Maidenhead United 0-2 Bromley - Our great team spirit is getting results, says Mark Goldberg

Saturday 04th September 2010

MAIDENHEAD UNITED 0-2 BROMLEY
Blue Square Bet South
Saturday 4th September 2010
Paul Parkinson reports from York Road

TWO second half goals from Warren McBean and John Scarborough sealed a seventh consecutive win in Bromley‘s record-breaking start to their Blue Square Bet South campaign, but it was a hard-fought victory that was never really secure until the final whistle of a pulsating match on Non-League Saturday.

A delighted manager, Mark Goldberg, speaking afterwards to www.kentishfootball.co.uk, admitted: “I was delighted with our start, but I think early on we rode our luck a little bit. I felt that our delivery wasn‘t quite right and we didn‘t take our opportunities; we kept possession very well, but didn‘t make it count.

“I was a little bit worried that it might come back to bite us, especially when we had a spell where the game became scrappy.

“At half-time we made sure that everyone knew what they had to do in the second half, we had to up it and make sure the final ball was right. But I think we‘ve shown a real improvement and today thoroughly deserved our result.””

Bromley were quicker out of the blocks, but although both Paul Vines and McBean went close, they didn‘t really test Magpies keeper Steve Williams until the 10th minute, when McBean brought a full-length save out of the keeper.

From the resulting corner, the outstanding Wes Daly played possibly the ball of the match to the back post, where the flying Scarborough couldn‘t quite make contact, despite almost bursting through the net himself.

At the other end, Ashley Smith, playing a free-role in midfield that was never fully picked up, let loose two long range efforts that sailed high, wide and not particularly handsome out of the ground over Wes Foderingham‘s goal.

However, Foderingham had to be alert on 26 minutes, to keep Smith‘s mis-directed cross out at the near post.

It looked as though Bromley might be made to pay for their quick start, as the home side started to gain a foothold in the game.

Foderingham again came to the rescue, spreading himself well to deny Jamal Fyfield at point-blank range following a spell of Maidenhead corners.

After Scarborough had thrown himself in front of a Bradley Quamina volley, Foderingham once again saved the day with a full-length save and hold from Kieran Knight‘s left foot drive from the edge of the area.

In an end-to-end spell as the first half closed, Daly released Anthony Finn inside full-back Fyfield, but Finn‘s cross-shot evaded both the approaching McBean and, agonisingly, the far post.

The second half started with a scrappy phase of play; the only half chance being a speculative effort from Magpies‘ skipper Mark Nisbett, trying to lob Foderingham from just inside the Bromley half, but the chance fell safely into the keeper‘s arms.

With their first real chance of the half, Bromley took the lead on 57 minutes as McBean stole into the box, to meet Daly‘s pin-point free kick and the forward powered his header into the back of the net, with Williams stationary, for his fifth goal of the season.

This was no more than the visitors deserved, but they were given a warning when Keiron St. Aimie headed wide a few minutes later with the goal at his mercy.

The game seemed to be sealed on 76 minutes, when Jerrome Sobers flicked Finn‘s corner to the back post. Sobers‘ central defensive partner, Scarborough, took his time to bring the ball down, before firing low into the far corner to double Bromley‘s lead.

But again, Maidenhead fought back and Foderingham was grateful to scramble the ball away with his legs as a Nisbet header deflected goalwards off Daniel Brown.

A Nisbet flick almost set up a chance for Andrew Fagan in stoppage time, but the defender was unable to reach the ball at the back post.

Goldberg was full of praise for his team and especially McBean saying, “He popped up with a goal again, a great delivery from Wes Daly, but I think Warren himself would say he held onto the ball too long. He had a few real goal-scoring opportunities there, but he‘s one of those players who can always pop up with a goal.”

The Lilwhites remain four points clear over Braintree Town at the top of the table.

And August's Blue Square Bet South's manager-of-the-month said: “I certainly don‘t think we‘ve deserved to lose a game so far, but you‘ve got to run with it when you have that bit of luck.

“We do believe that we have prepared extremely well this pre-season and it‘s also a result of three years learning at this level, me as well, as manager.

“I feel more confident in myself as a manager, we‘ve got a system we want to play to and feel I can get the players to buy into it. We‘ve got a great team spirit and it‘s getting results.”

“I think it is fair to say the spine of the side is stronger than it has been and we‘re not tinkering with this in the way we might have done last year, but that is all about the experience of what you need in football.

“We‘ve got 3 or 4 youngsters who are a part of the squad, like young Sam Butler and Reis Boyle, who are both 18 and have great potential. It can only give us confidence.”

A little bit tongue-in-cheek, Golberg finished when asked about the outstanding start to the season, he replied, “We won‘t get carried away, we haven‘t yet avoided relegation. The reality is that Braintree keep winning, Dover will be a force and Chelmsford will be up there, so we‘ve just got to hang in there.

“Next week, we‘ve got St Albans at home. We‘re going to keep our feet firmly on the ground, work hard in training this week and take every game as it comes.”

Maidenhead United: Steve Williams, Jack Bradshaw, Jamal Fyfield, Daniel Brown, Mark Nisbet, Andrew Fagan, Lee Barney (Martel Powell 78), Bradley Quarmina (Bobby Behzadi 78), Kieran Knight (Sam Collins 70), Keiron St. Aimie, Ashley Smith.

Subs: Emmanuel Sackey, Warren Carter.

Booked: Bradley Quarmina 77

Bromley: Wes Foderingham, David Graves, Harrison Dunk, Wes Daly, John Scarborough, Jerrome Sobers, Anthony Finn (Nicky Greene 90), Tutu Henriques, Paul Vines, Warren McBean (Nic McDonnell 70), Ryan Dolby.

Subs: Arron Fray, Reis Boyle, Sam Butler.

Goals: Warren McBean 57, John Scarborough 76

Attendance: 410

Referee: Mr Andy Laver (Portsmouth, Hampshire)

Assistants: Mr Mark Sage (Luton, Bedfordshire) & Mr Gareth Viccars (Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire)