Kentish Football 
Bromley 2-1 Bishop's Stortford - Chelmsford will be our biggest test so far, admits Hayden Bird
Tuesday 28th September 2010
BROMLEY 2-1 BISHOP’S STORTFORD
FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) Second Qualifying Round Replay
Tuesday 28th September 2010
Stephen McCartney reports from Hayes Lane
BROMLEY assistant manager Hayden Bird says the club are set to unveil a new signing tomorrow in time for Saturday’s home Kent derby showdown against Ebbsfleet United.
The Lillywhites may be three points clear at the top of the Blue Square Bet South table after an unbeaten nine league games, they are also only two wins away from emulating last season’s appearance in the First Round Proper of the FA Cup, following tonight’s last-gasp win over Bishop’s Stortford, but Bird insisted the Hayes Lane club are not resting on their laurels.
“If you speak to me tomorrow you’ll find Bromley may be adding a bit of spice to the game in the next 24 hours with people coming into the football club,” Bird told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.
He added: “We always want to improve. We always said that we want to strengthen. We don’t want to rest on our laurels and there’s players who want to come to Bromley and there’s one guy in particular who I think is the best in the league in what he does and we’re very close, hopefully, to sitting down and talking to him tomorrow with the view of him coming over.”
Four-and-a-half thousand pounds from FA prize money will be deposited into Bromley coffers after they came from behind to knock Bishop’s Stortford out of the FA Cup in tonight’s Second Qualifying Round replay as Bromley booked a trip to Chelmsford City on Saturday week.
Reece Prestedge’s sixth goal of the season - a 30th minute daisy-cutter from 25-yards - gave Bishop’s Stortford the lead, before Bromley right-back Dave Graves scored his first goal for the club just three minutes before the break.
Despite their visitors creating the better goalscoring chances during the second half, Bromley sealed their passage through into the next round when substitute Tony Finn completed a last-gasp smash-and-grab raid, unleashing an unstoppable left-footed curling, dipping drive from 20-yards, which rocketed into the roof of the net.
“It was a goal fitting to win any Cup tie wasn’t it?” said Bird
“I think it’s no coincidence Bromley are winning these games so late - it’s certainly not the first time it’s happened - and I think the reason for that, as I’ve always said to you, we’re fit, we’re organised, we work hard as a group an the work that the boys have done since the first day of July comes through games like this.”
The winning goal was timed at 44:30 as substitute Sam Butler delivered an excellent cross from the left towards the near post where striker Warren McBean lost out to an aerial battle, but midfielder Salifou Ibrahima cut the ball back for substitute Finn to unleash a left-footed drive from 20-yards, which crashed into the top near corner, just underneath the crossbar.
It was cruel on Bishop’s Stortford, who created the better goalscoring chances during the second half.
Bird added: “They did take us close to (our first defeat). I think they played well. I think they’ve shown that they’re a good side.
“I think it’s easy to see today their away form is very good. If you look at the league table their away form is better than their home form and I have to say thy were a good side. I think they will do well this season.”
Bromley’s leading goalscorer Warren McBean missed a couple of early chances when he failed to convert left-wing crosses from both Ryan Dolby and his strike partner Paul Vines.
But Bishop’s Stortford called Bromley goalkeeper Wes Foderingham into making his first save after a Bromley mistake after 16 minutes.
Nicky Greene gave the ball away cheaply some 30-yards from goal and Chris Arthur sent over a cross on the run down the left and this was met by a bullet header from Paolo Vernazza just four yards from goal, but the keeper, who is technically on-loan from Crystal Palace after signing for the Selhurst Park outfit during pre-season, stuck out a strong right arm to brilliantly palm the ball over his crossbar.
Bird, meanwhile, admitted he was disappointed with the way that Prestedge gave the visitors the lead on the half-hour mark.
The travelling fans starting to sing “one-nil to the Blue Brazil” after the midfielder struck a low left-footed drive from 25-yards, which zipped off the turf and nestled into the bottom right-hand corner.
“I never expect Wes to be beaten outside the penalty area, but the pitch had a real zip in it today and I think the pace of the ball beat him, where as I don’t think that would normally happen and Wes was very disappointed,” said Bird.
“I think the pace, as it skimmed off the pitch, ultimately beat him but I think he made three outstanding saves after that to make up for it.”
Bromley called visiting goalkeeper Bert Greenwood into action for the first time when he got a decisive touch to Vines’ outstretched half-volley after the former Tooting & Mitcham United striker latched onto a ball over the top.
But Bromley levelled just three minutes before the break, from an unlikely source - right-back David Graves - who received the plaudits from Mark Goldberg’s assistant.
Graves exchanged a slick one-two with Greene down the right before the midfielder played the ball inside for Graves to slam a right-footed shot on the angle, from the corner of the penalty area, which beat th keeper at his near post.
“I thought David Graves today showed everybody in this club what a tremendous footballer he is,” praised Bird.
“I know how good he is because he’s worked with me for the last four years. Today I thought his performance was faultless. You won’t see a better performance from a full-back than that! I thought he was very, very good!”
Expecting the home side to go on from that, it was in fact Bishop’s Stortford that raised the tempo of the game.
Sanchez Ming looped a right-footed shot over from six-yards when the former Welling United man was presented with a golden chance inside the opening 39 seconds of the season half.
Bromley were indebted to their goalkeeper just five minutes later for rushing off his goal-line to block Josh Llewellyn’s shot after he was played in behind the Bromley back four by a sliding pass from Vernazza.
Foderingham made a smart low save to his right to prevent Arthur’s low shot from finding the bottom far corner after he raced into the Bromley penalty area, before both sides made a double substitution after the hour mark and the introduction of Finn was inspirational.
Finn whipped in an excellent cross from the right and McBean went in bravely as Greenwood came rushing off his line to punch the ball clear, but McBean’s bullet header sailed wide.
Bromley did ride their luck too - something that table-topping sides sometimes get away with - as substitute Shabazz Baidoo cut inside Graves and cracked a right-footed drive past Foderingham but thankfully the ball crashed down off the underside of the crossbar after 65 minutes.
Bromley soaked up the pressure that Bishop’s Stortford pacy attack could throw at them and hit them with a last-gasp sucker punch when Finn popped up to break Bishop’s Stortford’s hearts with a thunderous strike, completing the smash-and-grab raid.
With music blaring out of the home dressing room (as Bromley stretched their unbeaten run to eleven games) the interview with Bird was conducted out on the soaked pitch.
“I thought Bromley done another good job today,” was Bird’s post-match assessment.
“I think what you’ve seen in Bromley today is the strength in depth and the substitutes that came on in Sam Butler and Tony Finn have won the game.”
He added: “You’ve got people like Sam Butler, who is coming back from a serious injury and Tony Finn, who’s played through the pain barrier to come on and win the game for us. I think it’s all credit to the players.”
Speaking about Finn’s injury, Bird replied, “He’s got a problem with his knee. Really he shouldn’t have played Saturday but really wants to play for Bromley, really wants to play well and today was the same.
“I think lesser men would’ve considered themselves injured and they would’ve declared themselves injured, but this guy has got unbelievable attitude and is one the most important players in this club.”
Bromley - one of only five Kent non-league sides left in the FA Cup - can now look forward to a tasty showdown at league rivals Chelmsford City on 9 October.
Bird said: “I think the only team that’s got a more difficult draw than us is Chelmsford! You’re going to have two heavyweights in the Conference South meeting each other. It’s not ideal because everyone wants the best route through to the first round proper but listen, we’ll go to Chelmsford, we’ll believe we can win. If we have to bring them back here to win the game we will.
“I think in all seriousness I think it will be our biggest test so far - I think they’re a good side.”
Bromley: Wes Foderingham, David Graves, Tutu Henriques, Wes Daly, John Scarborough, Jerrome Sobers, Nicky Greene (Tony Finn 63), Salifou Ibrahima, Paul Vines (Nic McDonnell 90), Warren McBean, Ryan Dolby (Sam Butler 63).
Subs: Paul Agu, Ben Jordan, Reis Boyle.
Goals: David Graves 42, Tony Finn 89
Bishop’s Stortford: Bert Greenwood, Matt Jones, Aiden Palmer, Alli Abdullahi, Lynvall Duncan, Stevland Angus, Sanchez Ming, Reece Prestedge, Josh Llewellyn (Leon Antoine 64), Paolo Vernazza (Jason Mason 73), Chris Arthur (Shabazz Baidoo 62).
Subs: Ritchie Jones, Danny Morgan, Matt Judge, George Dawson.
Goal: Reece Prestedge 30
Booked: Paulo Vernazza 68, Alli Abdullahi 85
Attendance: 347
Referee: Mr David Spain (Westfield, East Sussex)
Assistants: Mr Lee Dyson (Gravesend) & Mr James Macey (Bexley)
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