Kentish Football 
whytvbrom060104A
It
was a case of two points dropped for Bromley at Church Road on Tuesday and a
chance to climb from eleventh place in the Ryman League Division One South
table to sixth squandered but Alan Walker remains unbeaten as Bromley manager,
with two draws and a win in his opening three games in charge at Hayes Lane.
Bromley
did, however, climb up one spot to tenth in the table, but a sixth position
would have been a much happier position in the table for the Ravens going into
Saturday's home clash against Horsham, a side they beat 2-1 away in December.
Bromley got off to a whirlwind start and could have opened the scoring after only 12 seconds but in-form Adolph Amoako, cut inside two defenders before blasting his shot high over the far post.
Mark
Hammond and Bobby George enjoyed a lot of possession for the visitors in
the early exchanges and the latter should have scored when his pace got him
inside the Whyteleafe penalty area but instead of going for goal himself he
cut the ball across the face of goal and allowed the home defence to clear.
Mark
Willy, who joined the club in August from Kent League side Cray Wanderers, has
been a star find for Bromley this season. A superb tackle on the edge of his
penalty area denied Graham Harper progress towards goal after fifteen minutes.
Bromley
took a deserved lead after 24 minutes. A
raid down the left saw Peter Overton’s measured cross cut out by a defender.
His header went as far as Adolph Amoako whose looping header sailed
over goalkeeper Danny Rose and dropped into the back of the net for his tenth
league goal of the season.
Ten
minutes later, Bromley midfielder, John Wilfort struck a half-volley outside
the penalty area over the crossbar before another chance for the visitors went
begging three minutes later.
Former
Chatham Town and Tonbridge Angels defender, Andy Larkin met Hammond’s corner
at the near post with a powerful header that flew wide of the left upright
when well placed.
The
home side looked dangerous from set-pieces all evening so it was no surprise
they scored from one with five minutes before the interval.
Ali
Reeve wasn’t picked up by the Bromley defence, and his powerful header at
the near post gave goalkeeper Andy Hunt no chance to claw the home side back
from the dead.
An
inspired half-time talk by new Whyteleafe manager Stuart Massey sparked the
home side into life and Hunt was alert to save Dominic Barclay’s downward
header at his near post five minutes into the second half.
Bromley then had a couple of
chances to take the lead in as many minutes.
Hammond’s cross was over hit for George at the far post but he
managed to hook the ball across the face of the penalty area, but Amoako
couldn’t incur any damage.
Another Amoako shot bounced
wide of the right upright as he tried to add to the fourteen goals he has
scored this season.
Bromley goalkeeper,
Andy Hunt, making only his fourth start the current campaign, as Walker looks
at every player in the Bromley squad, pulled off a fine save, pushing
Wilfort’s header over his own crossbar.
The home side went close
again on the hour when Mark Dickinson’s floated cross dropped wide of the
far post.
With 24 minutes remaining,
Whyteleafe goalkeeper and skipper, Danny Rose was called into action.
He rushed off his line to block George’s effort after the former
Whyteleafe striker beat the last defender. The shot narrowly missed the foot
of the left post before the introduction of target man Wade Falana gave
Bromley much more aerial presence upfront.
Bromley boss Walker was
forced into making another substitution replacing Willy (head injury) for
Michael Harney.
Amoako almost stole the three points with fifteen minutes remaining. Rose’s clearance ricochet of the Bromley striker but the goalkeeper grasped the ball inside the six yard box as Amoako kicked towards goal.
Appeals for a Whyteleafe penalty were turned down by referee Irvine Woodward and Bromley goalkeeper, Hunt launched a long clearance but George clipped the shot wide of the left post.
It was Whyteleafe’s first league draw in 25 attempts.
Bromley manager, Alan Walker said: "I am disappointed to get a point as we were the better side on the night and we restricted them to having chances from set pieces. We did, however, cause them a lot of problems during the game.
"I am delighted with the effort and attitude shown by the players. I have been manager at Bromley for three games now, winning once and drawing twice. This is ok, but it could be better with nine points from these three games."
Horsham are the visitors to The Clive Christian Stadium, Hayes Lane on Saturday (3pm) before Walker's previous club, Tonbridge Angels visit in the Kent Senior Cup Quarter-finals in a mouth-watering clash on Tuesday 13th January (7.45pm).
Whyteleafe: Danny Rose (Capt), Danny Bower, Darren Flaherty, Nigel Golley, Mark Dickinson, Matt Kember, Graham Harper (Michael Riley 87), Ali Reeve, Dominic Barclay, Mark Tompkins, Chris Dickson. Subs: Peter Garland, Leigh Douce, Dave Stevens, Bryon Brown
Bromley: Andy Hunt, Danny
Smith (Capt), Mark Willy (Michael Harney 73), Andy Larkin, Colin Luckett,
Peter Overton, Sam Tydeman, Mark Hammond (John Myatt 83), Bobby George, Adolph
Amoako, John Wilfort (Wade Falana 66). Subs:
Steve Potterill, Danny Harwood
Attendance: 241
Referee: Irvine Woodward
Assistants: Mr Pearce & Mr Scott
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd