Bromley 5-0 Chelmsford City - I'm not talking about winning the league or promotion - Mark Goldberg

BROMLEY  5-0  CHELMSFORD CITY
The Skrill South
Tuesday 5^th November 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Hayes Lane

BROMLEY manager Mark Goldberg has played down hopes of winning the league title at the end of the season after his side outclassed Chelmsford City.

The Ravens moved four points clear of full-time Eastleigh on a scintillating night of football at fortress Hayes Lane.

Striker Bradley Goldberg, 19, who is on loan from League Two side Dagenham & Redbridge until the end of the calendar year, grabbed the headlines with a hat-trick to take his goalscoring tally to ten goals in fifteen games.

Impressive left-back Joe Anderson and target-man Jay May chipped in with a goal each, as Bromley inflicted more misery on managerless Chelmsford City.

Dean Holdsworth agreed to stand down and an agreement was amicably reached for the full and final settlement of his contract following Chelmsford’s 6-0 home defeat to Boreham Wood at the weekend, which left the Essex club rooted in the bottom six with 13 points from 13 games.

Assistant manager Kenny Brown, who has been put in temporary charge, failed to halt the slide, despite making four changes to the side that suffered a heavy defeat in Holdsworth’s final game in charge.

Bromley reached the summit again following their 4-1 home win over basement side Dorchester Town at the weekend – but tonight’s humiliation against one of the bigger clubs in Conference South football has issued a statement of intent from surprise package Bromley, who have won all seven of their home league games this season.

“Obviously very delighted, not just with the result, but the way we played,” said Goldberg afterwards.

“Right from the start we were pressing them high up the pitch. They had something to prove. For the first time we had to show that we deserve to be where we are.  We were fighting to show that, to earn it.

“I thought the first goal came at a really good time for us. I know it was only eleven minutes but it was really important to get that first goal.

“I think from then on our confidence just grew and we were clinical but we played very good, fast moving football with a lot of inter-play with all the right players, so our movement has improved considerably in the last three weeks.

“I’m really pleased because we have been working hard on it and there were a few games when we weren’t quite clicking and we were good in possession but we weren’t creating chances, where today I think we had something like 12 shots on target and scored five goals.

“We should’ve had more really shouldn’t we? It was a great win. I’m really proud of the boys.”

Goldberg was clearly satisfied with the manner that his side gave Chelmsford City a right good hiding at Hayes Lane!

He said: “We’ve been on the other end of a drubbing from Chelmsford in the past.  In the past we get players’ sent-off at their place more than once and they get penalty decisions and we’ve had to cope with some humiliating defeats.

“Where today – I won’t say that weren’t humiliating for them – but certainly they won’t say it wasn’t a fair reflection on the game.”

The floodgates should have opened as early as the seventh-minute.

Brendan Kiernan’s quickly-taken free-kick went to Anderson, who whipped in a first-time cross, but an unmarked Goldberg side-footed his shot straight at visiting goalkeeper Carl Pentney from 12-yards.

May then blasted a right-footed snap-shot over the Chelmsford City bar only 25 seconds later.

But striker Goldberg didn’t let his earlier miss curtail him, as he produced a moment of brilliance to give Bromley an eleventh minute lead.

The former Charlton Athletic and Hastings United striker picked the ball up, cut in from the left, skipped past two Chelmsford City defenders before executing a brilliant right-footed curler from 25-yards, which left Pentney rooted to the spot as the ball caressed the far post, before crashing into the roof of the net.

“Last week I saw him do that for Dagenham & Redbridge and after the game I said ‘why can’t you do that for us Brad?’

“He can do it and I’m so pleased for him that he’s showing he can do it! 

“He went away a couple of years ago (to Hastings United) to learn his trade so I’m so pleased to see his hard work pay-off.”

Former AFC Wimbledon winger Kiernan picked the ball inside his own half, went on a dazzling 80-yard run down the left before whipping in a cross but Goldberg’s near-post header didn’t trouble the onrushing Chelmsford keeper.

Chelmsford City, who were backed by good vocal support, created their first opening in the 19^th minute.

Pentney’s long clearance straight down the middle of the pitch saw big target-man Robert Edmans outmuscle Bromley central defender Jack Holland before going through and sending his left-footed chip over the bar from eighteen-yards.

Chelmsford City winger Bagasan Graham then cut in from the right before drilling a low left-footed drive from 30-yards, which flashed harmlessly past the far post.

Goldberg said: “I can see why they can beat sides though because I think if they get that early goal, the game could change, but us getting the early goal was critical today.”

May unleashed a right-footed drive from 30-yards, which was comfortably saved by the Chelmsford keeper.

Bertie Brayley hooked the ball across the Bromley penalty area and Mark Hughes laid the ball off to Graham, who cracked a powerful left-footed drive whistling past the left-hand post from 20-yards.

Bromley went agonisingly close to doubling their lead in the 35^th minute.

Rob Swaine came up from the back for Kiernan’s corner from the right and retrieved the ball out on the left and sent in a cross.  May looped his header onto the crossbar and the ball dropped for Pierre Joseph-Dubois, whose follow up shot was pushed away by Pentney at his near post.

Goldberg said: “Jay’s been phenomenal.  He’s lead the line wonderfully well. He’s a brilliant foil for Brad and for Brendan and for Pierre and they all play off him extremely well.  They’re very good centre forwards and Jay played his part.”

Goldberg scored his second goal of the game in the 43^rd minute, courtesy of a free-flowing raid, practiced at Hayes Lane in training.

Central midfielder Danny Waldren released May down the right and his right-footed drive was blocked by Pentney, diving to his right, but Goldberg latched onto the loose ball and smashed his right-footed drive into the roof of an empty net from sixteen-yards.

“Again, well worked goal. Brad approached at the right time but still had a bit to do. There were three players there so he had to get there and he did and it was all about the movement before the goal – a great team performance there.

“The game was full of good moves,” added the manager.  “We’ve been working hard on a Thursday night on the pitch. That’s the difference. When we can get on the pitch on a Thursday night it has been able to show on a Saturday or on a first team day, but when the weather gets bad and we haven’t got the right training facilities, we just hope we can find a way of keeping this going.”

Bromley were in dreamland when Anderson scored Bromley’s third with a beautiful free-kick, 41 seconds into stoppage time.

Chelmsford City left-back Nicky Nicolau was booked for bringing down Bromley right-back Dean Pooley just a yard outside the penalty area.

And Anderson saw a gap had opened up and curled a sublime left-footed free-kick around the Clarets’ wall and the ball sailed into the left-hand corner with the keeper well and truly beaten.

Goldberg said: “Apparently he gave the goalkeeper the eyes and struck the ball exactly where he wanted to – in the corner.  It was a fantastic free-kick.”

It should have been four for Bromley at the interval when May released Kiernan through on goal, but the winger’s right-footed chip sailed over the outstretched right arm of the jumping Pentney, who was relieved to see the ball sail just wide of the left-hand post.

When asked about his half-time thoughts, Goldberg said: “We just wanted to keep it going! I’ve seen dressing rooms before at half-time when you’re 3-0 up and (the players’ have) the wrong attitude and they get an early goal.

“It was very important that we didn’t concede and we always thought we’d nick another one and as it happens we nicked another two.

“But we didn’t concede and that was the main thing, coming out for the second half and being strong.”

Bromley pressed to inflict more punishment on Chelmsford City’s worst team for many years, early in the second half.

Anderson played the ball into May, who spread the ball out to Joseph-Dubois, who found Pooley on the overlap, who dragged his cross-come-shot wide of the far post.

Kiernan then cut in from the left flank to the centre before stroking a right-footed shot towards goal from 20-yards, which forced Pentney to dive low to his right to push the ball behind for a corner.

Chelmsford’s best player on the night, Edmans, broke in the 56^th minute, but substitute Sam Long cut inside before sending his right-footed drive sailing harmlessly wide of the far post.

Boss Goldberg felt his side should have been awarded a penalty when Joseph-Dubois appeared to be tripped by Joshua Warren – but referee Robert Hyde waved away appeals and booked the Bromley winger for diving.

He said: “It was a definite penalty! If it was important I would have made more of a fuss but it didn’t have too much of an impact on the game.”

With goals flying in at the other end, it was vital for Bromley goalkeeper Joe Welch to maintain his focus.

Long floated over a cross into the Bromley penalty area and Edmans brought the ball under control with his chest but Welch came rushing off his line to make a brave save at the striker’s feet and the ball trickled behind for a corner.

Pooley ventured forward and had time and space to float in a cross where May rose above Daniel Webb to power his header straight at the busy Chelmsford keeper after 65 minutes.

Pooley then put over another cross from the right which sailed over the City defence and the ball fell to substitute Elliot Buchanan whose deflected centre was put agonisingly wide of the near post by Kiernan from six-yards.

But Goldberg despatched his hat-trick with eighteen minutes remaining.

Waldren chipped pass released May down the right channel and the striker reached the by-line before cutting the ball back. The ball took a deflection en-route to Goldberg, who took a touch, maintained his composure before drilling a left-footed shot past Pentney into the bottom right corner from fourteen-yards.

The manager was certainly proud of his son, who received a standing ovation when he was substituted with ten minutes remaining.

He said: “I think he still had to nick it around the player before he just turned and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, so yes, that’s what he’s there for but I’m really pleased for him that he’s got his hat-trick. It was well deserved.”

May was rewarded for his hard-graft, when he got on the score-sheet with eight minutes remaining.

Welch punted the ball straight down the middle of the pitch and two Chelmsford defenders failed to clear the danger. The ball bounced off one of them and bounced off May, who took the ball in his stride and slotted his left-footed shot into the bottom right when he only had the keeper to beat.

Goldberg added: “Very good finish by Jay. He probably could have had a hat-trick in the end! He played his part so pleased that he got his goal.”

Chelmsford City were to be denied a consolation in the final three minutes when Graham clipped the ball towards the far post and substitute Long lashed his right-footed drive straight down Welch’s throat at the near post.

The Bromley manager added: “Fantastic! Our goal difference is phenomenal! – having now scored 34 league goals and conceded only 12 in fourteen league games.

Bromley could have caused Chelmsford City more damage inside injury time.

Kiernan crossed the ball in from the right and there were three of his team-mates going for the same ball, but substitute Taylor Parmenter guided his header wide of the near post.

May then cut in from the left before drilling a shot across the keeper only for the ball to bounce agonisingly down off the crossbar and Pooley failed to tuck the rebound home.

May was left in acres of space, but was thwarted at the death by a smart save by Pentney.

Meanwhile, the Hayes Lane faithful, who gave their team a rousing ovation at the final whistle after they humiliated their more illustrious league rivals, have seen false dawns like this far too often in the past when their side start off like a house on fire but fail to maintain promising starts before sliding down the league.

The last time Bromley celebrated a league title was back in 1961 when the club won the Isthmian League title (Ryman Premier League in today’s money).

“We’re not getting carried away,” came Goldberg’s expected response.

“We’ve had some tough times as a management team and as a club in recent years, really tough times so while we’re up here and we’re playing well and we’ve got a great team spirit, we want to enjoy it.

“We’re definitely not going to get carried away but I think we are developing as a team and special mention to the two midfield pairings because I thought Danny Waldren and Ashley Nicholls did their jobs extremely well both defensively and creativity wise.”

When asked how he will sustain their current league position, Goldberg replied: “I think we can keep improving as a team so it’s encouraging, but I’m not saying where we’re going to finish. All I’m saying is we can keep improving and hopefully if results go our way, in respect of you can deserve to win games but you don’t necessarily win them.

“We need a bit of luck as well and if we can put a fair wind behind us, we can carry on believing that we can have our best finish that we’ve had so far, which is the aim – to finish the best we’ve finished since I’ve been in charge here.”

This is Bromley’s seventh season at Conference South level and the club have not finished in the top ten once.

When it was put to him that his side can actually go on and win the league title this season, Goldberg insisted: “Well, we’re not going to be talking about winning the league!

“Within our own walls of our dressing room, there’s a lot of belief there that we can keep going, keep winning and keep improving, but I’m certainly not talking about winning the league or promotion.  We’re just talking about making sure we have our best finish that we’ve had since I’ve been involved.”

There was a sense of immense pride at the final whistle and Bromley owner Jerry Dolke said: “I can’t say how proud I am tonight of my Bromley team.”

Bromley: Joe Welch, Dean Pooley, Joe Anderson, Danny Waldren, Rob Swaine, Jack Holland (Taylor Parmenter 53), Pierre Joseph-Dubois (Elliot Buchanan 65), Ashley Nicholls, Jay May, Bradley Goldberg (Steven Smith 80), Brendan Kiernan.
Subs: Thomas O’Connor, Nic McDonnell

Goals: Bradley Goldberg 11, 43, 72, Joe Anderson 45, Jay May 82

Booked: Pierre Joseph-Dubois 57

Chelmsford City: Carl Pentney, Joshua Warren, Nicky Nicolau, Matthew Lock (Christian Smith 63), Mark Haines, Daniel Webb, Tom Derry (Sam Long 52), Mark Hughes, Robert Edmans, Bertie Brayley (Jeff Goulding 61), Bagasan Graham.
Subs: Leon Redwood, Keiron St Aime

Booked: Nicky Nicolau 45, Jeff Goulding 77

Attendance: 548
Referee: Mr Robert Hyde (London E1)
Assistants: Mr Peter Georgiou (Wimbledon, London SE17) & Mr Thomas Ellams (Tadworth, Surrey)