Bromley 0-4 Charlton Athletic - We're still finalising our squad, says Bromley's Murray Jones

BROMLEY  0-4  CHARLTON ATHLETIC
Pre-Season Friendly
Wednesday 27^th July 2011
Stephen McCartney reports from Hayes Lane

BROMLEY assistant manager Murray Jones took plenty of positives despite losing their third pre-season friendly on the spin.

Mark Goldberg’s new-look side started their campaign with victory over League Two side Gillingham but they have suffered defeats to lower league sides in Cray Wanderers (Ryman Premier League) and Kent League side Erith & Belvedere.

But there was no sign of panic from Jones as during the first half the Blue Square Bet South side more than matched their League One opponents and created some decent openings against their full-time counterparts.

Trialist goalkeeper, Dean Santangelo, 18, who is expected to sign for the Lillywhites on a work-experience deal from Championship club Reading, was beaten by a Jason Euell strike during an even first half, but Charlton Athletic’s superior fitness told as they added three second half goals as substitutes Tosan Popo, Callum Harriott and Ade Azeez capitalised on a tired Bromley side.

Jones, 46, who was interviewed inside the referee’s changing room afterwards, was pleased with the performance form his side.

“We felt there was lots of positives, especially in the first half,” said Jones, who also runs the club’s academy.

“We felt we had a lot of the possession, lots of chances and the new players’ made a good contribution as well.  We felt everyone made a good impression as to where they are in their fitness and the game plan we’d like to play to.

“Everything was really positive, even though they scored and we came in 1-0 (down) at the break, we felt that wasn’t a deserved result but there was lots of good things to look forward to and where we are at this stage of the season we can only benefit from this performance and build from it.”

Reflecting on the second half, Jones said: “We made substitutions, we tired a little bit and they grew stronger and they had some very experienced players out there as well.  They’re full time professionals and they probably grew stronger as the game progressed where we were struggling really to contain them, but lots of positives, things to look out for. 

“There were some good individual performances, especially in the first half and even though it was a 4-0 defeat and we are somewhat disappointed, we feel there’s enough positives out there to draw onto.”

Bromley, who went into the game without midfielder Harry Harding (ankle), impressed during the first half and big and powerful target man Hakeem Araba, 21, who played Ryman League football for East Thurrock United last season, stood out as a main threat.

“I’ve worked with Akeem when he was a young boy,” revealed Jones.  “He’s got good potential, he’s a young player who Mark (Goldberg) went to watch and we’ve done a deal with Hakeem and he’s signed for us this year.

“We believe he has the potential to go on and play at a higher level and albeit if he can take Bromley with us, and we can work with him as he adds something different to what we’ve got at the moment in terms of our strikers.  He made a real good impression on his first game.”

Santangelo, who relegated Paul Agu to the bench after last season’s reserve team keeper shipped in four goals against Micky Collins’ side at the weekend, made a routine save to deny French trialist Alexis Honore inside the opening two minutes.

Bromley’s long throw specialist, right-back Ugo Udoji, used his feet to great effect as he whipped in an excellent cross into the Charlton penalty area but a towering Orlando Smith rose above Simon Francis and planted his header over from a tight angle.

Santangelo was called into making his first save in the 10^th minute when Bradley Pritchard robbed Smith and drilled an angled left-footed drive, which the keeper palmed up into the air and caught the ball underneath his crossbar.

Jones said of the new goalkeeper, “We’ve brought in a young goalkeeper from Reading today, who done very well and hopefully we’ll be looking to do a deal with Reading so we can have that young player in between the posts for us.

“We’ve worked with Reading before when Harry Harding came to us and they took him from us so we’ve got a good relationship with the guys’ there. 

“Dean will be a good acquisition for us and certainly the goalkeeper will gain great experience.”

Bromley squandered their best chance to open the scoring halfway through the first half.

Smith’s energy saw the him burst into the left channel and he cut the ball back to the stalwart Tutu Henriques and the skipper cracked a right-footed shot from 22-yards, which was heading towards the top far corner, but Charlton keeper Conor Gough dived full-length to his left to produce a quality finger-tip save and he was relieved to see Araba blast the rebound agonisingly wide of the post from close range.

Bromley were made to pay for that miss, as Euell, 34, who played Premier League football for Blackpool last season, snatched the League One club a 28^th minute lead.

Bromley couldn’t prevent Freddie Warren making inroads through the middle and his pass was flicked on by Euell and Bradley Pritchard’s shot was parried by the Bromley keeper and Euell drilled an angled right-footed shot across Santangelo to find the bottom far corner.

Bromley could have twice been awarded penalties after Araba was tripped by Francis (12 minutes) and Yado Mambo just past the half-hour mark.

Ugoji’s long throws were certainly a weapon for Bromley, as central midfielder Danny Waldren glanced a near post header into Gough’s arms in their final first half chance.

Bromley boss Goldberg made three changes at the break as left-back Marlon Patterson, central defender Joe Dolan and striker Gareth Williams were replaced by Nathan Green, Rob Gilman and Danny Hockton.

But Hockton failed to trouble Charlton’s substitute goalkeeper Nick Pope, although his partner up front, Tamer Tuna was desperate to score against his former club.

Charlton Athletic, however, stepped up a gear and they should have doubled their lead inside the opening eight minutes.

Attacking right-back Francis made a 50-yard sprint just inside the touchline beating Green for pace and he whipped in an excellent cross towards Popo at the far post and he headed the ball back for Warren to blast a hooked volley over.

But Charlton broke Bromley’s rear guard for the second time, immediately after Goldberg made another couple of changes.

The Addicks got a lucky break as the ball fell kindly for Popo, who slid a right-footed angled shot underneath Santangelo, which nestled into the bottom far corner.

Tuna unleashed a low right-footed shot which flashed wide of Pope’s post but Charlton produced free-flowing football through the heart of the Bromley defence when Warren and Popo exchanged passes and Warren shot straight at the Bromley keeper.

But he was beaten for a third time in the 79^th minute when following good industry from Warren, Harriott’s left-footed drive skimmed off the turf and flashed past the outstretched left arm of the diving Santangelo to find the bottom far corner.

Charlton wrapped up the victory five minutes later when following Harriot’s left-footed corner from the left, the Bromley defence failed to pick up Azeez, who powered a header into the roof of the net.

Despite players’ putting pen to paper tonight, Jones was keeping tight-lipped as to which players have done so, although Bromley based central defender, Liam Harwood, 23, revealed he has re-signed for the club tonight and long-serving skipper, Tutu Henriques, 29, has followed suit.

A number of players that featured tonight have previously played for the club and Jones said: “There’s a lot of players who have been around, Tutu has been around, Tutu has been here a long time, Harry Harding has played, Gareth Williams has come back (from Ebbsfleet United), Ryan Dolby (Welling United) as it happens in non-league football.

“Things can change, managers have changed, Mark has come back.  I’ve joined up with Mark again.  We’re aware of a lot of these players.  A lot of these players have been at the club at some time, bringing them all together and that’s what we’ve tried to do.

“We’re trying to get the mix, the right mix of youthfulness and experience of players that have played at this level and we feel very positive of where we are at this moment in time for the first game of the season.

When asked who has put pen to paper on deals, Jones was rather coy.

“Do you know what, I’m just going to hold fire on that at the moment, it’s still ongoing,” said Jones.

“We’re still looking to tighten things up a little bit and speak to some of the players and to finalise our squad.  Most of the players we’ve seen have come through our pre-season programme with us.  We’re still finalising our squad for the upcoming Blue Square Bet Conference South season.”

But Jones confirmed that Bromley will run with an eighteen man squad, with academy prospects Aaron Rhule, 17, and Jake Britnell, 19, coming in as extra players when required.

He said: “We’ve got the budget to run to.  I help run the Academy programme as well so I can benefit some of the younger players like Aaron Rhule and Jake Britnell.

“We can probably run with a squad of 18 players, who will hopefully stand us in good stead for the season – and we will have some younger players around.”  

Meanwhile, Bromley have been drawn at home to Charlton Athletic in the Second Round of the Kent Senior Cup.

Bromley: Dean Santangelo, Ugo Udoji, Mark Patterson (Nathan Green 46), Danny Waldren, Joe Dolan (Rob Gilman 46), Liam Harwood, Orlando Smith (Jake Britnell 72), Tutu Henriques, Gareth Williams (Danny Hockton 46), Hakeem Araba (Aaron Rhule 62), Ryan Dolby (Tamar Tuna 61).
Sub: Paul Agu.

Charlton Athletic: Conor Gough (Nick Pope 46), Simon Francis, Cedric Evina (Morgan Fox 61), Bradley Pritchard (Mikel Alonso 46), Gary Doherty, Yado Mambo, Ruben Bover (Callum Harriott 51), Freddie Warren, Jason Euell (Ade Azeez 76), Alexis Honore (Tosan Popo 46), Ben Davisson (Semi Ajayi 85).

Goals: Jason Euell 28, Tosan Popo 63, Callum Harriott 79, Ade Azeez 84

Attendance:  700 (Estimate – Bromley didn’t provide an official attendance figure)
Referee: Mr Ian Bentley (West Wickham)
Assistants: Mr Freddie Collins (Beckenham) & Mr Alexis Stacchini (Orpington)
Fourth Official: Mr Ian Crouch (Orpington)