Bromley 3-1 Gillingham - It was men against boys, says Bromley boss Mark Goldberg

Tuesday 20th November 2012

BROMLEY 3-1 GILLINGHAM
Kent Senior Cup Sponsored by Portablefloodlights.com Second Round
Tuesday 20^th November 2012
Stephen McCartney reports from Hayes Lane

BROMLEY manager Mark Goldberg says there’s a feel-good factor around the club after his streetwise side defeated Gillingham’s development squad to book their place in the quarter-finals of the Kent Senior Cup.

The Blue Square Bet South side bounced back from their disappointing 1-0 home defeat to Billericay Town at the weekend – a result that leaves them hanging precariously one place above the relegation zone after fourteen league games – and will travel to rivals’ Tonbridge Angels in the last eight.

Goldberg made six changes to the side at the weekend, but was unable to play striker Louie Theophanous, 21, who he brought to the club from league rivals Staines Town earlier in the day.

The Ravens scored against the run of play to take the lead after 24 minutes through Aaron Rhule’s header, but Gillingham equalised four minutes before the break, courtesy of Jack Evans’ emphatic penalty.

French striker, Pierre Joseph-Dubois, came off the bench to score his seventh goal of the season to give Bromley the advantage, before Bromley missed and scored a penalty all within a crazy 80 seconds.

Mike Jones clipped the inside of the left-hand post, but the impressive Harry Harding showed his team-mate how it’s done by slamming home Bromley’s third goal in the 66^th minute.

Reflecting on the game, Goldberg said: “I think certainly second half we really controlled most of the game.

“The first half I thought we sort of sat back certainly for the first twenty minutes and we allowed them to put pressure on us, but once we recognised that we had the ability to step up and we gained in confidence and we started to put our foot on the ball instead of panicking on the ball and we realised that we could match them in terms of possession. We started to get into the game as the game went on.

“Although we scored first, I was disappointed to concede the penalty in that way, but our goalkeeper also had a good game all in all and pulled off some good saves but I think it’s fair to say in the second half there was only one team in it!

“I thought three or four-one would have been a fair reflection on the game. All credit to the boys. We did look like man against boys at times. We knew they had a very young side but we still had to do the job and we did the job.”

For Gillingham’s development manager, Mark Patterson, there were plenty of positives to come out of their Kent Senior Cup exit at a sparse Hayes Lane.

“We always do,” he said. “We had a great start for the first 20 minutes doing everything that we wanted to do, moving the ball nice and quickly, getting around the pitch and creating two or three clear chances and if they would’ve gone in probably would have changed the outcome of the game.

“There were plenty of positives out there for us tonight.”

Patterson added: “We were a young team tonight. We didn’t have any older players due to the first team playing (Exeter City at home tonight) so there were opportunities for the younger ones and a few of them reinforced what we think about them and that’s what it’s all about, the development of them.

“We said to them before the game we’re playing against a good team. We’re playing against good players’ and this is a game that means something. It’s a cup game whereas development matches the results aren’t necessarily the main thing.

“It’s a cup competition so you want to do as well as you can and tonight I thought Bromley were, by the end of the game, more streetwise than us.

“I think we defended a little naive in the second half, got caught out in one or two situations, which possibly shouldn’t got caught out in but take nothing away from both teams. We got a lot out of tonight, with a lot of positives that we can work with.”

Bromley created the first chance of the game inside the opening two minutes when Michael Malcolm swung in a free-kick from the left touchline, which forced visiting keeper Daren Hawkes to stretch and palm the ball out for a corner.

Bromley striker Malcolm whipped in the resulting corner, which swung out to find Moses Swaibu at the far post and the stand-in skipper’s header was comfortably saved by the Gillingham keeper.

But Bromley keeper, George Howard, who lives in Rainham, kept Gillingham at bay during a dominant spell from the League Two club.

Bradley Dack stole the ball off Swaibu on the very edge of the Bromley penalty area and squared the ball to Jake Hessenthaler, who had time and space to unleash a right-footed drive from 20-yards, which Howard went to his right to tip the ball over the crossbar.

Bromley threaded the ball up to striker Ali Chaaban, who flicked pass set up Malcolm, but he scuffed a poor right-footed shot well wide.

But dominant Gillingham were thwarted again in the 20^th minute when Jack Payne played a short free-kick down the line to Hessenthaler, who cut the ball back to Payne, who whipped in a first time cross and Bromley failed to clear and the ball fell to Kane Haysman, whose shot on the turn was blocked by Howard’s knee.

Bromley’s opening goal, however, came against the run of play at the time.

Chaaban was fouled some 25-yards from goal and Danny Waldren got his right-footed free-kick over the wall and was denied a goal by a fine block from Hawkes.

But the chance was not gone as Harding picked up the loose ball down the inside right channel and burst towards the by-line before whipping in a superb cross towards the far post and Rhule sent his looping header across Hawkes and the ball nestled into the far corner for his first goal of the season.

“I thought Aaron did really well tonight as well,” said Goldberg. “He’s only eighteen. He does go into a few rash challenges but hopefully he can gain in confidence as well and get some game time. That will be good.”

Goldberg was also pleased with Harding’s display, saying, “It was a good cross from Harry and his confidence has grown as the game’s gone on as well and hopefully he will play a part this season.

“He’s keen to get off to a good start here (following his return from Carshalton Athletic). He was disappointing on Saturday, I had to take him off at half-time purely down to tactical reasons but he got his chance tonight and he’s took it well.”

Patterson added: “It was one of those situations, we defended the initial free-kick and then when we came out somebody switched off and didn’t stay with their man and they allowed them to have a header back across goal.

“Again, situations when you’re working with younger players, you don’t want them to make mistakes and that’s a part of their learning, but you just hope that they don’t do it the whole time and they do learn from their mistakes and that’s what they have to do.”

The impressive Payne clipped another free-kick into the Bromley penalty area, but holding midfielder Josh Hare, who was later forced off with a groin strain, looped his header over the bar.

But Howard inexplicably gifted Gillingham a penalty four minutes before half-time, but full credit must go to striker Haysman for chasing a lost cause.

Haysman chased Evans long ball but there appeared to be little danger as the ball seemed destined to bounce out for a goal-kick, but Howard dived and brought down Haysman close to the by-line and referee Mr Graeme Ions pointed to the spot.

Evans stepped up and emphatically smashed his right-footed penalty into the top right-hand corner of the goal to bring Gillingham level.

Patterson revealed the right-back practiced penalties religiously on the training ground on Monday.

He said: “It was a hell of a finish from the penalty! What a finish that was and he was putting them in the top corner yesterday so it wasn’t actually a fluke. He did know what he was doing!

“When we got a penalty tonight we knew straight away (who was going to take it) so it was a great technique and confidence.”

Patterson praised Haysman for his work-rate in winning his side the penalty in the first place.

He said: “It was going away from goal so I’m not really sure what the keeper was thinking about! It was a great run. He ran 40 yards to get on the end of it. It was a good ball from Jack Evans.”

Goldberg added: “It was an unnecessary rash challenge I thought but he’ll learn from it. He’s only young and he pulled off some good saves today and had a good game.”

Bromley almost went in at the break with the lead again when Rhule’s deep cross from the left was hooked across goal by Malcolm into Harding’s path, but his stroked shot was saved by Hawkes, diving low to his right.

Both managers were asked to reflect on the first half.

Goldberg said: “I was disappointed with the fact that we sat back when we had an opportunity to press and make sure that our back line stepped up 10-15 yards every opportunity that they were passing the ball back.

“We were sitting deep in the first 10-20 minutes instead of taking it to them and stepped up once we started doing that. We started pressing high up the pitch. We started unlocking our ability on the ball and our movement was a lot better and we said if we carry that on in the second half we have the confidence to run at them and have better movement up front and pressing higher up the pitch we were capable of getting more goals and we did that.”

Patterson added: “First 20 minutes was very pleasing. We just took too long after that to make decisions. Bromley got into the game, they closed us down quicker. We were still trying to do the same things without the same success.

“We had to make a change just before half-time with Josh (Hare) coming off injured. We had to change our shape and go 4-4-3, which helped us slightly and hindered us slightly because we’ve been playing this other formation for a while now, but we’ve got used to it.

“What did I say to the lads at half-time? I told them to keep doing the things we’ve been doing. Keep being positive because you will get chances again and keep playing on the front foot and looking forward as much as you can.”

Gillingham created a couple of early half-chances in the second half as a miss-placed 60-yard clearance from central defender Devant McKain was kept in by Jack Parter, who cut the ball back from the by-line and a first time shot from substitute George Humber was blocked by Jerrome Sobers.

Howard then collected low down beside his near post after Evans played the ball dangerously in from the right by-line after a quickly taken free-kick routine between Payne and Dack caught the Bromley defence asleep.

But Bromley hit Gillingham on a devastating counter attack to regain the lead in the 62^nd minute, in a crazy four minute period defensively for the Medway outfit.

Bromley cleared the ball up field and Rhule picked up the ball before speeding forward before he fed Malcolm down the right. The striker swept a lovely low pass towards the middle of the goal and Joseph-Dubois used the side of his right foot to place the ball past Hawkes from six-yards.

Goldberg was pleased that Joseph-Dubois got back on the scoresheet.

“I thought our goals were well worked. It was all about having confidence to run at them and better movement with Pierre’s pace and quality finishing,” he said.

“He needed that because his goalscoring has eluded him a little bit but he’s back scoring and that should give him confidence.”

Patterson added: “We’ve talked about it afterwards because it’s a little bit disappointing from us because we didn’t cover ourselves in glory on that.

“A couple of decisions, which could have been better. We didn’t get close enough on the lad, who was able to turn to threat a nice pass through and side-footed in from a good cross so from our point of view defensively we could’ve done better on two or three occasions.

“That nothing away from Bromley, they attacked quickly and they hit us hard and they got a result.”

Gillingham then lost the plot defensively, as Bromley missed and scored a penalty in 80 crazy seconds.

Referee Ions deemed that Gillingham skipper Tom Brunt had fouled Harding inside the penalty area and Jones grabbed the ball, put it down on the spot, but saw his left-footed penalty agonisingly clip the inside of the left-hand post.

Goldberg said: “When you demand the ball for a penalty, you’ve got to score! He’s taken it out of everybody else’s hands to take it. You really do hold yourself up to be ridiculed if you miss, but all fairness to Mike, I thought he played well tonight, certainly second half.”

However, full marks must go to Rhule, who cut inside McKain before the former Maidenhead United defender brought down the Bromley winger and referee Mr Ions pointed to the spot for the third time.

Harding marked an impressive performance by smashing his right-footed penalty straight down the middle, with Hawkes going down slightly to his right.

Goldberg added: “Out of nothing, Aaron Rhule has won himself a penalty and Harry put it away. In the end we deserved a 3-1.”

When asked about both penalties, Patterson said: “Again, I’m not sure on that first one. I think the ball was bouncing, he had to go for it. I couldn’t really see it from where we were but we got away with it because the lad hit the post and then a minute later, again a little bit of a naive decision. I think we had three occasions at the back when we could’ve cleared our lines but we decided to pass it. Ultimately it cost us again.

“Yes, two penalties in a minute isn’t very good, but we’ve got to learn from it, that’s the main thing!”

When asked how McKain, 18, is settling in at Priestfield following his move from Blue Square Bet (Conference) South side Maidenhead United, Patterson replied, “He’s settled in. It’s a big step for Devant. He’s come from Conference South and you saw tonight Conference South teams are good teams. To join the professional game it’s a big step for him. He’s doing ok. It’s a big step and it will take him a while to get where he wants to be, but he’s got a great attitude and he’s a trier and they’re the kind of people that you want to work with.

“We’ve got loads of those lads at the club like that with a good attitude who want to go as far as they can and that’s why games like tonight are important for us because we see what’s happening to them and they get more games under their belts and more minutes and develop better as players.”

Bromley were now comfortable and enjoying their night and brought on academy left-back Kristian Campbell for a fourteen minute cameo at the end of the game to replace Marlon Patterson.

Bromley keeper Howard made amends for his earlier howler when he tipped over Dack’s right-footed drive from 35-yards in the final 12 minutes.

Sanchez Ming, who plays at right-back for Bromley, turned back the years when he was a winger when he hit Gillingham on the counter and after playing a one-two with Malcolm, Ming was denied a goal when his right-footed drive from 25-yards was saved low down by Hawkes.

Gillingham wasted a good opportunity to pull a goal back at the death when substitute George Humber slid his shot just past the foot of the right-hand post following Dack’s reverse pass.

Whilst Bromley prepare for a home FA Carlsberg Trophy First Round tie against third-placed Boreham Wood on Saturday, this Gillingham team face two make-or-break development games against AFC Wimbledon and Watford in the next couple of weeks, which will decide whether these players will be playing professional football for the Gills or non-league football here in Kent.

Patterson said: “We’ve got two development games arranged before Christmas and then we’ll look to see what happens there because the manager (Martin Allen) has asked to call all the lads back from the Ryman games to have a look at them over the period of five or six weeks because he has to make decisions on their futures so he’s called them all back.

“We’ll give a report on the game and he’ll sit down with them all probably early in the New Year and talk to them about the future and where he seems them going.

“That’s why these games are so important to them.”

Bromley: George Howard, Sanchez Ming, Marlon Patterson (Kristian Campbell 76), Harry Harding, Moses Swaibu, Jerrome Sobers, Danny Waldren (Ali Fuseini 67), Mike Jones, Ali Chaaban (Pierre Joseph-Dubois 53), Michael Malcolm, Aaron Rhule.
Subs: Liam Harwood, Felix Ogeah

Goals: Aaron Rhule 24, Pierre Joseph-Dubois 62, Harry Harding 66 (pen)

Gillingham: Daren Hawkes, Jack Evans, Jack Parter (Joe Carter 61), Josh Hare (George Humber 42), Devant McKain, Tom Brunt, Jake Hessenthaler, Bradley Dack, Kane Haysman (Aaron Millbank 80), Jack Payne, Nathan Nyafli.
Subs: Luke Nalder, Mahlon Romeo

Goal: Jack Evans 41 (pen)

Attendance: 117
Referee: Mr Graeme Ions (Tonbridge)
Assistants: Mr Peter Cruise (Sidcup) & Mr David Smart (Maidstone)