croyathvbrom020304A

Bromley march into top seven

Tenth away victory on road keeps Bromley in contension

Croydon Athletic 0-2 Bromley
Ryman League Division One South
Tuesday 2 March 2004
Stephen McCartney reports from Mayfields

Bromley's tenth away victory of the season gave them three vital points at Mayfields tonight to move into seventh place in the Ryman League Division One South table.

Both teams were level on 54 points before this clash but it is Stuart McIntyre's men who are in a terrific position of achieving their top six slot at the end of the season and  move into the new structured league once it starts in August.

Bromley extracted revenge on a team they drew 2-2 at Hayes Lane seven days earlier.  In that game they were leading 2-0 before Barry Stevens' strike after 71 minutes and Anthony Funnell's 89th minute penalty clawed the Surrey side a point.

There was, however, not going to be a repeat at Mayfields.  The superb playing surface allowed for a high tempo clash, a pitch Bromley would relish at their Hayes Lane ground, but the Surrey side found visiting goalkeeper Danny Harwood hard to beat.

After seventeen minutes Harwood was tested by Danny Stassinos drive from outside the penalty area before Croydon Athletic's goalkeeper, Robert Frankland saved comfortably from Adolph Amoako's low drive after being set up by Frenchman Landry Zahana-Oni.

Bromley did have the ball in the back of the net after 24 minutes but Zahana-Oni's strike was ruled out for a foul on the goalkeeper following a swept in trademark free kick from Luckett.

At the other end, Funnell's corner kick was headed by James Gibson and John Fowler who set up James Hall but the end product was lacking as  he shot across the face of Harwood's goal to safety.

Another Luckett free kick almost broke the deadlock eleven minutes before the break but Amoako headed powerfully wide of the left post.

Another chance fell Bromley's way when Danny Smith's high ball found Vines at the far post.  His downward header was blocked by Frankland's legs.

Just before the break, former Carshalton Athletic striker, Scott Todd almost scored for the home side.  He brought the ball under control, fired in a powerful shot, but clipped the right post with his 25 yard effort.

There were to be goals in this game as these two teams were too good for the game to end goalless! They both came close to scoring early in the second half.  Stassinos' long range effort sailed over Harwood, who flung himself to his left, but over the crossbar,

Steve Potterill's cross from the right was met by Zahana-Oni, who leapt higher then his marker Hall,  but headed wide of the left post.

Stevens then drilled a 35 yard shot wide of Bromley's right post before Harwood was equal to Gibson's header following  Funnell's flag kick.

Three minutes before being substituted, Vines almost gave Bromley the lead.  Mark Willy played a defence splitting through ball from the half way line for Vines to exploit his pace.  As Frankland came diving off his line to try to smother the ball, Vines' left footed shot shaved the foot of the near post from inside the penalty area.

Bromley manager Stuart McIntyre replaced Vines for Bobby George, who made an instant impact as his deflected wonder strike from 25 yards gave Bromley the lead after 70 minutes.

George said: "I just wanted to get the ball and shoot. I picked it up and basically my first touch wasn't great but it just got me away from their number seven (James Evans) and basically I worked myself a bit of space and just wanted to hit it, I saw the goal, it took a little deflection and went in over the goalkeeper."

The game was all bit over when Bromley increased their lead in the 75th minute direct from Luckett's corner kick.

The former Kingstonian defender whipped in the corner kick towards the near post causing confusion in the home defence.  The ball struck a defender and Frankland tried in vain to keep the ball out, colliding with the near post as the ball crept behind the line.

With three points in the bag, a clean sheet was Bromley's next priority and they had Harwood to thank for saving Todd's drilled shot from 25 yards, Evans' hopeful shot and Funnell's direct free kick as the goalkeeper, with 248 Bromley appearances to his name, kept his thirteenth clean sheet of this promotion chasing campaign.

Croydon Athletic: Robert Frankland, Justin Brauer-Jones (Jon Waite 59), Leon Johnson, Anthony Funnell, James Hall, James Gibson, James Evans (Capt), Barry Stevens (Jamie Byatt 74), John Fowler (Simon Huckle 74), Scott Todd, Danny Stassinos.  Subs: Bryon Brown, Danny Cecil

Bromley: Danny Harwood, Steve Potterill, Dean Forbes (Capt, Michael Harney 75), Mark Willy, Colin Luckett, John Wilfort, Gary Drewett, Danny Smith, Paul Vines (Bobby George 68), Adolph Amoako (Wade Falana 74), Landry Zahana-Oni.  Subs: Edwin Mante, Paul Kember

Referee: Paul Faulkner
Assistants: Barry Gale & John Foss

To advertise here telephone Stephen McCartney 07979 418 360