wortvbrom081103

Thursday 01st September 2005

Worthing deserve victory

Worthing 2-1 Bromley

Saturday 8 November 2003

Ryman League Division One South

by Stephen McCartney www.kentishfootball.co.uk

Bromley goalkeeper Danny Harwood faces a rush against time to be fit for Wednesday's trip to Stag Meadow in Windsor for their game against Slough Town after being forced off the pitch with a hamstring injury.

Harwood collected a loose ball on the edge of his penalty area with nineteen minutes left on the clock and threw the ball out for a Worthing throw to receive treatment before he was replaced five minutes later by substitute goalkeeper Andy Hunt.

But the damage to Bromley, unbeaten in their last seven Ryman League matches, had already been done, against a home side who were the best side Bromley had faced in their fourteen league matches so far this season.

Mark Willy was beaten by Worthing's man of the match Florian Mateos down the right flank inside the first five minutes and his cross should have been cleared by Joe Vines, but the Bromley central defender kicked thin air. Worthing skipper Paul Rogers took a swipe, and missed the ball, inside the area, before Mateos follow up shot was blocked for a corner kick.

The home side took a deserved eighth minute lead when prolific hit man Gavin Geddes received the ball out on the left hand side of the Bromley penalty. His fifteen yard shot flew past the diving Harwood and into the top far corner of the net to score his tenth goal of the campaign.

Mateos brought the ball down under control before firing over the crossbar from sixteen yards from a central position, as for the first time this season, Bromley's solid defence were all at sea.

Bromley first attack came after seventeen minutes. Midfielder John Wilfort, who starts a three match ban against Metropolitan Police next Saturday, played a delightful first time pass from the middle of the park, that found Mark Hammond down the right, but his shot was off target.

Worthing were awarded a 19th minute penalty when Willy, who was the only defender inside the penalty area, against two Worthing strikers, was adjudged to have fouled Mark Pulling at the near post.

Sam Francis, however, blasted the ball high and over the middle of the goal from the resulting right footed penalty kick.

Adolph Amoako won the visitors a corner and from Michael Harney's flag kick the ball was cleared to Vines outside the penalty area. He was forced wide by Worthing's dreadlocked dangerman, Ben Carrington, but Vines managed to force another corner kick, as his cross struck Carrington on the left by-line.

Vines' industry, however, lead to Bromley scoring their 24th minute equaliser.

Hammond's corner kick was headed by Vines at the far post and Amoako's effort was blocked by the defence. The ball dropped to Tony Reid and his shot managed to creep over the line despite efforts from goalkeeper Ross Standen, who dived on the ball, to try to stop it crossing the line.

The goal was given by the assistant referee on the far side of the ground, and six minutes later, Reid's header was well wide of the left upright following Wilfort's cross.

Mateos had two chances for Worthing inside the first five minutes of the second half; his first shot was straight at Harwood, before his second, a 20 yard left footed volley screamed over the crossbar.

Between these chances, Standen got his body fully behind the ball from Amoako's 16 yard left footed low shot.

Worthing scored their deserved winning goal after 58 minutes.

Mateos' skill lit up a cold and dark Worthing day, and from the left by-line, outside the penalty area, he delivered a perfect cross to the far post. Paul Rogers' got to the ball before Harwood to powerfully head into the net from close range.

Slack defending almost gifted the home side a third goal after 78 minutes. Francis', was given the ball by a poor back header from Vines, but Harwood saved the shot at the near post.

Substitute goalkeeper Andy Hunt, can be pleased with his performance in the closing stages, as Bromley's back line protected him.

James Gardner, who replaced Wilfort, summed up Bromley's poor showing on the coast, when he blazed high over Standen's goal from the edge of the D before Mark Knee curled the ball over the bar after he won the ball off a grounded Vines.

Bromley travel to Windsor's Stag Meadow, St Leonards Road home to play Slough Town on Wednesday 12 November (7.45pm) before they return to their Hayes Lane base next Saturday (15 November, 3pm) to play Metropolitan Police.

Worthing: Ross Standen, Florian Mateos, Mark Knee, Andrew Beech, Ross Johnson, Mark Pulling, Ben Carrington, Paul Rogers (Capt), Sam Francis (Chris Dicker 70), Gavin Geddes (Richard Carter 90), Owen Hill. Sub: Darren Freeman

Bromley: Danny Harwood (Andy Hunt 76), Danny Smith, Mark Willy, Joe Vines, Michael Harney, Dean Forbes (Capt), Jason McKoy, Mark Hammond (Leroy Huggins 79), Tony Reid, Adolph Amoako, John Wilfort (James Gardner 70). Subs: John Butler, Bobby George

Attendance: 400

Referee: Mr S Creighton

Assistants: S Waterson and I Thomson