bromvmetr151103

Thursday 01st September 2005

Players told to show some heart

Bromley 1-1 Metropolitan Police

Saturday 15 November 2003

Ryman League Division One South

by Stephen McCartney www.kentishfootball.co.uk

Bromley midfielder Bobby George has told his team-mates to "show some heart" as injury hit Bromley failed to beat third from bottom, Metropolitan Police at their Clive Christian Stadium in Hayes Lane.

George, who started only his third game of the campaign, has issued a wake-up call to his team-mates, as Bromley are now sitting in eleventh place in the Ryman League Division One South table.

He warned: "The lads have got to show a bit of heart and a bit of spirit, and they have to show they want to do it for Bromley!"

Bromley boss Eddie Saunders was missing the spine of his team due to injuries and suspensions. John Wilfort (3 games) and Jason McKoy (1 game) were both suspended and Joe Vines, Colin Luckett, Dean Forbes, Gary Drewett and Leroy Huggins were all watching from the sidelines injured.

Saunders was forced to give seventeen-year-old central defender John Butler, at the heart of the defence, and once again, he didn't let the team down, as Bromley were forced to switch to a 3-5-2 formation.

Two players were called from the Kent League for a place on the bench. Kwabena Amaning (Greenwich Borough) and young striker Nigel Pearce (Beckenham Town).

Danny Harwood, passed a pre-match fitness test, and denied Stuart Harte, who made a late run into the penalty area, before Bromley took a tenth minute lead.

Michael Harney crossed the ball over to the right hand side of the penalty area for Paul Vines to head into Adolph Amoako's path.

Goalkeeper Stuart Mackenzie came rushing off his line, but Amoako, who lost his footing, still managed to recover and scoop the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the net from sixteen yards, to score his ninth goal of the season.

Paul Kember was pushed over by Police's Ivo Albuquerque, but the match officials didn't see the offence and the visiting player avoided punishment.

But when John Butler chased the ball with Police substitute Bruno Mendonca and ran across him late in the game, referee Mr J Hopkins brandished a yellow card to the Bromley youngster.

Michael Parma should have done better after 39 minutes when he shot straight into Harwood's hands from close range before Vines headed onto the roof of the net from another Harney cross moments later.

Metropolitan Police saw a header from Albuquerque crash against the crossbar from twenty yards following Harte's flag kick after 41 minutes before Jon Daly lived up to his reputation when his rasping shot from 25 yards was palmed over the crossbar by Harwood.

Two minutes after the break, Daly was denied by Harwood, who plucked the header out of the air, before Dave Newman's header was well wide of the target following's Harte's high free kick to the far post.

George dwelled on the ball inside the Police penalty area and the ball was cleared to Amoako whose snap shot from outside the area flew high and wide of the goal, before Vines, who never stopped running during the 68 minutes he was on the pitch, drew a save from Mackenzie with a low shot.

Bromley's faithful urged on their team for the second strike throughout the second half and Police issued a warning after 77 minutes when Symon James' right footed strike from 25 yards bulleted wide.

But the Police drew level eight minutes from time as hardworking Bromley were denied three vital points.

Albuquerque delivered an up and under, hanging cross from the right hand side, and Bromley goalkeeper Harwood seemed to have everything under control on the goal-line at the far post.

Daly made an Ariel challenge on the goalkeeper, and this must have put the shot-stopper off as the ball found the back of the net from high inside the near post to gift the visitors an equaliser.

Police, who took four points of Bromley last season, almost stole a winner but Harwood saved Parma's low right footed shot on goal.

Bromley leave the pressure of league football behind them on Tuesday evening with a trip to Ryman Premier Division strugglers, Harrow Borough, in the second round of the Bryco Cup.

Bromley travel to Whyteleafe on Saturday before they host Croydon Athletic at Hayes Lane on Tuesday 25 November.

Bromley: Danny Harwood, Steve Potterill, Mark Willy, John Butler, Michael Harney, Paul Kember, Danny Smith (Capt), Mark Hammond, Paul Vines (Tony Reid 68), Adolph Amoako, Bobby George (David Smith 78). Subs: Andy Hunt, Nigel Pearce, Kwabena Amaning

Metropolitan Police: Stuart Mackenzie, Stuart Harte, Ivo Albuquerque, Kori Davis, Dave Newman, Paul Sears, Jon Daly (Capt), Carl Naylor, Michael Parma, Symon James, Scott Bennetts (Bruno Mendonca 66). Subs: Mark Harper, Matt Jones, Nick Sowden

Attendance: 287

Referee: Mr J Hopkins

Assistants: Mr W Atkin & Mr P Andrews