stainvbrom090304

Do Bromley have the desire to succeed?
Staines Town 3-1 Bromley
Ryman League Division One South
Tuesday 9 March 2004
by Stephen McCartney

That is the question every Bromley supporter who travelled to their last two away games wants to know the answer to!

Bromley manager Stuart McIntyre admitted his side's chances finishing in the top six at the end of the season were slim after their last two away defeats, 4-3 at Tooting & Mitcham last Saturday and 3-1 at Staines Town, saw the Hayes Lane club drop to eleventh place in the Ryman League Division One South table.

If Bromley don't pull their socks up in the last ten games they will be playing at the lowest level of football in their 112-year history next season if they don't finish in the top six on Saturday 1st May.

Even though Bromley created and missed a hatful of chances, it was Staines Town, sitting in seventh place that finished in a clinical manner and jump up to fifth in the table.

Home goalkeeper Matthew Lovett was in action after only ten seconds denying Bobby George high in the air as the home side lost possession after the Middlesex side actually kicked the game off.

The visitors started at a high tempo and went close again when Paul Kember's low diagonal pass cut out Staines skipper Matt Flitter for Wade Falana to crash a shot wide of the near post after a penetrating run.

Another chance fell to Bobby George, from a Luckett cross, but the ball bounced once on its way into Lovett's grasp.

Staines, however, scored from their first shot on goal when Keize Ibe's eighteen-yard shot flew over Knight and into the centre of the net after only eleven minutes.

Falana's header from a Danny Smith cross was saved by Lovett before clinical Staines doubled their advantage after 17 minutes.

Jermaine Hunter had two bites of the cherry of Bromley central defender Mark Willy before slotting the ball low into the left corner of the net from a shot from inside the penalty area.

Two minutes later, Kevin George lashed a long range shot over Lovett's bar before Bromley skipper John Myatt urged his side to "believe in themselves and each other".

Luckett's cross gave Falana another headed chance after 32 minutes but the passionate target-man headed high over the left upright.

Bromley's loyal and long-suffering fans, who follow their side everywhere, at least had something to shout about in the 37th minute when the ball finally found the back of the Staines net.

Falana timed his run to perfection down the right channel and centred low across goal, where a defender slipped, allowing Bobby George to rifle the shot high into the net to score his sixth goal of the campaign.

Bromley's season appeared to have died on the hour mark.  Danny Smith unnecessary rushed a free kick and Staines comfortably cleared up field.  The ball bounced over John Wilfort close to the half way line and sent Ibe on his way down the left flank.  Smith committed himself to early ending up on his backside and Ibe reached the by-line.

Worse was to follow seconds later for Bromley as Luckett tried to chest the ball back to his goalkeeper but Hunter nipped in first to fire a low shot into the bottom left hand corner of the net from close range.

Seven minutes later some magic on the ball from Gavin Tomlin paved a chance for Ibe who drilled a low shot from 20 yards narrowly wide of the left post before Hunter shot wide of the opposite post shortly afterwards.

Bromley manager Stuart McIntyre brought on Adolph Amoako for the final nineteen minutes, hoping the hit-man could add two more goals to his tally of twenty so far this season.

Amoako, however, at least tested the home goalkeeper twice in as many minutes, before the home side were reduced to ten men with seven minutes remaining when Richard Gell was shown his second yellow card of the game.

Bromley manager Stuart McIntyre added: "We have not done ourselves justice in the last two games, although we can again look at individual errors and soft goals against us and missed chances at the other end.

"We need to dig deep all round and get back to winning ways.

"It would be easy to be very critical and identify players who have given the ball away cheaply or made memorable errors!  We need to stick together and find the desire to get over the line.

"Finishing in the top six is very much within our capability - but we are making it hard." said the positive Scot.

Corinthian Casuals are the visitors to The Clive Christian Stadium, Hayes Lane on Saturday (3pm) before the Ravens travel to league leaders Lewes next Tuesday (7.45pm) and strugglers Egham Town (Saturday 20th)


Staines Town: Matt Lovett, Richard Gell (sent off 83), Jon McDonald, Steve Battams, Matt Flitter (Capt), Julian Sills, Gavin Tomlin, Danny Thomas, Kezie Ibe, Jermaine Hunter (Danny Rouco 83), Jon Henry-Hayden.  Subs: Dean Pitcher, Craig Maskell, Mark Jones, Trent Phillips

Bromley: Glen Knight, Danny Smith, Colin Luckett, John Wilfort, Mark Willy, Paul Kember (Steve Potterill 81), Kevin George, John Myatt (Capt), Bobby George (Adolph Amoako 71), Wade Falana, Jason McKoy.  Subs: Paul Vines, Michael Harney, Danny Harwood

Attendance: 176
Referee: Sean Comerford
Assistants: Marvin Thompson & Ola Alli