Glebe 0-2 Bromley - I thought Glebe worked very hard and made things difficult for us, says Bromley assistant manager Steve Lovell

Glebe 0 – 2 Bromley
Location	Foxbury Avenue, off Perry Street, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 6SD
Kickoff	20/07/2016 19:45

GLEBE  0-2  BROMLEY
Pre-Season Friendly
Wednesday 20^th July 2016
Stephen McCartney reports from Foxbury Avenue

BROMLEY assistant manager Steve Lovell says his players have to work on their finishing after being restricted to two goals by Glebe.

Lovell was in charge of the Ravens for their first visit to Glebe, a side that play five leagues lower in the Southern Counties East Football League First Division, as Neil Smith was attending a National League managers meeting.


DOMINANT: Bromley (yellow) spent a lot of time probing the Glebe
penalty area during their comfortable 2-0 win at Foxbury Avenue.
Photo: Olly Groome

Bromley started with five contracted players against a Glebe side that were resilient in defence during this one-sided warm-up at Foxbury Avenue.

Bromley scored twice in 65 seconds in the second half through former Charlton Athletic striker Toby Sho-Silva, 21, and substitute striker Junior Ogzdi-Uzokwe as Glebe started to tire.

Lovell said: “It was a good work out for the boys.  I thought Glebe worked very hard and made things difficult for us really to get the goals, but I think we had most of the possession obviously, but we got the goals and the second half, well, I think we were in control for most of the game but it’s just a matter of getting the goals and they came in the end.”

Bromley won 2-1 at Sevenoaks Town last night and travel to Beckenham Town on Saturday and despite their top-flight status have never forgotten their roots.

Chairman Jerry Dolke said: “These are local clubs run by local people we all respect in football. It’s a pleasure taking our team to these clubs.”

Reflecting on this and the Sevenoaks game last night, Lovell added: “We got our fitness, 90 minutes for most of the boys. Most of the boys will be in the squad for the start of the season. We’ve got some goals, we got some good fitness for the players so hopefully that will take us into the season. It’s the fitness more than anything, the guys got 90 minutes under their belt.”

This was Adam Woodward’s first defeat in five warm-up games ahead of his first season in charge of Glebe.

“I thought we was good. The goals came in the 63^rd and 64^th minutes and it’s credit to the boys,” said manager Woodward, who was without George King through a toe injury.

“I thought we kept our shape well. We were disciplined. First half, I thought they had a lot of the ball but there weren’t too many clear cut chances.

“It was a good work out and I’m happy. I’m not happy to lose a game but to lose the game the way we did, two sloppy, sloppy goals and I think the fitness clicked in then around 65 minutes.

“I thought after that the two goals we switched off because we were mentally tired but credit to the boys tonight, they done really well.”

Bromley’s visit attracted a record crowd of 325 to Foxbury Avenue in Chislehurst for the game as fourteenth-placed Vanarama National League finishers Bromley ran out comfortable 2-0 winners against cup-double winning and third placed Kent Invicta League finishers Glebe.

With Tamer Bilal outstanding at the heart of Glebe’s defence, Bromley had to wait 13 minutes for their first opening.

Reece Prestedge was seeing plenty of the ball and was pulling the strings just in front of the back four and the ball was played up to George Porter who unleashed a 30-yard drive towards goal which was pushed away by the diving Alfie George.

“It’s the sharpness now, that is most important, having the sharpness in and around the box and getting the ball in the back of the net,” said Lovell.

“The fitness work has been done, now it’s all about the technique and getting boys working on their finishing and making sure that we’re alright from the start.”

Woodward was pleased with his side’s defensive play.

He said: “We had a game plan. We came in Monday, of course, we’re playing against a National League side. If we had gone out and attacked them we would’ve lost six, seven, eight nil. We had a plan and it was a test to the boys.  On Monday we worked on a little bit of shape and they’ve done what they were told, which I’m happy about.

“Tamer was excellent in the first half. He got a little bit tired towards the second, that’s why I took him off.

“Listen, there’s competition for places in that role. I’ve got Scott Whibley (on holiday), who is a very good player and at the moment those two (Bilal and Carson Dennis) have done really well. Scott’s done really well in pre-season so I’ve got a few headaches, which I will like.”

Will Hoare clipped the ball up to Sho-Silva, who knocked the ball down for Porter who stung George’s fingers with right-footed volley from similar range.

But after those couple of on-target attempts from the former Welling United attacker, Bromley’s shooting was not what you expect from a top-flight side.

David Martin sent a left-footed free-kick sailing harmlessly over the Glebe crossbar, which brought disapproval from the travelling fans behind the goal.

Prestedge clipped the ball up to Sho-Silva, who brought the ball under control with his back to goal and Porter shot straight at George from 10-yards.

Porter hit another first time drive from 30-yards, this time the ball screamed past the left-hand post as Bromley’s dominance continued heading into the half-hour mark.

Glebe striker Ryan Golding worked tirelessly up front on his own for 80 minutes and he hit a speculative shot from 35-yards, which flashed across the penalty area and big George Kamurasi – who played for SCEFL side Ashford United last season – easily gathered before the ball rolled out for a goal-kick.

Sho-Silva drilled a powerful right-footed drive over the Glebe crossbar from 30-yards, as did Aldo Arce from closer in as dominant Bromley struggled to find the breakthrough.

“It’s hard when you have that much possession, they get a lot of people behind the ball and they defended very well, fair play to them,” said Lovell.

“They’ve got a nice set-up here and they’ve worked very hard. They should be proud of what they’ve got here and they did work very hard.  They caused us problems. We couldn’t break them down so we had to work out how we could break them down.

“Second half we went a little bit more direct. It’s alright playing football, but we had to go more direct so that’s what we did.  We used the pace over the top and we caused them problems.”

Glebe’s best chance of the first half finally arrived in the 37^th minute following a set-piece.

Left-winger Ola Kukoyi floated a free-kick in from the right flank towards the near post and Fraser Cronin (one of three central midfielders) hooked his shot over the crossbar from 15-yards.

Woodward said: “They had a lot of possession in the first half.  Listen, the quality that they’ve got in their side they’re going to have a lot of the ball!

“I thought our transition when we won the ball back, I thought we was a bit tired and didn’t really know what to do.  You have to remember that Bromley are a full-time side. We train twice a week so I thought we done really well for an hour.”

George was having a comfortable first half in the Glebe goal and he made a comfortable save from Hoare’s angled drive, which deflected off his left-back Ryan Fopossi as Glebe went in on level terms at the break.

“Although they didn’t throw anything at us to be fair. The midfield worked very, very hard and the front men did as well and created a few chances abut they just didn’t go in at the moment. There’s time to work on that,” said Welshman Lovell.

“I thought we had possession but we didn’t use it quite enough. We didn’t switch play quick enough and I felt that we had to mix up our game.”

Bromley stayed out on the pristine playing surface for the half-time break and Lovell lifted his players and they put in a much improved second half performance against a tiring Glebe side.

Woodward said: “Before the game I was going to make two or three changes at half-time but I keep saying credit to the boys and I spoke to them at half-time and I said I was really impressed with what we were doing.  There’s a few things that we had to fine tune but I said to the boys they’ve done well first 45, you deserve to play the start of the second half.”

Sam Long played Conference South football for Bromley in 2014 and he was the only player to come on at the break to slot in as Glebe’s second half right-back.

“Me and Sam work together so he’s come down as my assistant manager, along with Charlie McCarthy,” said Woodward, who decided to leave Ryman League Division One North club Phoenix Sports where he worked alongside Steve O’Boyle to take charge of a Glebe side pushing for promotion.

“Glebe is a club I feel is going places and Sam can see the vision that’s why he’s stepped down. He had a lot of offers from higher leagues but he chose to come here and go the other side of the white line.”

Hoare floated in a cross from the right flank and Arce glanced his header across goal and past the far post within the first minute.

Martin then swung in Bromley’s fifth of seven corners towards the far post and Prestedge also glanced his header wide.

Bromley almost carved open the breakthrough in the 55^th minute but highly-rated George was called into action to save the day.

Prestedge and Porter linked up well down the left and the ball was played inside to Martin, who played the ball in behind the Glebe back four for the first time to put Harry Osborne through and the right-back’s angled drive was parried by George, to his right and Martin stabbed the ball into Ogzdi-Ukokwe’s feet, the striker poking his shot past the foot of the near post from close range.

Lovell said: “I’ve known Harry Osborne since the Charlton days, a good player, works hard up and down but we had a lot of opportunities today but we’re just not putting them in the back of the net but that has got to change!”

Woodward could sense his side were struggling at this point.

“Again, that’s when we switched off mentally. We switched off, were tired and they created chances there. You could also see the game was stepped up and they stepped up their tempo.”

It didn’t seem to be Bromley’s night in front of goal and the impressive Sho-Silva cracked a left-footed drive which sailed past the top of the left-hand post.

Porter will need to improve his finishing ahead of the big opening day Vanarama National League clash against Tranmere Rovers at Hayes Lane on 6 August, dragging his shot past the far post from distance.

But Glebe’s resilience was broken when Bromley finally made the breakthrough with 17 minutes and 22 seconds into the second half.

Martin swung in Bromley’s final corner from the right and Rob Swaine came up from the back and sent his towering header across goal and back towards the corner taker.

Martin cut into the penalty area and reached the by-line to cut the ball back for Sho-Silva to beat George at his near post with a left-footed drilled angled drive.

“Great finish by Toby. Good movement by Dave as well. I think Dave’s done really well and he looked sharp. He’s a good lad to have around us,” said Lovell.

“Toby is a good lad. I’ve known Toby since he was 14 or 15 so worked with him a lot (at Charlton Athletic) and know what we can get out of him and he scored again tonight, he scored on Saturday. He’s a good lad and he’s got a good pedigree and I think he’ll be a good acquisition for us.”

Woodward added: “We switched off a little bit. The two goals we switched off for both of them.  They had a lot of the ball and that can be mentally tiring if you’re making runs.

“I said to the boys at half-time the movement that their players’ have, we’re not going to have at our level of football. Their movement was exceptional and the players’ have got to follow players’ move all over the place and the goals have come from us switching off.”

Woodward called out to his players to show character but Bromley didn’t take long to double their lead.

Prestedge’s quickly-taken free-kick just outside the left-corner of the penalty area caught out Sam Long.

This trickling pass freed Bromley left-back Makhosini Ryan Khanyz in behind and he whipped in an excellent cross towards the far post for Ogzdi-Uzokwe to rise to power in his header into the top right-hand corner.

Lovell said: “It was a good header. He got a good height on it. He came on last night as well and won a couple of good headers and looked very bright and again tonight he’s looked bright and he’s done alright. 

“We’ve had a very good lot of trialists in through the pre-season and we’ve been very happy with what we’ve had in.  I think hopefully we can have one or two additions to the squad, which will make us stronger as the season begins.

“Junior was in Cyprus playing last year and he was at Lewes before that. He’s someone whose been recommended to us.”

Woodward added: “Quick free-kick, we’re not used to it. We’ve not got ourselves back in. I keep saying it, the fitness was a key.  I think their full-time fitness showed in the end.”

Woodward was keen for the floodgates to remain closed.

“I have confidence in the boys. We had a shape, they knew what they were doing. I said to them if we go two or three down, keep doing what you’re doing and you get more out of it.”

Glebe squandered an excellent chance to pulled a vital goal back halfway through the half.

Long made a run down the right and received the ball and delivered an excellent low cross towards the far post but Golding’s poked shot was saved comfortably low to his left by Kamurasi, who was hardly troubled for the 85 minutes he was on the pitch.

Woodward said: “A good bit of movement from Longy, we created a chance.  Ryan’s done a lot of hard work tonight, he’s had 80 minutes on his own up front and it fell for him, nine times out of ten he puts that in the goal.”

Lovell said of Kamuasi, who has recently been on trial at League Two side Barnet, “He’s a big lad George, a nice fella. What he did, he did well, didn’t he? He didn’t let in anything, he had a couple of half saves that he had to do.”

Glebe created another chance when Long played Steve Jerrom in down the right and his cross was swept first time straight at Kamurasi by substitute Bradley Killick.

Lovell explained why he felt his side showed more pace in an attacking sense as the game headed towards its conclusion.

“We had pace in the first half with Toby and George who can run but we didn’t use it! We played in front of them in the first half and that was my point in the second half to get the ball in behind so if you get the ball in behind them you’re going to use that pace and if you’d have done that in the first half then we’d looked like we had pace there as well, but we didn’t!

“Second half, I said we get the ball in behind and get further up the pitch and that’s what’s happened and that’s why we created all our chances because they couldn’t handle our pace.”

Right-winger Reece Simpson smashed his free-kick high over the Glebe crossbar and striker Sam Afolabi dragged his shot wide after Bromley linked up well down the left with Ogzdi-Uzokwe, Chidi-James Williams-Agunabor and Dan Ajakaiye.

Both sides changed their goalkeepers in the final five minutes and Glebe were denied a consolation when Tom Hafford moved to his right to unconvincingly keep out Sidney Warren’s drive.

Woodward revealed he is keen to give youth a chance.

“Sid is 16 years of age. It’s good to get these youngsters involved. Sid has got a bright future, he’s in my plans. Same with Cameron Reardon, the left-back, he’s actually a right-back but these youngsters have got a chance. Cameron has impressed me a lot in pre-season and he’s done really well in every game he’s played.”

Bromley travel to Beckenham Town (Saturday) and Welling United (30 July), before hosting their Premier League neighbours Crystal Palace for an all-ticket game on 2 August before Tranmere Rovers’ second ever visit to Hayes Lane.

“I believe it’s a really good pitch there (at Beckenham). We’ll take a good squad there of all of the senior pros. I don’t think there will be that many trialists that we’ll be there on Saturday.  There will be more getting down to the basics now with two weeks before the season starts. I can’t wait!

“Then we’ve got a good week’s training with the ball. There will be a lot of work done on the training ground regarding shape of play and set-plays and then we play Welling, which will be a very good game for us. I think it will be a good game because of the level that we’ll be playing against. It will be more of our level and then Palace on the Tuesday ready for the start of the season.”

Glebe have a couple more home friendlies before they travel to Kent Invicta League winners Bearsted to contest the Kent Invicta League Challenge Shield on 6 August.

Woodward said: “We’ve got two more tough friendlies against VCD (26 July) and Cray Wanderers (29 July) but after that we’ve got the Challenge Shield game down at Bearsted and then we’re here for the game against Lewisham Borough (9 August).  Listen, I can’t wait to get going now!”

Glebe: Alfie George (Leo Webster 85), Davy Jo Anderson (Sam Long 46), Ryan Fopossi (Cameron Reardon 76), James Day, Tamer Bilal (Joe Denny 57), Carson Dennis, Steve Jerrom (Grant Duff 83), Sam O’Keefe, Ryan Golding (Sidney Warren 80), Fraser Cronin (Bradley Killick 71), Ola Kukoyi (Jack Dimmock 67).
Subs: Joe Borland, Shaquille Richards

Bromley: George Kamurasi (Tom Hafford 85), Harry Osborne, Makhosini Ryan Khanyz, Ben Chorley, Rob Swaine, Aldo Arce (Junior Ogzdi-Uzokwe 53), David Martin (Dan Ajakaiye 75), Reece Prestedge (Sam Akinde 65), Toby Sho-Silva (Reece Simpson 65), George Porter (Sam Afolabi 75), Will Hoare (Chidi-James Williams-Agunabor 70).

Goals: Toby Sho-Silva 63, Junior Ogzdi-Uzokwe 64

Attendance: 325
Referee: Mr Ricky Adams (Northfleet)
Assistants: Mr Olly Fyfe (Orpington) & Mr Connor Stacey (Gillingham)
Fourth Official: Mr Keiran Stoneham (Gravesend)