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Bromley made to pay the penalty

Smith's late penalty denies Bromley deserved point

Fisher Athletic U18  3-2 Bromley U18
M.U.S.H. Kent Youth League Under 18 Northern Division
Sunday 7 March 2004
Stephen McCartney reports from The Surrey Docks Stadium

Bromley under eighteen manager Derek Parnham was pleased with his players for their performance, although the same cannot be said about match referee John Bradley at the Surrey Docks Stadium today.

Also, the Kent County Football Association have to organise assistant referee’s for all matches at this level as two volunteers, including Bromley youth team secretary, Dave Cairns took the assistants flags. 

The score was 2-2 with only four minutes remaining and Bradley failed to spot an elbow on Bromley skipper Chris Hill close to the centre circle.  Seconds later Bromley central defender James Falaise tangled with Robert Kassanger inside the penalty area and the man in black pointed to the penalty spot.

George Smith tucked home the resulting penalty kick to give the Docklands side, fourth in the table, all three points, even though Parnham’s side deserved at least a point with their performance.

Fisher’s Joe Flaherty flashed a thirty-five effort over the crossbar before the Docklands’ side took an eleventh minute lead.

Left winger, Danny Tipple, a constant threat to Bromley throughout the first half, crossed to the far post and the header across the face of goal was met by Robert Kassanger who slotted past Dean Cairns from close range.

Cairns was forced off the pitch with a calf injury to be replaced by raw goalkeeper Kunle Lanal, who didn’t disappoint the visiting side having made several good saves for the remainder of the game.

Michael Sibley battled for the ball in midfield before Edwin Mante, a first team squad member at Hayes Lane, drifted a thirty-yard effort narrowly wide of the right post.

Bromley deservedly drew level after 28 minutes when Ugur Ozemir’s low centre was fumbled by goalkeeper Charlie Farrelly allowing Alan Owens to place a shot into the net from eight yards.

Bromley then took control of the game but were nearly punished seven minutes before the break when Kassanger’s low drive bobbled narrowly wide of the right post.

Former Queen’s Park Rangers striker, Andrew Alphonso-Dalhouse fired a shot, which the Fisher goalkeeper was equal to.  At the other end, Lanal got his body fully behind two low shots from Tipple and Scott Manzi.

Bromley almost took the lead within the first minute of the second half but Ozdemir’s shot took a deflection before going over the crossbar.

Fisher increased their lead in the 50^th minute, however, when Terry White stabbed home following a scramble from Tipple’s flag kick.  It would be a surprise if Tipple fails to make the grade at Fisher’s first team squad on his performance against Bromley.

Once again, Bromley responded to going a goal behind and Sibley’s forty yard free kick bounced once before being safely gathered by Farrelly before Alphonso-Dalhouse was unlucky not to add to his five goals scored in their 12-1 win at West Wickham seven days earlier, as his header from Jamie Leggett’s corner kick, crashed off the crossbar.

Bromley deservedly equalised for the second time in the game after 56 minutes following a bright spell.  Facing a four man wall, James Falaise struck a right footed free kick from inside the D that gave the goalkeeper no chance, in fact he was static, as the ball flew into the top right corner of the net.

Lanal was then kept busy, making some very crucial saves from Tipple’s 25 yard free kick, Terry White’s clipped shot and from substitute Victor Mutendi.

White got the better of Sibley down the right channel but Lanal was equal to the low shot from six yards getting down low to smother the ball at the near post.

After his pace got Alphonso-Dalhouse into the penalty area, Bromley’s striker out jumped the goalkeeper but his finish lacked conviction as he seemed to want to walk the ball into the net, rolling  the ball wide of the foot of the left post whilst under pressure from a defender.

Lanal was beaten with thirteen minutes remaining but Leggett saved the day, acrobatically clearing the ball from underneath the crossbar, over the bar.

Moments later, Fisher substitute Jayce Doran should have scored when he beat a static Bromley defence but Lanal came off his line to block the shot.

Alphonso-Dalhouse should have given the visitors victory after 80 minutes when he latched onto Chris Hill’s long ball from midfield but the striker lobbed the ball over the crossbar from 12 yards when more composure would have given Bromley all three points.

But with four minutes remaining Smith’s spot kick beat Lanal and Parnham’s side come away with nothing when their performance throughout the game should have gained them at least a point.

Speaking after the game, Bromley manager Derek Parnham was satisfied with his players performance.

He said: “As I’ve said before, it’s the story of our season as we’ve had a few chances again and we dominated the game in long periods.

“For the last six weeks or more we’ve been playing football like today since we have released some players. The spirit is a lot higher now and we are playing football that we have been doing in training and it’s coming out onto the field of play.  It’s pleasing when you see that, when you get a group of players around that want to play and want to learn from you.  In my eyes, that’s very pleasing.  I think everybody that saw the game can say we were the better side today, we’ve played our football, and if we keep continuing like this and we get the younger age groups to play like that, we will have a very strong youth section at Bromley.”

Parnham praised substitute goalkeeper, Kunle Lanal, but admitted the understudy has a lot to learn especially with his distribution, but there cannot be any complaints with his shot stopping after replacing Dean Cairns (calf) after fourteen minutes.

Parnham added: “Kunle Lanal has had a couple of games for us before and he has been patient.  I’ll give him that 100% for being very patient with us.  Dean Cairns, as we know, has been signed for the first team but a few weeks ago Dean’s form dropped which coincided with him starting work at Tesco’s doing some manual work, which didn’t help him.  He looked tired and jaded so I decided to rest him for a couple of weeks, and brought Kunle in.  He has done a good job for us.  I admit, I had no hesitations putting him in today."

Parnham revealed: “I wasn’t enjoying the job to be honest at the beginning of the season but since a few players have been released it’s pleasing now that we’ve got out of the training pitch and it’s coming to fruition out on the park.  For me that’s very pleasing!”

Bromley's other results were:
Under 16 - Were beaten 4-0 at home to Sevenoaks Town
Under 15 - Drew 1-1 at home to Gravesend & Northfleet
Under 14 - Bromley beat Canterbury City 3-1 at home

Next Sunday (14 March)
Bromley play two games at their YMCA base at Grove Park Road in Mottingham next Sunday.  The under 18s entertain Long Lane and the under fourteen's face Ramsgate.  Meanwhile the under fifteen's make the long trip to Ramsgate.  All three games, however, kick off at 2.00pm.

Fisher Athletic: Charlie Farrelly, Jamie Edwards, Danny Tipple, George Smith, Dominic Casciato, Jason Stuart (Harry Fox 56), Alex Elliott (Victor Mutendi 67),Scott Manzi, Terry White, Robert Kassanger, Joe Flaherty

Bromley: Dean Cairns (Kunle Lanal 14), Michael Sibley, Peter Wilcox, Chris Hill, Jamie Leggett, James Falaise, Alan Owens (Jack Hicks 86), Ugur Ozdemir, Andrew Alphonso-Dalhouse, Edwin Mante, Ricky Hill (Joe Bell 90).  Subs: Tobi Mackinde, Sol Meer