of the season, courtesy of two first-half goals from strikers Rhys Murphy and Joe Quigley, converting two set-pieces.

Bromley dominated large parts of the second half and pulled a goal back through striker Michael Cheek’s ninth goal of the campaign, heading home with 20 minutes remaining.

This was Yeovil Town’s second visit to Hayes Lane of the season, having knocked the Lillywhites out of The FA Cup in the First Round courtesy of a last-gasp winner at the end of extra-time on Saturday 7 November.

The Glovers came back to Hayes Lane with five points on the board from their opening 10 games - but unbeaten on their travels - and kept Bromley on the back foot during the first half.

Yeovil Town’s centre-half Luke Wilkinson rose at the far post to nod over Matt Warburton’s corner, which went behind for the away side’s fourth of 10 corners, which lead to them deservedly opening the scoring with seven minutes and 32 seconds on the clock.

Warburton swung in another corner from the right and this time it was towards the near post and Murphy stabbed the ball into the bottom near corner from inside the six-yard box to score his fourth goal of the season.

The Lilywhites took 18 minutes to create their first opening and it came from a set-piece.

Yeovil’s centre-half Gabriel Osho bundled over Bromley striker James Alabi and winger Reeco Hackett-Fairchild swung in the resulting free-kick from the right and recalled centre-half Jack Holland rose to guide his header past the far post from 12-yards.

Yeovil Town almost doubled their lead in the 28^th minute after Murphy drew a foul from Holland some 30-yards from the Bromley goal.

Warburton drilled his right-footed free-kick towards the bottom near corner, forcing goalkeeper Mark Cousins to pull off a good save, using a strong hand to turn the ball around his near post.

Bromley produced a good three-man move when left-winger Luke Coulson received the ball in the middle of the park inside the Yeovil half and played the ball out to Joe Kizzi and the right-back whipped in a deep cross towards the far post but Cheek planted his downward header past the near post from a tight angle three-yards from goal.

Bromley’s holding midfielder Billy Bingham tripped Charlie Lee and Carl Dickinson’s left-footed free-kick some 35-yards from goal was met by Albi Skendi at the far post and he stabbed the ball past the upright.

Bromley were facing a mountain to climb as Yeovil Town doubled their lead with 45 minutes and 44 seconds on the clock.

Left-back Dickinson put it on a plate for Quigley, whipping in a great delivery with his left-foot from within the left channel and Quigley rose to glance his header into the top far corner - despite Cousins diving to his left and getting both of his hands to the ball and trying to claw the ball out.

Bromley created their first opening of the second half, eight and a half minutes in.

Holland pinged a 60-yard diagonal pass over to Coulson on the left-wing, he cut into the box and squared for Cheek, who completely missed the ball. Hackett-Fairchild lost composure on the edge of the six-yard box and put the ball back across the face of goal and Cheek couldn’t force the ball over the line and the Glovers’ were able to clear their lines.

Hackett-Fairchild linked up well with Cheek and Hackett-Fairchild’s shot from the outside of his boot from 25-yards was hit straight at visiting keeper Adam Smith, who easily caught the ball at his near post.

Bromley upped their tempo and left-back Kory Roberts clipped the ball down the left-channel to release substitute striker Ben Williamson, who turned Osho but his finish was wayward, smacking a half-volley across the keeper and harmlessly over.

Bromley were more of an attacking threat with Williamson keen to run the left-channel but Yeovil Town weathered the storm for a short while before Bromley manager Neil Smith made his second substitution and brought on Frankie Raymond and played him as a left-wing-back and going three men at the back and going for it during the final 20 minutes.

Bromley's dominance was rewarded, however, pulling a goal back with 24:12 minutes on the clock.

Hackett-Fairchild cut the ball onto his left-foot and produced a quality cross from the right towards the unmarked Cheek at the far post and he guided his header across the keeper and bouncing into the bottom far corner from six-yards out.

Yeovil Town went close following their ninth corner of the night, however,

Warburton’s corner from the right was met by Quigley’s near-post header, which only just whistled past the post from four-yards.

Quigley hit one of his former clubs on a counter-attack by bursting straight down the heart of the pitch before playing the ball on his inside to substitute Tom Knowles, who bent his right-footed shot around the foot of the far post from 22-yards, aided by a deflection.

Bromley centre-half Byron Webster - who launched many long balls out of defence - launched a long throw in from the left which came out to Hackett-Fairchild, who hooked a left-footed shot from 25-yards which flashed harmessly through a crowded box and past the far post, with six minutes remaining.

Yeovil Town almost grabbed a flattering third goal at the death when Skendi drove through the heart of the pitch before playing in substitute Courtney Duffus, but Cousins narrowed the angle at his near post and smothered the ball to prevent it nestling into the bottom near corner.

After climbing up to third-place in the table after their impressive 4-1 win at King’s Lynn Town seven days ago - extending their unbeaten away record -
Bromley have now suffered back-to-back home defeats - in front of supporters - losing to Stockport County (2-0) and Yeovil Town.

The Lillywhites have now slipped down to sixth-place in the table - but still in the play-offs - with 19 points from 13 games.

Smith takes his side to fourteenth-placed Solihull Moors in a televised game on Saturday, while Yeovil Town have clawed themselves up a couple of places with eight points from 11 games, leaving Andy Hessenthaler’s Dover Athletic at the bottom of the table with six points from nine games.

Bromley: Mark Cousins, Joe Kizzi, Kory Roberts (Frankie Raymond 67), Billy Bingham, Byron Webster, Jack Holland, Luke Coulson, Liam Trotter, Michael Cheek, James Alabi (Ben Williamson 56), Reeco Hackett-Fairchild.
Subs: Tom Purrington, Harry Forster, Nassim L’Ghoul

Goal: Michael Cheek 70

Booked: Frankie Raymond 90

Yeovil Town: Adam Smith, Daniel Leadbitter, Carl Dickinson, Charlie Lee, Gabriel Osho, Luke Wilkinson, Emmanuel Sonupe (Courtney Duffus 74), Albi Skendi, Rhys Murphy (Tom Knowles 74), Joe Quigley, Matt Warburton (Josh Neufville 90).
Subs: Matt Worthington, Chris Dagnall

Goals: Rhys Murphy 8, Joe Quigley 45

Booked: Luke Wilkinson 30, Charlie Lee 88

Attendance: 710
Referee: Mr Daniel Middleton
Assistants: Mr Farai Hallam & Mr Conall Bartlet
Fourth Official: Mr Scott Rudd