Lewes 0-0 Bromley - There's no way we should be going home drawing blanks, says Bird

Goldberg parted company with the Kent club on Saturday, just hours before the team were defeated by a late single Basingstoke Town goal at Hayes Lane, but there was to be no hangover as some of the slick passing football they played was excellent - the only vital ingredient that was missing was putting the ball into the back of the net.

Lewes keeper Chris Winterton made half-a-dozen saves during the first half as Harry Harding, Wes Daly, Jerrome Sobers, Ryan Dolby and Leon McKenzie all had efforts saved, and basement side Lewes almost snatched victory at the end of each half through counter attacking football.

Bromley goalkeeper Craig Holloway made two vital blocks late in the game to keep his first clean sheet of the season but Goldberg’s assistant manager, Hayden Bird, newly titled head coach, was a frustrated man at the final whistle as his side clearly dropped two points in east Sussex.

“Small details, not dissimilar to Saturday,” said Bird as he emerged from the away dressing room.

“I thought Saturday the team played well, but missed blatant opportunities.  Today they had a chance from Wes Daly, Warren McBean, far stick, it’s small details that turn decent performances into good performances, turn one point into three.

“We were playing a team that were fighting for their lives, they worked very hard but our quality in the first 25 minutes, half-an-hour should have seen them off to win the game.”

Bromley dominated the first half playing with a high-energy, slick passing game that Lewes simply couldn’t cope with.

Tony Finn played the ball up to Paul Vines, who appeared to be fouled from behind but play continued and Harding continued his run forward and his right-footed drive brought a smart diving save out of Winterton inside the opening six minutes.

Another pass from Finn was miss-kicked by early Lewes substitute Nathan Green at the heart of defence and Daly tried his luck with a low drive from 25-yards, which the keeper blocked.

There was to be no let-off on Bromley’s pressure and another chance came and went halfway through the half when Dolby’s left-footed free-kick from 30-yards took a deflection and looped into the keeper’s arms.

Holloway made his first save on the half-hour mark - but any goal would have been ruled out for a foul.

Green’s free-kick from the left was met at the far post by Chris Breach’s bullet header, which brought the very best out of the goalkeeper at the near post, but the flag had already been raised for an infringement.

Another slick passing move from Bromley, which involved Dolby and Harding released McKenzie through on goal but the former Thurrock striker tried to score with a flash shot with the outside of his right boot, but Winterton pulled off a fine diving save, although the officials awarded battered Lewes a goal-kick.

Dolby tried his luck from 25-yards with a fierce drive, which flew straight into the busy Lewes keeper’s body - before Lewes one and only shot on target almost saw Tim O’Shea’s side grab an underserved lead in the final minute of the first half.

A mistake from Bromley’s left-back Marlon Patterson saw him roll the ball across the face of goal and Lewes striker George Barker smashed a first time low drive towards the near post but Holloway was alert to block with his legs.

George Porter, who has regained fitness following a shoulder injury, failed to show the same electrifying form he showed for Ryman Premier League side Cray Wanderers before his move to Leyton Orient and the Lewes right-winger was hauled off at the interval and his replacement David Wheeler impressed during the second half as he ran at Patterson at every opportunity in what was an improved display from the home side.

Lewes upped the tempo after the interval and striker Ben Godfrey turned David Graves - who partnered Jerrome Sobers at the heart of defence with the versatile long-servant Tutu Henriques slotting into right-back - to send a shot over the bar from inside the Bromley penalty box inside the opening ten minutes of the second half.

Sloppy defending from Henriques and Sobers almost gifted Jean Sylvain Dossou a chance on the hour-mark but the central midfielder lashed his shot over the bar with his right-foot from 30-yards.

Bromley central midfielder Harding squandered a couple of decent chances - one a header from Patterson’s cross and another from McKenzie’s low centre from the right.

But the longer the game went on without Bromley turning possession into goals, you just thought Lewes would go up the other end and snatch the victory - just like Basingstoke at the weekend.

But Holloway ensured Bromley came away from The Dripping Pan’s lush playing surface with a point as he twice denied substitute Tom Murphy inside the final seven minutes.

Four players were involved in his first opportunity and after beating Patterson he cut in from the right and his right-footed angled drive was turned around his near post by the diving Bromley keeper.

Bird was full of praise for the former Braintree Town stopper, saying, “It would’ve been a repeat of Saturday (had Lewes scored), but that was a great save from Craig.  He deserved his clean sheet.  I’m really pleased for him.”

Lewes skipper, right-back Anthony Barness released Murphy down the inside right channel and his low drive from similar distance brought a similar reaction from the Bromley keeper.

Bromley’s last chance saw Daly release McKenzie down the right and he whipped in a low centre towards substitute Warren McBean at the far post but the striker failed to connect much to the frustration of the Bromley faithful that had made the trip.

“It is frustrating, but the signs are positive,” added Bird.  “As I’ve said to the players, it’ a small margin, the small details.  If you get those small details right, you win games.  If we carry on like that we’ll start winning games regularly.”

Bromley certainly didn’t feel under the weather following Goldberg’s departure at the weekend, and some of their football was of Arsenal standard.

“They’re disappointed they haven’t won,” said Bird.  “At the moment the spirit around the place is very vibrant.  We’re upbeat, they believe in the new way of playing and I think it’s something to take on board.  It’s a new way of playing now - that came about from Saturday - and they’re keen to put my ideas into practice.  

“Carry on like this and they’ll start winning games quite easily.”

Reflecting on Goldberg’s departure, Bird said: “I think with the players, football moves on, doesn’t it?  It’s the nature of the beast.  Where we go from here is to Ebbsfleet on Saturday.  That’s it!  We look to win that game.

“There are one or two areas we need to improve on but by and large I think the second half of the season will be very promising for this team.”

Bird revealed he is in discussions to bring in a new member of the club’s management team.

“I work very closely with the owner (Jerry Dolke) as the head coach, I put my recommendations to him for ways I believe that we can improve,” said Bird.

“There’s a possibility there will be a new addition to the management team before the Ebbsfleet game, we’re just talking to bring somebody else.

“I don’t think there’s anything drastic need doing, they’re a good bunch of lads, everybody’s working hard to stabilise the ship again and I think you can see that objective has been achieved.”

With The Lillywhites leapfrogging over Ebbsfleet into fourth place in the Blue Square Bet South table with 39 points from 24 games, Bird said his Bromley side is worth watching.

“It’s a little bit of a new way of playing, everyone knows the way I run my teams, they pass the ball religiously, we’re patient and when you get these chances (you have to take them!)

“There’s no way Bromley should be walking away from this ground having not scored!

“The fact that we haven’t scored, we need to address one or two things in that area of the field.”

Lewes:  Chris Winterton, Anthony Barness, Sonny Cobbs, Jermaine Wright, Andy Pearson (Nathan Green 11), Chris Breach, George Porter (David Wheeler 46), Jean Sylvain Dossou, Ben Godfrey (Tom Murphy 75), George Barker, Ismael Welsh.

Subs: James Rowe,  Tim Rivers.

Booked:  George Barker 56

Bromley:  Craig Holloway, Tutu Henriques, Marlon Patterson, Wes Daly, David Graves, Jerrome Sobers, Tony Finn, Harry Harding, Leon McKenzie, Paul Vines (Warren McBean 63), Ryan Dolby (Nicky Greene 68).

Subs:  Arron Fray, Reis Boyle, Salifou Ibrahima.

Booked:  Ryan Dolby 41, Marlon Patterson 47, Leon McKenzie 63

Attendance: 340

Referee:  Mr Harry Lennard (Peacehaven, East Sussex)

Assistants:  Mr Simeon Potter (Sutton,  Surrey) & Mr G Mayes