Bromley 0-2 Eastbourne Borough - We were awful, admits Bromley boss Mark Goldberg

Saturday 30th March 2013

BROMLEY 0-2 EASTBOURNE BOROUGH
Blue Square Bet South
Easter Saturday 30 March 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Hayes Lane

BROMLEY manager Mark Goldberg admitted his team were awful and failed to play as a team after they were dragged into another relegation dog-fight.

The Ravens went into the game sitting in eleventh-place in the Blue Square Bet (Conference) South, but after losing to Staines Town and now Eastbourne Borough in the past seven days they have slipped down a couple of places and the Kent club are looking over their shoulder with seven league games remaining.

Second half goals from Eastbourne Borough right-back Ben Adelsbury and right-winger Simon Johnson sees the east Sussex outfit climb up three places into fifteenth place – just four points behind Bromley, who have 45 points from 35 games.

Bromley are only seven points clear of relegation and must win at third-from-bottom AFC Hornchurch on Easter Monday to prevent the torment their loyal fans put up with last season when they beat the drop in the last week of the season.

Bromley announced in the week that club captain Ali Fuseini has left the club after making 59 appearances, scoring six goals, and has secured a pay rise to sign for league rivals Sutton United.

Versatile youngster, Aaron Rhule, meanwhile, has signed dual-registration forms with Hastings United, who are battling against relegation in the Ryman Premier League.

Goldberg said: “Well, we couldn’t agree terms, we couldn’t offer Ali what he needed so we had to let him go. We didn’t want him to go, but we had no alternative because when other clubs come in and they make offers that we’re not in a position to offer. We had to be responsible from the business point of view so the club can’t go beyond to what it’s able to afford, so there’s nothing we could do about Ali Fuseini.”

Goldberg added: “As far as Aaron is concerned we want him to get as much experience as we can at this stage of the season. We might have to bring him back soon if we carry on the way that we are. We need as much experience but he’s only a youngster but we need whatever players that have some experience available to us.

“We haven’t got a strong bench right now, they’re only youngsters.”

Goldberg admitted confidence is low at present after going into the game with back-to-back defeats to Dover Athletic and Staines Town.

Goldberg, who emerged from the home dressing room after six o’clock, said: “Just so disappointed with not just the result, but the way that we played. I thought in the first half we certainly panicked on the ball, played the ball too direct, too early and we never got our composure going.

“Fortunately we’ve got to half-time and it was still 0-0 so we had time to change it. We asked them in the second half to make sure that we put our foot on the ball and start playing with confidence but as soon as they scored their goal we lost more confidence and we invited pressure all the time and we sat too deep and we played as if we were already 1-0 up away from home and we were trying to defend.

“We have to put it right for the next game. It’s a bad day at the office today.”

Bromley’s one and only chance arrived inside the opening three minutes and not to call Eastbourne Borough keeper Danny Potter into action at home is simply not good enough!

Goldberg admitted: “It was awful today unfortunately. We just never got our game together (due to) a lack of confidence. I think what happened was that certain players were trying to play for the whole team as individuals rather than as a team. Some players gave us everything but they were trying to do everybody’s job instead of concentrating on their own so we didn’t play as a team and it was quite obvious and we have to put it right.”

When it was suggested that his team put in a flat performance, Goldberg responded: “I don’t think there was a lack of work ethic or desire. I think it was poor in terms of playing as a team.”

Central midfielder Elliot Buchanan played the ball over the top to release lone-striker Louis Theophanous, who cut in to the box from the right and swept his left-footed shot into the foot of the side netting, ignoring Max Noble who was inside the penalty box.

Other than that, former Staines Town striker Theophanous – who is presently training with League Two outfit Barnet – appeared to be disinterested, like many other of his team-mates!

A free-kick from Bromley right-back Sanchez Ming glanced off Pierre Joseph-Dubois’s head and Potter gathered the ball, but Bromley’s leading goalscorer was forced off with a shin injury after a challenge from Eastbourne midfielder Matt Aldred, who was to be four visiting players to be booked by referee Nigel Lugg.

Goldberg revealed that he will be without his 19-goal striker for ten days.

“Yes, it’s a massive blow,” he said. “We didn’t get in behind them. We didn’t join up and play as a team. Louie was up there on his own up front. We played the ball too high, up in the air, hoofing it too direct without composure.”

Bromley keeper Joe Welch – who was later booked for a goal-line scuffle with Eastbourne striker Elliott Charles before a corner was delivered – took a step back before plucking Georges Ehui’s right-footed free-kick from 40-yards out of the air after 28 minutes.

But the best chance of the first half fell to Eastbourne Borough six minutes later when Smith cracked a right-footed drive narrowly over from 18-yards.

Eastbourne created a trio of chances before the break.

Ehui picked the ball up and ran forward before stroking a right-footed shot from 28-yards, which rolled harmlessly wide.

Adelsbury then whipped in a cross from the right, which Fenwick met with a glancing header from 15-yards, which deflected wide, before Aldred played the ball inside to Johnson, who was given time and space to crack a right-footed drive from 30-yards, which was caught by Welch.

When asked what was said during the half-time interval, Goldberg said: “I told the guys to have confidence, to put your foot on the ball and start playing, rather than hoofing the ball and releasing it too early. We started doing that I thought for the first 10-15 minutes of the second half. I thought we was going to start getting in front and then we gave a silly goal away.”

Grey skies covered a gloomy Hayes Lane at the start of the second half and the home side were given an early second half chance, but Buchanan blasted his left-footed free-kick over from 25-yards.

Buchanan then played the ball inside to Mike Jones, who was playing in the hole behind Theophanus, but his left-footed speculative effort from 30-yards sailed high and wide.

But Eastbourne Borough gave their chances of beating the drop a shot in the arm when they took a 53^rd minute lead.

Smith swung in a right-footed free-kick from the left channel and Adelsbury planted his header over a crowd of players into the top left-hand corner from fourteen-yards.

Goldberg said: “A set-piece, we didn’t defend well enough and then from then on we lost all of our confidence and composure and started playing headless again. It’s inexcusable really. I’ve got to see the video to see who’s responsible.”

A sleet shower pelted down on the Hayes Lane pitch immediately after Eastbourne created a chance to double their lead just before the hour mark.

Johnson’s first time cross from the right was met by a towering header from Smith, which was caught by the Bromley keeper.

Goldberg made a double substitution, bringing on striker Sam Spencer, 18, with his proud mum a Bromley season ticket holder watching, and central defender Helge Orome.

But Orome was guilty of Sunday League defending as he gifted Eastbourne a second within a minute of his arrival.

Orome attempted an overhead kick to clear the ball from the edge of the Bromley box, but missed the ball completely, allowing Johnson to crack a stunning right-footed curler from 20-yards, which flew into the top left-hand corner, in the 77^th minute.

Goldberg added: “Unfortunately it’s worked against me when you expected Helge to show a little bit of composure and just clear our lines, he tried an overhead kick, but it was a great finish. I don’t think our keeper could’ve done anything about it. It was a bit of a worldy, wasn’t it?!”

Johnson could have rubbed salt into Bromley’s wounds with a flattering third at the death, but his close range overhead kick was blocked on the line by Bromley left-back Marlon Patterson.

Bromley travel to relegation threatened AFC Hornchurch on Easter Monday (3pm), before travelling to fifth-placed Weston-super-Mare next Saturday.

The Ravens finish their league campaign against Hayes & Yeading (home), Eastleigh, Maidenhead United and Boreham Wood (all away), before welcoming Dover Athletic to Hayes Lane on the final day of the season.

“We’re desperate to get three points on Monday, but to be honest right now, we’re desperate not to lose,” said Goldberg.

“We just have to make sure we pick up as many points as we can right now.

“Over the last two games, two games we should’ve won on paper, but two games where they’ve turned up and we haven’t so it’s not good enough and we’re looking for a response on Monday.”

When asked how many more points Bromley must collect to ensure Conference South football is played at Hayes Lane next season Goldberg replied: “We need a minimum of three points, maybe four, maybe five. It’s not out of our grasp to get five or six points before the end of the season.”

Goldberg was bitterly disappointed that his side could not put in a performance in front of their largest crowd since bitter-rivals Sutton United came away from Hayes Lane with a 2-0 win on New Years’ Day.

“It’s a shame, whenever we’ve had a decent crowd we haven’t entertained them. It’s been a really disappointing season in some ways.”

Bromley: Joe Welch, Sanchez Ming, Marlon Patterson, Danny Waldren, Moses Swaibu, Jack Holland, Pierre Joseph-Dubois (Tony Finn 19), Elliot Buchanan, Louie Theophanous, Mike Jones (Sam Spencer 76), Max Noble (Helge Orome 76).
Subs: Carlos Talbot, Thomas O’Connor

Booked: Joe Welch 55

Eastbourne Borough: Danny Potter, Ben Adelsbury, Sam Cole, Georges Ehui, Alex Wynter, Adam Watts, Simon Johnson, Matt Aldred, Jonte Smith (Darren Lok 72), Elliott Charles, Bayan Fenwick (Jamie Smith 49).
Subs: Frankie Raymond, Ollie Rowe, Gary Hart

Goals: Ben Adelsbury 53, Simon Johnson 77

Booked: Matt Aldred 13, Georges Ehui 45, Elliott Charles 56, Simon Johnson 62

Attendance: 551
Referee: Mr Nigel Lugg (Chipstead, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Dave Sheldrake (West Molesey, Surrey) & Mr Kevin Welsh (Sittingbourne)