lewesvbrom160304

Thursday 01st September 2005

Clinical Lewes finishing is a set-back for Bromley

Striker Falana praises tremendous Bromley support

Lewes 3-1 Bromley

Tuesday 16 March 2004

Ryman League Division One South

by Stephen McCartney

Bromley striker Wade Falana praised the club's traveling contingent for their excellent support at The Dripping Pan on Tuesday night, despite their side conceding three second half goals after taking the lead, to come away from east Sussex pointless.

The Bromley fans were loyal, passionate and well behaved throughout the ninety minutes and were a credit to their club, also earning praise from a Lewes club official.

Speaking after the game, passionate Falana, an 81st minute substitute, said: "The fans were tremendous, coming all the way down to Lewes tonight. I'm biased but I think we have the best fans in the league. I hope we can win some games for them and see where it takes us."

Bromley manager Stuart McIntyre was without goalkeeper Glen Knight for this clash. The goalkeeper, on loan from Nationwide Conference side, Dagenham & Redbridge, is training to become a fireman and couldn't get away from a training drill near London Bridge for the long trip into east Sussex.

Therefore, long-serving goalkeeper, Danny Harwood made his 251st appearance for the Hayes Lane club.

Second placed Lewes, paraded two former Bromley players, Joe Vines and Kirk Watts, the first time the two have played against their former club. Unfortunately, Vines was forced off with a knee injury after 21 minutes and Watts made way for former Dulwich Hamlet man Peter Adeniyi four minutes before time.

The game was marred with match referee Ian Gosling sending three players off near the end of the game.

Lewes substitute Justin Harris was brandished a straight red card after squaring up to Bobby George after 73 minutes, only nine minutes after coming off the bench.

Four minutes later, Bromley's Mark Willy and Lewes' Junior Kadi were also shown straight red cards after a melee, where Kadi allegedly kicked Willy whilst the Bromley defender was on the ground.

Back to the action, Bromley boss Stuart McIntyre got his tactics spot on, as Bromley tried to clip the ball down the right channel to expose Junior Harvey - famous for "So Solid Crew".

However, Lewes' Dwain Clarke was a constant threat down the left flank but Bromley had the title chasing side within touching distance in the opening high tempo exchanges.

Bromley goalkeeper Harwood was tested after seven minutes from a long range effort before Mark Willy was forced into drastic action, heading a whipped in Clarke cross over his crossbar.

Bromley's leading goalscorer, Adolph Amoako scored his 22nd goal of the season, as Bromley took the lead after only twenty minutes to stun the Dripping Pan faithful.

Ever reliable Michael Harney made ground of some 30 yards down the left before squaring to Kevin George who made a simple pass back to skipper John Myatt.

Myatt played the ball to Frenchman Landry Zahana-Oni whose close control allowed him to feed Amoako ahead of him and the prolific striker unleashed an unstoppable shot from sixteen yards into the top left hand corner.

With Lewes wearing AC Milan's red and black striped shirts and Bromley wearing Juventus' black and white striped shirts, it was Lewes with pizza on their faces.

Just before the hour mark, the buzzing visitors almost increased their lead. Despite losing his footing, Bromley's talented midfielder, Gary Drewett touched the ball to right wing-back Steve Potterill who raced down the right channel.

Cutting inside to take the ball past Harvey, the South African curled a shot over the left upright.

Another chance came Bromley's way after 33 minutes when Harney's high cross was headed wide of the right post by Amoako, who was closely marked at the far post by Harvey.

But had Kevin George kept his composure on the stroke of half time, Bromley would have gained at least a point from their heroics in east Sussex.

Home goalkeeper Dominique Jean-Zepherin failed to get any distance from a clearance and Clarke's header also put the home side under pressure.

However, with the goalkeeper off his line, the Bromley midfielder lost his composure outside the penalty area, his chip failed to trouble the goalkeeper who saved acrobatically, making a comfortable save diving to his left.

Former Bromley winger, Watts tried his luck from 35 yards to score against his old club, but his rasping shot from a central position, was straight at the expectant goalkeeper.

They say manager's earn their money during the half time break. Lewes manager Steven King certainly rallied his battered troops and Bromley lost their way, giving the ball away in key areas. This was the case as Lewes drew level within two minutes of the re-start.

Warren Haughton, who received the sponsor's man of the match award, slipped the ball to Marc Whiteman who slid the ball past Harwood and into the corner of the net to score his eighteenth goal of the season.

The goal woke up the home faithful, who were silent towards the end of the first half as their side were battered by McIntyre's men.

Zahana-Oni, a shadow of the player he was during his first spell at Bromley in 1996, shot weakly at the Lewes goalkeeper from 22 yards before Mark Willy headed a Colin Luckett free kick straight into the goalkeeper's arms under pressure at the far post.

Clinical Lewes took the lead after 57 minutes when a surging run from highly-rated Clarke down the left flank found Houghton at the far post whose flicked header found the corner of the net.

Moments later, Bromley midfielder, Drewett was brought down two yards inside the penalty box but appeals for a penalty were turned down by referee Ian Gosling, who was to steal the show later on in the battle of the heavyweights.

McIntyre made a double swoop after 62 minutes replacing goalscorer Amoako and Zahana-Oni with a fresh pair of legs up front with Paul Vines and Bobby George coming on. Lewes substitute Justin Harris replaced Danny Davis for his short nine minute foray.

Lewes wrapped up the three points to keep the pressure on league leaders Windsor & Eton, scoring their third in the 70th minute.

John Wilfort tried his utmost to clear Whiteman's cross from the right flank but the ball found Haughton at the far post and he placed the ball past the advancing Harwood.

After squaring up to Bobby George, Harris received a straight red card leaving the home side with only ten men on the pitch for the remaining seventeen minutes.

Lewes were happy to sit back for the remaining minutes and allowed Bromley to throw everything at them but they found goalkeeper Jean Zepherin in world class form.

The French goalkeeper tipped efforts from Paul Vines and Bobby George over the bar before Drewett drilled a shot over the crossbar.

However, a melee in the 77th minute reduced numbers further. Once calm was restored and both teams were separated with Bromley skipper John Myatt calming down his players, the match officials gathered their views on the matter.

Mark Willy (Bromley) and Junior Kadi (Lewes) were both sent off and with a one man advantage Bromley were unlucky not to pull at least one goal back.

Bobby George fired over from 28 yards before Paul Vines' header was saved before the goalkeeper got his body behind a Drewett right footed shot.

More chances for the visitors followed with Harney blasting over the bar but the save of the game came from Luckett's goalbound 22 yard free kick. Without a wall, the former Kingstonian player, fired a shot towards the far corner of the net, but from nowhere Jean Zepherin dived to his left to push the shot around the post.

If eighth placed Bromley, only two points from the coveted top six, take their first half performance for 90 minutes at Egham Town on Saturday, there is no doubt they will collect three points from the Surrey side, currently third from bottom in the table, but Bromley can ill-afford any more league defeats.

Although disappointed conceding three goals, Bromley goalkeeper Danny Harwood thinks his side can finish in the top six.

Harwood said: "Excellent first half, our tactics tonight were spot on. Lewes were restricted to long shots, they had one chance in the first half, obviously I made the save early doors and we got the confidence from there.

"Adolph (Amoako) scored an absolutely tremendous goal and unfortunately we didn't build on it again.

"However, in the second half it was a case of us giving the ball away in silly area's and they capitalised. Three chances, three goals but we could have won the game 8-3 in the end with the amount of chances we had! Same old story, we're not tucking the ball away when we should do.

"We can't afford another defeat but were not out of it yet. We just have to be confident and I am confident we can finish in the top six.

"We have eight league games to go, there is no reason why we can't pick up at least six wins. We just have to brush ourselves down again and pick ourselves up and go into the next game at Egham Town on Saturday.

"Lewes is always a tough place to come and get a result, the first half looked as though we were going to get the result, but unfortunately it didn't happen and we just have to go on and get on with it."

Striker Falana added: "Lewes done well in the second half, but to be fair we didn't keep the ball in midfield and we gave the ball away twice in a matter of minutes and they capitalised on that.

"I thought Stuart (McIntyre) got the tactics spot on and in the first half we deserved to go 1-0 up. It's just a lack of concentration to be fair, it looked really comfortable.

"It's a real big setback because the boys really worked hard tonight and didn't deserve the 3-1 defeat, if I am honest with you.

"Egham Town away is a massive game now, we are running out of games but tonight was an unfortunate occasion. It wasn't for the want of trying, the boys played really well."

Lewes: Dominique Jean-Zepherin, Joe Vines (Jay Lovett 21), Junior Harvey, Paul Kennett, Danny Davis (Justin Harris 62, sent off 73), Marc Cable (Capt), Kirk Watts (Peter Adeniyi 86), Dwain Clarke, Marc Whiteman, Junior Kadi (sent off 77), Warren Haughton. Subs: Lee Newman, Mark Watson

Bromley: Danny Harwood, Steve Potterill, Colin Luckett, John Wilfort, Mark Willy (sent off 77), John Myatt (Capt), Gary Drewett, Kevin George (Wade Falana 81), Michael Harney, Adolph Amoako (Paul Vines 62), Landry Zahana-Oni (Bobby George 62). Subs: Danny Smith, Jason McKoy

Attendance: 314

Referee: Ian Gosling

Assistants: K Pope & S Roots