29thsept05

Thursday 29th September 2005

Amoako shown the door by Bromley

Bromley manager George Wakeling has been ringing the changes ahead of Saturday's Ryman Premier League clash with Windsor & Eton at The Courage Stadium, writes Stephen McCartney.

The biggest shock is that striker Adolph Amoako - top scorer for the past three seasons - has been shown the door along with Henry Darko and Andrew Julius.

But rejoining the club is former Ashford Town player Adrian Stone, now fully recovered from the injuries that plagued him during his previous spell at the club last season.

Experienced striker Mark Tompkins, who recently rejoined the club from Whyteleafe, had a useful run out for the reserve side against Erith & Belvedere last weekend.

Both players should be involved against the Royalists.

Bromley will be watching Mangotsfield United before the two sides face each other in the FA Cup third qualifying round on Saturday, 8th October at The Courage Stadium, Hayes Lane (3pm).

After doing just enough to squeeze through with a 2-1 win over Combined Counties League strugglers Chipstead in the last round, Frank Coles, the club's assistant manager, admitted he had been wary of a potential upset.

He told www.bromleytimes.co.uk: "We told the players to look at the TV last week. Spurs and Man City lost cup games to lower league opposition. It's their cup final and Chipstead played well. These county league sides are no mugs and we told the players anyone in this round is going to be decent.

"We showed them respect and worked really hard though. They had a couple of chances before we scored, but once we went two up, we sat back a bit and they had to come at us. But I think we were comfortable and didn't look like conceding another one."

Looking ahead to playing Southern Premier League side Mangotsfield United, Coles added: "They're at a similar standard to us. They beat Bath City last week, but we'll have them watched and hopefully we'll have something to work on.

"We know they're good at set-pieces so we'll have to work on that side of things - we can't concede silly goals like we have been lately."

Meanwhile, Windsor & Eton, without a league win this season, sit second from bottom of the league and Coles appreciates the importance of ending Bromley's recent poor run, which has seen only one win in six league outings.

And with Bromley's injury list gradually shrinking, Saturday is the perfect chance to put that run behind them.

Defender Mark Willy damaged his ear-drum, but trained this week and should be available, and with no fresh ailments to report, confidence is high.

"If we work hard on Saturday we should get the result," said Coles. "We need to make it difficult for teams to come here. If you don't lose at home and pick up points away, you'll have a good season."

Meanwhile, chairman Jerry Dolke has found the club new training facilities, at Kent County Cricket Club's Beckenham ground, next door to Championship side Crystal Palace.

"The chairman worked hard to get us this," Coles said. "We'll be there every Thursday for the foreseeable future and hopefully we'll be able to get some good work done."

Bromley v Windsor & Eton
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 1st October 2005
Kick Off 3:00pm
at The Courage Stadium, Hayes Lane, Bromley