Bromley 0-2 Welling United - We didn't give the fans the performance they deserved - Mark Goldberg

BROMLEY  0-2  WELLING UNITED
Blue Square Bet South
Saturday 13^th October 2012
Stephen McCartney reports from Hayes Lane

WELLING UNITED’s suspended player-manager Jamie Day says he was pleased with his side’s all-round performance after they became the first team to win at Bromley this season to move into third-place in the Blue Square Bet (Conference) South table.

The Wings stretched their unbeaten run to four games and ended Bromley’s seven-match unbeaten run, courtesy of Theo Fairweather-Johnson’s first goal for the club and Lee Clarke’s third of the season early in the second half.

Welling United are only four points adrift of leaders Salisbury City in the table, whilst Bromley slipped down four places to sixteenth and only a couple of points above the relegation zone after eleven games.

This Kent derby attracted Bromley’s largest crowd of the season when 1,334 fans flocked through the turnstiles, with a majority taking advantage of half-priced admission before 2 o’clock, but Bromley boss Mark Goldberg admitted his side didn’t perform in front of a larger audience.

He said: “I thought our first half performance was very disappointing.   We were second to every ball. We didn’t get the ball into the dangerous areas and we were trying to encourage our players to play with a high tempo and pretty much everything we asked off them they didn’t do unfortunately.

“Second half was an improvement but I think it was too late and we didn’t allow ourselves the momentum that we’ve had recently.  We were hoping it would continue but you’ve got to give credit to Welling, they played with more composure and I thought they were deserving of the 2-0 victory.”

Goldberg admitted he was hurting at the final whistle that his in-form side didn’t perform.

“We came into this game full of confidence and that’s what makes the result and the performance even more disappointing.”

But Day was extremely pleased that he now has a 50% success rate in four visits to Hayes Lane.

He said: “I thought the boys played very well. We started with a good tempo on the front foot and I felt, for me, there was only one team that was going to win it after we started so well so obviously pleased to get the result in the end.

“We knew we needed a fast start and a good tempo to it and credit to the boys, they started really well, got on the front foot and dictated play and deservedly got the goal we needed before half-time and carried it on in the second half.”

It was an important seven days for both Kent clubs as Bromley and Welling United face Blue Square Bet (Conference) North opponents at home in the final qualifying round of The FA Cup in the shape of Worcester City and Bishop’s Stortford respectively.

And it was Welling United who will feel confident going into their home tie next weekend as they put Bromley on the back foot from the very first whistle.

The Wings created their first chance with only 96 seconds on the clock when impressive midfielder Joe Healy chipped the ball into Joe Welch’s gloves from 22-yards after Jack Obersteller swung in a corner towards the far post.

Healy then hooked a shot straight at Welch at his near post after Kiernan Hughes-Mason whipped in a right-footed free-kick towards the far post from a couple of yards outside of the Bromley box.

The game hadn’t entered the fifth-minute mark by the time Bromley created their first chance of the game.

Debutant Michael Boateng – who was playing beside Mike Jones in the middle of the park – chipped the ball to right-back Sanchez Ming, who rode Hughes-Mason’s sliding challenge before playing the ball in behind the Welling defence but Richard Pacquette’s shot deflected off defender Ben Martin allowing visiting keeper Sam Mott to make a comfortable save.

Welling United’s leading goalscorer, Ross Lafayette, who had a quiet game, was denied a goal when Bromley defender Jerrome Sobers slid in to deflect the ball over the Bromley bar.

Bromley skipper, Ali Fuseini, in an attempt to pass to left-back Marlon Patterson inside the Bromley half, was intercepted by Welling midfielder Jake Gallagher, who played in Fairweather-Johnson and his right-footed effort deflected over from 25-yards.

Welling United continued to press and Hughes-Mason stroked a left-footed shot into the base of the side-netting from eight-yards after playing a one-two with Lafayette.

But even the most staunchest of Bromley supporters could not admit that their side deserved to go a goal behind in the 35^th minute as former Thamesmead Town striker Fairweather-Johnson opened his account for the Wings.

Lafayette picked up the ball and released Healy into the Bromley penalty area and the former Beckenham Town player cut inside and instead of trying his luck he played the ball across the face of goal and an unmarked Fairweather-Johnson swept his left-footed shot into the near corner from eight-yards.

Day was delighted that a striker that he plucked from the Ryman League Division One North has scored his first goal at the higher level.

“Theo’s done really well when he’s come on as sub and when he’s started he’s put in a good shift and I’m pleased with him today.   Great work from Joe to get in there and see Theo free and I’m pleased that he’s scored.”

Goldberg added: “I think it was all together too easy. They played with more composure and we allowed them to play, gave them too much space, too much room and instead of winning the second ball we allowed them to win the second ball.

“Everything was very disappointing in the first half but we did improve in the second half but there still was not enough urgency, although we had some chances to put it right.”

Boateng was denied a dream debut goal when he was played in following a quickly taken free-kick but visiting keeper Mott swiftly advanced off his line to block the shot.

Bromley felt they had equalised before the break when Ming played the ball inside to Fuseini and a dinked pass put striker Michael Malcolm through on goal and he stroked the ball past Mott from twelve-yards but the offside flag had been raised.

Goldberg added: “If he was offside, he was offside.  Things might have been better by the fact that we might have scored and at least been back in the game and anything then could have happened.”

But Welling United clinched the three points when they doubled their lead after only 67 seconds into the second half.

The Wings were awarded a free-kick down the left channel and Healy swung in a left-footed free-kick towards the near post and skipper Clarke was given time and space to turn and steered his left-footed shot past Welch to score from eight-yards to punish a sleepy Bromley defence.

Day was pleased with his Peterborough based skipper, who sealed a well-deserved victory.

He said: “Clarkie was at the right place at the right time and good finish.  A goal after half-time just settles the nerves and puts us in pole position.  We carried that on in the second half and didn’t feel threaten ed at any stage and pleased to get three points.”

Day heaped praise on Healy, who set-up both of Welling’s goals today.

He said: “Joe’s been fantastic this year. He’s got massive amounts of ability. He can play higher if he really pushed himself but he showed today what he can do and the qualities that he’s got.
“To be fair everyone put in a fantastic performance so I don’t want to single him out. The people that came on and the people that started the game from the first minute to the 90^th were good.”

Goldberg felt the free-kick that was given away was needless, saying, “The free-kick was unnecessary to give away and we just didn’t defend well enough. We gave silly free-kicks away but I do think the referee also tended to give free-kicks where I didn’t think they were necessary but I don’t think we should make excuses. I think we just have to accept the fact that it was a very bad day at the office.”

The turning point that might have clawed a disappointing Bromley side back into the game came in the 56^th minute.

Fuseini floated his free-kick into the penalty area and Moses Swaibu clipped his shot across Mott towards the far post and substitute Anthony Acheampong stabbed off the line but Pacquette smashed his shot against the crossbar from close range.

Goldberg added: “Yes, but these things can work against you.   I think it’s fair to say they also had chances that they could’ve buried and it could’ve been 3-0 and they could’ve been well away.

“We hit the crossbar and Ian Daly had a free header. It could well have been two-all but anyway one of those things.  We have to pick ourselves up for the next game.”

Another chance came Bromley’s way when midfielder playmaker Fuseini clipped the ball down the right to release Pacquette down the right and his centre was stabbed towards goal by Malcolm but the ball deflected off Fraser Franks to allow Mott to gather the ball from inside his six-yard box.

Welling United failed to punish Bromley on a two-versus-two breakaway but Hughes-Mason failed to keep composure when he fired wide of the near post after cutting inside.

But Day was pleased that his side kept their third clean sheet of the season.

He said: “I think we showed that we can pass and play and then also showed any long balls or any route one things that we need to deal with, we dealt with.  I thought defensively and the whole back four and Motty were excellent. They dealt with what was thrown at them when they had a little bit of a spell but for me I thought we showed both sides today which is obviously pleasing.”

Welling United should have increased their lead with thirteen minutes remaining when substitute Harry Baker swung in a corner from the left and Lafayette peeled away from his marker to send his header sailing across goal from 12-yards and wide of the far post.

Day said: “Today I felt our whole round game was there. We played when we needed to and defended when we needed to just as good so I’m pleased with that and that’s something that is a positive that we’ll take into next week.

“Bromley have been on a great run, not been beaten in seven, so we knew it was going to be a really tough game today and I thought our level showed that we respected them but at the same time we put in a fantastic performance and deserved the points.”

Bromley missed a gilt-edged chance from a set-piece of their own when former Welling United midfielder, substitute Tony Finn, swung in a corner from the left towards the far post and substitute Ian Daly planted his header over from four-yards.

Goldberg admitted: “I think all in all today was one of those days where we got what we deserved on the park, not what we deserved in terms of preparation and the momentum that we gained in recent fixtures.

“Instead of looking at the positives at the moment I’d rather analyse where we went wrong and learn from it – but the truth is we didn’t play well enough today!

“We’ve got to be realistic. We’ve had a lot of injuries recently and we did put a team together today that for the first time in a long time that wasn’t with the normal consecutive performance so we have to bounce back from that and hopefully get our unfit players back for next Saturday.”

Unfortunately a number of people started to head for the exits in the final ten minutes of the game, but overall Non-League Day at Hayes Lane was a success.

Day said: “Obviously we want as many people through the gate to watch Non-League football as possible.  I think we showed, both teams showed the standard’s risen in years and hopefully that will keep going.

“There’s a good quality of players playing at this level now.  It was well supported today, obviously I’m pleased with the Welling following. I thought they were fantastic and I’ve said it before, with them cheering and getting behind us it helps the boys out and hopefully get some right results.”

It would be fair to say that Welling United coped with the occasion better than Bromley, who froze in front of numerous television cameras.

Day said: “It can be a bit of a distraction but I thought the boys dealt with it all and hopefully people have come today and will continue to support us.”

Today must have been a special day – Sky Sports and even BBC Radio London sent a reporter to the game!

Goldberg said: “More importantly, for Non-League Day it’s been a success in terms of Sky Sports and BBC Radio London were here and everybody supporting Non-League Day it’s been a great success. We had to thank all the fans for the additional support.

“We probably doubled our gate that we would normally get for a fixture list this so it makes it even more disappointing that we weren’t able to give the fans the performance that they probably deserved and we’ll pick ourselves up.

“We’re very grateful that we were chosen as one of the fixtures to publicise Non-League Day. It’s been a great success in that respect and we played a part of it, or in it, shall I say but we believe that we could’ve given a better performance for all those that came to watch.

“We’ve got a massive game next week against Worcester in the FA Cup and we’ve got to learn from today and hopefully make sure it’s just a blip.”

Bromley: Joe Welch, Sanchez Ming, Marlon Patterson, Ali Fuseini, Moses Swaibu, Jerrome Sobers, Michael Boateng (Aaron Rhule 66), Mike Jones (Ian Daly 46), Michael Malcolm, Richard Pacquette, Elliott Buchannan.
Subs: George Howard, Pierre Joseph-Dubois

Booked: Marlon Patterson 51, Jerrome Sobers 90

Welling United: Sam Mott, Loui Fazakerley, Jack Obersteller (Anthony Acheampong 23), Jake Gallagher, Ben Martin (Scott Kinch 65), Kiernan Hughes-Mason (Harry Baker 69), Lee Clarke, Theo Fairweather-Johnson, Ross Lafayette, Joe Healy.
Subs: Jamie Turner, Jon Main

Goals: Theo Fairweather-Johnson 35, Lee Clarke 47

Attendance: 1,334
Referee:  Mr John O’Brien (Wandsworth, London SW18)
Assistants: Mr Peter Georgiou (London SW17) & Mr Paul Johnson (London SW20)