Third county cup success "meant a lot" to Wakeling - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Friday 28th April 2006

Bromley manager George Wakeling paid tribute to his players and supporters after achieving his personal goal – winning the Kent Senior Cup for the third time, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Ryman Premier League club clinched the silverware for the first time since 1997, following their 3-2 extra time victory over Nationwide Conference side Gravesend & Northfleet, in front of 1,041 entertained fans at Hayes Lane last night.

Substitute Simon Mitchell - a transfer deadline signing from troubled club Banstead Athletic - was their hero, scoring the winning goal early in extra time after a screamer from Fleet midfielder Danny Slatter gave Liam Daish’s side a 2-1 lead with just eight minutes remaining.

Bromley had earlier taken the lead after 31 minutes through former Ashford Town striker Donal O’Sullivan.

Bradley Johnson had levelled for the Conference side on the stroke of half-time and Slatter’s wonder strike looked to have won them the cup for the first time since 2002.

But a dramatic 87^th minute equaliser from Bromley’s top scorer Nic McDonnell took the game into extra-time before Mitchell made Wakeling a proud man.

”I tell you it was a blinding game of the eye,” expressed Wakeling on Friday lunchtime.

”It had everything. A great goal was scored by them. You pay your money to see it and it was a really good contested cup final and the crowd got their monies worth.”

The 62-year-old felt his side were deserved winners, and adds the Fleet to his earlier Kent Senior Cup Final scalps of Hythe Town and Dover Athletic in the 90s.

“I think we had the better of the exchanges in the first half and I think they got back on top in the second half,” he reflected. “But I think the exchanges belonged to us.”

For Gravesend & Northfleet, this was their third game of the week, having travelled to Morecambe (Saturday) and Halifax Town on Tuesday night. They finish their campaign with a game against Burton Albion at Stonebridge Road tomorrow, but Wakeling was confident that his side would finish the job in extra time.

“I be honest with you, I saw so many players before the game in tracksuits and I thought they had a lot of players to pick from.

”When you got a sparse squad like I’ve got, we’re in the same boat. You’ve got to bare in mind that their full-time pros.”

Bromley "Legends", Wakeling, Billy Smith and Frank Coles take charge of their final game for the club tomorrow when they travel to Northwood to take on Wealdstone.

“I’ve been in the game a long time and I can handle it,” said Wakeling. “You move on don’t you? But they pick up all the good work I’ve set down for them.”

When asked whether last night was one of the most memorable occasions during his Bromley career, Wakeling replied: “I’ve had a few. That’s the third time I’ve won that cup, been in the final four times. You must remember the Dover game when we won 4-1 at Millwall?

”I think last night, from a personal point of view, I wanted to finish the season on a high note and that done it. It meant a lot for me.”

Wakeling, however, praised “Georgie Wakeling’s black and white army.” – the Hayes Lane faithful.

”I’d like to thank everybody, not just for last night,” he said. “They’ve been supporting me since I came to the club.

”I think it’s been widely recognised and I’ve always had great support.

”What we’ve done is always give a commitment to the job and I think they appreciate that and we get the best out of our players 99% of the time.”

McDonnell (groin) is a doubt for the trip to Chestnut Avenue tomorrow, but Wakeling wants to go out on another high note.

He added: “It’s a nothing game for both sides but we’ve been on a good run lately and we owe it to ourselves to finish the season with a win.”