The aim is to get into the play-offs now, says Bromley boss Mark Goldberg

BROMLEY boss Mark Goldberg says his side must not suffer from a FA Cup hangover and begin their climb up the Blue Square Bet South league table, writes Stephen McCartney.


Bromley remain in the bottom six – eight points above the relegation zone – following yesterday’s 3-0 defeat at League One side Leyton Orient in The FA Cup First Round and following Tuesday night’s Kent Senior Cup Sponsored by Portablefloodlights.com home tie against Charlton Athletic, the club must start picking up points starting with Saturday’s trip to Chelmsford City.

“We (must) push up the league this season because we’re a young group of lads’.  We are capable of winning games and I believe now you will see us push up the league,” said Goldberg, 48, who has lost all three appearances for Bromley in The FA Cup First Round.

“I’m determined that we will finish with a bit of a run and you never know we might get into the play-offs.  That’s the aim now, to get into the play-offs towards the end of the season.”

Assistant manager, Murray Jones, added: “We just feel we’re under achieving a little bit and perhaps our Cup competitions have got in the way a little bit and maybe we’ve taken our eye of the ball, which we have and rested players for the games.

“But we’re all aware why we’re here (in seventeenth place with 18 points from 15 games).  A couple or three wins and that league can change very quickly.

“What we want to gain is experience and confidence using these Cup games and then we’re back to the bread and butter and pick up some points and get up that Blue Square Bet South league.”

Midfielder Danny Waldren, 22, who enjoyed mixing it with the big-boys in his first appearance in The FA Cup First Round, knows the management team must lift the troops.

He said: “There were just gutted faces because we thought we could’ve actually got something from the game.  It’s just all about the atmosphere and the moment and taking it.  A lot of players’ are gutted but we have to give them that morale boost because we’ve got to crack on again in the league now.

“That’s the main thing, so it’s all about getting the players’ morale boosted up.

“Chelmsford is not an easy game on Saturday.  We’re back down to earth.  We’ll have to get our heads right and just crack on, that’s the main thing.”

Defender Joe Dolan, 31, who took the captain’s armband yesterday after the club’s longest serving player, Tutu Henriques, 29, missed the Cup tie through an ankle injury, says his team-mates must take their FA Cup form against Welling United, Margate, Dartford and the first half against Leyton Orient into their league matches.

“That’s exactly what we want to do,” said the former Millwall defender.

“Boreham Wood last week we made a few changes, a few people’s minds were on this week so we dropped points so we’re in the bottom half of the table, which is nowhere near where we should be or where we expect to be.

“We’ll focus our minds after Charlton on Tuesday, on Chelmsford away, a big game (on Saturday).  They’ve had a great win today (in the FA Cup) so it’s going to be a tough game so we need to get our minds focused and get ready for that.”

But before their trip to Essex, Bromley welcome League One leaders Charlton Athletic in the second round of the Kent Senior Cup sponsored by Portablefloodlights.com on Tuesday night.

The club have reduced admission prices to £5 for Charlton’s return to the competition and Jones is looking forward to facing two League One clubs in the space of three days.

“It’s great experience still, two professional clubs,” said the assistant manager.

“Who would have said all those years’ ago that Bromley would be playing Leyton Orient in the FA Cup First Round and then go again against Charlton Athletic at home in the Kent Senior Cup?  Two fantastic games really look to look forward to. 

“The squad will be utilised.  There’s a lot of games coming up.  It’s a great experience playing against Football League clubs.”

Goldberg added: “We’ll learn from (the Leyton Orient game) and I do believe, we belief that we can give them a game on Tuesday.  We gave Orient a game for at least the first half, didn’t we?

“Chelmsford away next week.  We just have to get back to hard graft and hopefully we’ll do the boys’ proud and get some points.

“We’ve got to push ourselves up the league now.”

Visit Bromley’s website: www.bromleyfc.net  

Bromley  v  Charlton Athletic
Kent Senior Cup Sponsored by Portablefloodlights.com Second Round
Tuesday 15^th November 2011
Kick Off 7:45pm
at Hayes Lane, Bromley, Kent BR2 9EF