We're going to give it everything that we've got, says Bromley boss Mark Goldberg

The Ravens have enjoyed their best ever season in seven years as a Conference South club, finishing in third-place with 80 points from 42 games.

Goldberg’s men fought tooth and nail with full-time outfit Eastleigh for the league title but a defensive injury crisis in March proved costly and the club finished six points behind the Spitfires and must battle it out in the play-offs.

Sutton United finished as runners-up with 81 points and they play a two-legged semi-final with Dover Athletic, who grabbed fifth-place on 69 points after a 2-1 win at Hayes & Yeading United on the final day of the season.

Bromley finished six points clear of Ebbsfleet United and travel to Stonebridge Road on Wednesday night, before hosting the second leg at Hayes Lane on Saturday.

Away goals do not count in the second leg, so the game could be settled by extra-time or even penalties, bringing back happy memories of beating Billericay Town 4-2 on penalties to win the Ryman Premier League play-offs on Saturday, 5 May 2007.

Goldberg said: “We set out to achieve the best finish so far since we’ve entered the Conference South league and I felt we had a strong squad than we’ve have had before and I also felt as a club we were a long stronger in terms of the infrastructure.

“It proved from pre-season that we had a good team spirit building within the camp and we got a decent start and for many months in the season we led the league.

“It was always the first goal to have the highest finish and I think within the dressing room we had an eye on the play-offs.

“Although we led the league we always realised that we could have been prone to having not quite the squad sufficient to combat any injuries if they came. It was inevitable that that happened.  Unfortunately that injuries to four or five of our back four came at the same time so all in all to finish third and to hit he 80 point mark we’re pleased with that finish, on the basis that we’ve got the opportunity to gain promotion through the play-offs.

Standing in their way of reaching the 10^th May play-off final (which will be hosted by the club that finishes the highest in the league) are Kent rivals Ebbsfleet United.

The two clubs have played each other three times already this season.

Ebbsfleet United were clinically brilliant in their 4-1 win over Bromley at Stonebridge Road in The FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round in November.

The two clubs met a Hayes Lane in the league on Boxing Day and played out a disappointing goal-less draw, but Bromley came away from Stonebridge Road with a 3-1 victory on the first day of 2014.

The Bromley boss said: “We had a difficult game in the FA Trophy at Ebbsfleet and although we controlled a lot of the game we unfortunately conceded four goals almost all of those were one off opportunities for them on the break.

“But we had to gather ourselves after that game and we studied where we felt we went wrong and we worked on that and came back and had a number of clean sheets after that.

“When we played them on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day we had a different resolve about us.  We proved that we can play and compete against sides like Ebbsfleet so Wednesday night we’re going there knowing that on our day we can compete and we can hopefully come away with being in with a real shout on Saturday.”

Bromley, Dover Athletic and Ebbsfleet United all trained last night ahead of their first-leg ties on Wednesday night.

“The moods good,” said Goldberg.  “We feel a little bit like we did in pre-season where we’ve been preparing, I know for only a short while.

“We’ve had the last two games of the season (wins over Bishop’s Stortford 3-2, and Gosport Borough 2-1), to prepare us well for the play-offs.

“It almost feels like we’re in pre-season and we can’t wait to get the season started, which is all credit to the guys considering what a long, hard season it’s been.”

Bromley banged in 82 goals in the Skrill South this season – fifteen more than Ebbsfleet United – but conceded 50, while The Fleet let in ten fewer.

Bradley Goldberg, 19, clinched the Skrill South golden boot with 23 goals, 24 in all competitions, with winger Pierre Joseph-Dubois netting 20 goals in all competitions this season.

Play-offs are nerve-jangling affairs and Goldberg insists his side can squeeze past their Kent rivals to reach the winner-takes-all final.

Out of the four sides contesting the play-offs, Bromley are the only club that have not played in the Conference (Premier).

“What the season counts for is the fact that we’ve got an opportunity now to see if we can get promotion,” said Goldberg.

“Every team in the play-offs that we’re entering into are all capable of beating each other on their day.

“Hopefully over two legs we’ll have an opportunity to show what we’re really capable of and if we do we stand a good chance of getting to the final.

“We’ve prepared the best as we can.  It can be a lottery in the play-offs but it should help having a two-legged affair.

“What we have to make sure is we’re still in the game on Saturday. We come away from there on Wednesday night and we’re still in with a good opportunity to make Saturday as worthwhile as possible.”

Goldberg insists the Hayes Lane faithful can play their part in getting their club in to the top flight of non-league football (in today’s money) for the first time.

He said: Yes, the fans have been great all season. They’ve travelled with us well. They’ve been a lot more vocal this year and I think it’s fair to say that the fans can give the team an extra lift and almost be an extra man on the pitch.

“Recently we have felt the force of the Bromley support and let’s hope that continues through the play-offs and gives us an advantage, not just at our own place but an advantage wherever we play.”

Bromley are one of the biggest non-league club’s in the country with many glorious day’s in the past, such as winning the FA Amateur Cup three times.  The club defeated Romford 1-0 in the first Wembley Final in front of 96,000 fans back in 1949 and the clubhouse at Hayes Lane is decked with many memories of the club’s illustrious past.

Striker Nic McDonnell, who is still on the club’s books and remains a cult hero at Hayes Lane for scoring the winner to knock AFC Wimbledon in the 2007 Ryman Premier League play-off final, before Peter Adeniyi (now at Dulwich Hamlet), scored THAT penalty that sealed promotion to Conference South against Billericay Town.

Goldberg wants his team to go down in Bromley folklore and win promotion with Eastleigh on May 10^th.

When asked whether he reflects on THAT game against Billericay going into their make-or-break Kent derby against Ebbsfleet United, Goldberg said: “Not at the moment because we’re not thinking about that.  We can only think of our next game which is Wednesday night.

“We do know that there will be a big crowd on Wednesday night. It’s a big game and we’re proud to be part of it. That’s why we’re in the game for, to be in games like this.

“At the same time we certainly don’t take Ebbsfleet for granted.  We’re going there fully prepared and we will know that there won’t be a stone unturned when we leave that pitch.

“We’re going to give it everything that we’ve got.

“As a management team we will know that we’ve prepared the best that we’ve prepared them and let’s hope that’s good enough to be in the game on Saturday.”

The Hayes Lane faithful have also had to put up with many disappointments in the past – but Goldberg wants his side to make history for the Raven Army.

“It’s a good place to be, but we’ve been there before,” recalled Goldberg.

“We’ve had some big games. I’ve never forget how excited we all were when we played Colchester at home in the FA Cup (losing 4-0 in 2009 in front of 4,242 fans) and the game passed us by.  It was a great crowd.  We had over 4,000 there and we ended up, unfortunately, we didn’t turn up on the day.

“We’ve got memories like that as well in the back of our minds, so we have to make sure we turn up on the day.”

Visit Bromley’s website: www.bromleyfc.net