Bromley bombed by Slough
Slough Town 4-2 Bromley
Wednesday 12 November 2003
Ryman League Division One South
Victory against Metropolitan Police is a must for Bromley at
Hayes Lane on Saturday, if the side are to fulfil the club's ambitions for a
place in the top six at the end of this season and promotion back into the
Ryman League top flight.
Bromley, however, found themselves 2-0 down after only 151
seconds of the game, as Andy Hunt, making only his second start of the season
in between the sticks, was beaten from Ian Hodge's striker (56 seconds) and
Ryan Spencer.
Matt Miller was inches away from heading home a third for
Slough after nine minutes before shell-shocked Bromley forced a corner and
Tony Reid headed over from Mark Hammond's flag kick.
Another corner from Hammond, after fourteen minutes, was headed
wide by captain Dean Forbes' after Reid's downward header was tipped over the
crossbar by Alan Foster.
Reid was guilty of missing a gilt-edged chance after 16 minutes
when he fired wide of the left upright from close range following another
Hammond flag kick that left the bench with their heads in their hands.
That miss proved costly for Bromley, as the home side scored
their third goal, from the penalty spot, conceded by a rash challenge from Joe
Vines.
Spencer slotted home from the resulting penalty kick to give
clinical Slough Town a 3-0 lead after only twenty minutes.
Bromley's fans were a credit to their team
throughout this nightmare and ironically began to sing "4-3, we're going to
win 4-3" and their hopes were helped when a Mark Hammond cross from the right
was put into his own net by Slough defender Michael Murphy after 25 minutes.
These hopes were dashed five minutes later, however, as Slough
scored their fourth goal. Hunt came rushing off his line, but Matt Miller got
between the goalkeeper and Vines outside the penalty area to roll the ball
into an empty net.
To their
credit, Bromley showed more pride and character throughout the second half, and
won the final forty-five minutes 1-0, as the home side failed to add to the four
goals they scored during the first 30 minutes.
Michael
Harney's whipped in free kick was headed wide by Bromley's Dean Forbes before
Reid fired high over the crossbar moments later.
Even though
their side were 4-1 down, the twenty or so Bromley supporters that made the long
journey to Windsor, cheered on their battered hero's, and out sung the Slough
faithful.
The
introduction of Paul Vines, for Reid, after 68 minutes added spark to the
Bromley forward line, and it was Paul Vines who set up Adolph Amoako, but his
shot after 73 minutes was saved by Foster.
With ten
minutes remaining, Paul Vines' shot from the edge of the penalty area, was
tipped over the crossbar by Foster for a corner.
From Harney's resulting
corner, the ball was headed towards goal by Forbes, and Danny Smith, standing
close to the right upright, headed the ball home from close range to score
Bromley's second goal with ten painful minutes remaining.
Slough Town:
Alan Foster, Adrian Brown, Paul Barrowcliff (Chris Payne 65), Steve Daly (Capt)
(Mark Bartley 41), Michael Murphy, Freddie Hyatt, Alex Haddow, Ryan Spencer, Ian
Hodge, Matt Miller, Glen Harris (Danny Steer 18). Sub: Rav Braith
Bromley:
Andy Hunt, Steve Potterill, Mark Willy, Joe Vines, Michael Harney, Dean Forbes
(Capt), Jason McKoy, Mark Hammond (Paul Kember 67), Tony Reid (Paul Vines 68),
Adolph Amoako, John Wilfort (Danny Smith 24). Subs: Dean Cairns, John Butler
Attendance:
251
Referee: Mr
M Scholes, Assistants: Mr A Piggott and Mr J Mellor
Kentish Football 
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd