Kentish Football 
Bromley 5-1 Tonbridge Angels - We're still looking to have our best finish, says Mark Goldberg
The Skrill South
Saturday 24th August 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Hayes Lane
BROMLEY manager Mark Goldberg insists he is working with a sensible playing budget after his side maintained first place in The Skrill South after three games.
The Ravens have been embroiled in relegation dog-fights during the past two seasons but Goldberg has got it right this season and are the surprise package seven days into the new season.
Bromley kicked off their campaign with a 2-0 win away to Hayes & Yeading United last weekend and people took note when they thrashed last season’s Ryman Premier League champions Whitehawk 4-0 at Hayes Lane in midweek.
But their Kent rivals Tonbridge Angels were ripped apart on a wet and miserable day at Hayes Lane as Bromley maintained the same starting eleven for the third successive game.
Tonbridge Angels suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Boreham Wood last Saturday, before they went down to a 2-1 defeat away to Eastbourne Borough in midweek, but their poor performance in this Kent derby clearly upset manager Tommy Warrilow, who declined a post-match interview.
But this was to be Bromley’s day and they opened the scoring halfway through the first half when French winger Pierre Joseph-Dubois scored his third goal of the season by accepting a gift.
Bradley Goldberg, 19, who is on loan from League Two side Dagenham & Redbridge, scored his second goal in as many games for the club to double Bromley’s advantage.
However, the third goal will go down as arguably the best goal scored by a Bromley player in 75 years’ of football at Hayes Lane when winger Brendan Kiernan finished off a world-class, 12 man one-touch passing move.
Rob Swaine capped off a man-of-the-match display when he headed home Bromley’s fourth, before Tonbridge Angels pulled a goal back when former Bromley left-back Nathan Green scored via both posts from 35-yards.
Bromley wrapped up their victory when substitute Jordan Clark slotted into the bottom near corner inside injury time to send Tonbridge Angels down a place into the bottom two at this early stage of the season.
Bromley boss Mark Goldberg said: “Well obviously pleasing to continue the good run and to be scoring goals. It’s one of those where we’re even disappointed that we conceded the one and the nature of the goal we through there was a handball just before it but being ultra-critical we should be delighted with the start - and we are.”
There seems to be a togetherness between the Bromley players this season that has been lacking in recent years.
“I think the most pleasing thing is the fact that we’re going into the game knowing that we need to be competing with the opposition before we start playing our football,” explained Goldberg.
“Right away from the front two to the midfield we’re working for each other. It starts with the front two and I think their closing down tremendously well. They’re winning balls that they sometimes they shouldn’t win and it just sets the standards. Everybody’s working for each other, covering for each other.
“We feel a very united squad and that’s boding very well for us at the moment.”
Warrilow and his assistant Alex O’Brien declined to comment on the game and will demand better when Chelmsford City visit Longmead Stadium on Monday afternoon to get their season up and running.
Patient build-up play from the back carved open Bromley’s opening chance inside the opening four minutes when right-back Dean Pooley played the ball to Goldberg, who peeled off his marker to create space on the right hand side of the penalty area and he swung in a left-footed cross but an unmarked Jay May sent his glancing header sailing past the far post from eight-yards.
Bromley called Tonbridge Angels keeper Clark Masters into action inside the opening ten minutes when Elliot Buchanan floated in a free-kick from the edge of the centre circle and Swaine’s towering header from fifteen-yards was caught by the former Havant & Waterlooville keeper.
Former Tonbridge Angels striker May spotted central midfielder Steven Smith had made a forward run, but after taking a touch he dragged his left-footed drive past the far post from 25-yards.
Goldberg then cut the ball back to Kiernan, but the former AFC Wimbledon winger’s first time cross-shot looped into Masters’ hands.
Tonbridge Angels’ first opening came when Green played the ball into target-man Mikel Suarez, who played the ball inside to Nathan Pinney, who set up Mark Lovell, whose right-footed forward pass rolled into Lewis Carey’s gloves.
But Tonbridge Angels gifted Bromley the lead when Chris Piper inexplicably played the ball inside with the outside of his boot straight to Joseph-Dubois, who took the invitation to burst forward before stroking a quality right-footed drive past the diving Masters into the net from 25-yards.
“The goals are coming for us at a good time,” admitted Goldberg. “One could say that we’ve been a bit fortunate and maybe time will tell whether we have been or not, but it’s good to get the points early on and it’s good to be scoring goals and everybody’s chipping in to the goals.
“We’ve got wingers that are scoring for fun and our forwards are all chipping in as well. The competition for places in the midfield is very strong and the back four is looking extremely solid. So far we should be very pleased.”
However, the turning point arrived when Tonbridge Angels squandered an excellent chance to equalise when Piper almost made amends for his blunder.
Green played the ball forward to Piper, who played a slick one-two with striker Pinney and was put through on goal but his right-footed drive was beaten out by Bromley keeper Carey at his near post.
Goldberg knew this was a crucial moment in the game.
The Bromley boss said: “I didn’t really feel too threatened throughout the game by Tonbridge, but whilst it’s only 1-0 we knew we’re always very vulnerable and they can get their breakthrough and goals change goals. The second goal was really important.
But Bromley doubled their lead only 34 seconds later, on the half-hour mark.
Smith produced a sublime defensive splitting pass which released Goldberg through on goal, ripping through the heart of the Angels defence.
Goldberg still had a lot to do as he sprinted forward but he maintained his composure to round the advancing Masters to slot his right-footed shot into the bottom far corner from a tight angle despite Tonbridge defender Sonny Miles trying to get back on the line to save the day.
“I still think he had a bit to do,” the manager said of his son’s second career goal for Bromley.
“He had to show a bit of pace to get in front of the goalkeeper to take it around him. I think the keeper forced him a little bit wide but he had a difficult angle but he slotted it home.
“I’m sure he’s extremely pleased how he’s settling in to our team and it’s pleasing that our strikers are scoring.”
Goldberg senior admitted his son benefited from a successful spell at Hastings United last season.
He said: “I think it’s fair to say that he was only seventeen when he joined Bromley the first time round. There’s no question that going to the Ryman Premier playing for Hastings, he maned up and you do that aged seventeen-eighteen. It was a great experience for him. Hastings were great for him. He scored goals there gained his confidence and he’s ready for this level and he’s showing that he’s ready for at least this level now.”
Swaine, who is arguably Bromley’s most solid defender for many a year, is a presence in both penalty boxes.
Kiernan swung in a right-footed corner from the left and Swaine jumped his marker and glanced his header across goal and past the far post from 12-yards.
Tonbridge Angels’ striker Pinney picked up a poor pass from May before taking the ball on before unleashing a low right-footed drive from 25-yards, which zipped off the wet turf and forced Carey into making a low save in front of his body.
Tonbridge Angels finished the first half with a chance which was wasted when Miles pumped a long ball into the box which was knocked down by Suarez and the ball came out to David Ijaha who sent his left-footed shot from eighteen-yards sailing over the crossbar.
When asked what he said at half-time, Goldberg said: “I think it’s fair to say that we weren’t getting carried away. We believed that if we can keep our shape and keep solid for the next twenty minutes then a third goal could come and that would finish it off.”
Bromley left-back Joe Anderson cracked a right-footed drive from 25-yards, which sailed over the top of the crossbar after Goldberg and Buchanan combined down the left.
But Bromley scored arguably their best ever goal in 75 years of football at Hayes Lane inside the opening nine minutes of the second half with a goal more suited to a World Cup Final than a Conference South Kent derby.
At least 12 one-touch passes were made (involving Buchanan, Goldberg, Kiernan, May, Buchanan, Anderson, Smith, Joseph-Dubois, May and Anderson and Goldberg) which saw the ball played to Jospeh-Dubois on the left hand side of the penalty area and he cut the ball across the face of goal for Kiernan to slide in with Green to poke the ball into the bottom left-hand corner.
Goldberg said: “The goal for me where seven or eight players were involved in it with one-touch passing and I think the finish was the final one tough on the goal-line from Brendan so for me that just shows you what the team’s all about at the moment.
“It was a tremendous goal. I was really pleased with that. Everybody was involved, twelve passes you say. I think everybody in the team was involved. That’s how good a goal it was!”
Tonbridge Angels were forced to reshuffle the pack when they lost skipper Gary Elphick to injury, so substitute Henry Muggeridge slotted in at right-back and Miles partnered former Crystal Palace Premier League defender Gary Borrowdale at the heart of defence and they almost leaked in a fourth goal when Buchanan’s corner from the right was headed straight at Masters by Joseph-Dubois at the far post.
Bromley had a fourth goal ruled out in the 62nd minute when Smith was played through on goal and his left-footed shot across Masters was tipped away by the diving keeper low to his left but May was in an offside position by the time he tucked the rebound home.
A long kick from Carey was flicked on by target-man May and Goldberg curled a right-footed shot around the far post from 20-yards.
We will never know today why Tonbridge Angels’ best performer Phillip Appiah was withdrawn in the 64th minute, but his replacement, striker Luke Blewden sparked a mini revival for the Angels.
Blewden picked the ball up inside the Bromley half and played the ball up to Pinney, who sprinted half the pitch to reach the penalty area before he chipped a cross towards the near post and Blewden’s header sailed agonisingly wide of the near post from inside the six-yard box.
Borrowdale played the ball into Suarez feet who cracked a left-footed drive from 25-yards, which looped off Jack Holland (who slid in to make an attempted block) and looped onto the top of the crossbar and over.
Green swung in the resulting corner from the right and Blewden agonisingly glanced his header wide of the far post.
Bromley replicated their midweek win over Whitehawk when they scored their fourth goal with fourteen minutes left.
Buchanan swung in a free-kick towards the far post from 35-yards and Swaine capped off an immense performance at the back to power his diving header into the bottom near corner.
Goldberg was full of his praise for his commanding goalscoring captain.
He said: “He gives us an option that we never had with set-pieces, firstly defending set-pieces he’s been immense, also attacking set-pieces. That’s why we’ve brought him in. He scored 12 goals last year for Billericay and I’m sure he’s going to do the same thing for us – if not more.”
But Green scored against his former club and to end Bromley’s 265 minute run without conceding, with five minutes to go.
Green made progress down the left and powered a left-footed drive from the touchline around 35-yards from goal, which sailed over Carey’s head, clipped the far post and went in off the near post.
Goldberg added: “I don’t think our keeper could’ve done anything about it! We thought it was handball just before but goals on occasions can change games but it wasn’t going to change the game today and we got the next goal to finish it off.”
As the game entered injury time, Clark clipped a corner towards the near post where an unmarked Jospeh-Dubois glanced his header across goal and wide and at the other end Muggeridge curled a left-footed shot into Carey’s gloves from 25-yards.
The Bromley faithful were celebrating their teams scintillating performance when goal number five arrived with 48:14 on the clock and Goldberg was delighted that all of his substitutes were involved.
Ashley Nicholls’ through ball released Warren McBean through on goal and the striker rounded the keeper and the chance appeared to the lost as he was forced wide and Tonbridge were able to get bodies back into the box.
But McBean clipped the ball across goal to Clark at the far post who rolled his right-footed shot into the bottom near corner as Masters made the wrong decision to step to his left.
“We wrapped off a good day,” added Goldberg. “The subs were involved as well and they did a fair job. That’s what’s been so good for the team that all the subs have made an impact and been instrumental in the overall team performance.”
Bromley were then denied a six goal when McBean drove his shot straight at Masters, who has had better days than this one.
The last time Bromley were at the Conference South summit was three years’ ago when they won their opening seven games before drifting away into midtable.
Bromley have never finished in the top ten in seven years at this level, but despite their impressive start Goldberg is keeping his feet on the ground.
“We’ve got to be delighted with a 5-1 win,” said Goldberg.
“We’re certainly not thinking beyond the next game and we’re just pleased to get some points on the board. Nothing’s changed as far as we’re concerned.
“We’re still looking to have our best finish as I’ve said before and finish in the top half of the table.”
But Goldberg insists the club are not splashing the cash, unlike Kent rivals Ebbsfleet United, who have confirmed publically that they have a £8,000 per week playing budget and a transfer kitty of £100,000.
The Fleet are in the bottom five after picking up two draws and a defeat in their opening three outings.
Goldberg wanted to make the situation clear and said: “We’re fortunate that we’ve got a couple of youngsters like Thomas O’Connor and Reece Hall who could be available to us and also Albert Jarrett who we’re hoping will come back in January, but really it’s an eighteen-man squad on a very sensible budget.
“People have been talking us up that this is all part of a big spending 21-man squad. It’s an eighteen-man squad in terms of the budget and we’re very pleased that if we can be seen to punch above our weight.”
When asked whether his side can go all the way and clinch their first league title since 1961 (when the club won the Isthmian League), Goldberg replied: “We’re not talking about anything apart from just game by game and we’ve got a bit of belief that we can do better this year than what we’ve done before.
“I think we’ve got a very good spine and we’ve got players who are working for us and working for each other and the spines a lot stronger. At set-pieces were more resilient and we’re more dangerous going forward for set-pieces. We’re also got a little bit more intelligence amongst the squad as well so it all feels a bit better.”
Goldberg, meanwhile, takes his side to Bishop’s Stortford on Bank Holiday Monday (3pm), a side that lie in ninth-place in the table and came away from Sutton United with a 2-1 win today.
“It’s going to be a tough game,” he said. “We’re under no illusions. We’d like to grab a win but it’s going to be a hard fought, competitive match and we’re under no illusions that life is going to get any easier for us. It’s going to get harder.
“It’s going to get a lot harder for us but we’ll be prepared. At least we go into games believing that we can win them and that’s the most important thing.”
Bromley: Lewis Carey, Dean Pooley, Joe Anderson, Steven Smith (Ashley Nicholls 63), Rob Swaine, Jack Holland, Pierre Joseph-Dubois, Elliot Buchanan, Bradley Goldberg (Warren McBean 70), Jay May, Brendan Kiernan (Jordan Clark 64).
Subs: Mike Jones, Danny Waldren
Goals: Pierre Joseph-Dubois 22, Bradley Goldberg 30, Brendan Kiernan 54, Rob Swaine 76, Jordan Clark 90
Tonbridge Angels: Clark Masters, Sonny Miles, Nathan Green, Mikel Suarez, Gary Elphick (Henry Muggeridge 58), Gary Borrowdale, Phillip Appiah (Luke Blewden 64), David Ijaha, Nathan Pinney, Chris Piper, Mark Lovell.
Subs: Jon Heath, Ryan Watts, Scott Chalmers-Stevens
Goal: Nathan Green 85
Booked: Gary Borrowdale 10, Mikel Suarez 22, Mark Lovell 77
Attendance: 666
Referee: Mr Lee Venamore (Maidstone)
Assistants: Mr Oli Dolton (Oxford) & Mr Ollie Davies (London SW4)
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