We need everyone pulling in the same direction, says Bromley coach Neil Smith

BROMLEY assistant manager Neil Smith says his side must start putting a run together to avoid being involved in another relegation dog-fight.



The Ravens’ four-match unbeaten run came to a halt when they were defeated 3-1 by second-placed Welling United at Park View Road last night.

Defender Moses Swaibu was red-carded for a deliberate handball to deny Joe Healy from scoring following Loui Fazakerley’s cut-back, but Healy converted the resulting thirteenth-minute penalty for his tenth-goal of the season.

Welling United doubled their lead through striker Ross Lafayette in the 67^th minute, before Bromley skipper Ali Fuseini scored his first goal of the season when his 35-yard cross curled over keeper Sam Mott to find the far corner.

But Welling United secured the victory inside injury time when substitute Theo Fariweather-Johnson replicated Lafayette’s goal by scoring with a one-on-one past keeper Joe Welch.

The defeat means Bromley slid down a place and go into Saturday’s home game against sixth-placed Farnborough in eighteenth-place in the Blue Square Bet (Conference) South table with 19 points from 16 games, two points above the relegation zone.

“I’m expecting another tough game because they always give you a tough game, but I’m expecting us to play like we played last night and give them a right good game,” said Smith.

Bromley suffered a 2-0 defeat in Hampshire back in early September and Smith said: “We didn’t turn up at that game against Farnborough!  Words were said and I hope we never have those words again, but I’m really hoping and determined we get a result on Saturday because we want to be (in the top ten). We don’t want to be eighteenth and that’s where we are at the moment.”

Bromley took up to 150 fans to Welling last night and should be watching a team that are challenging for promotion instead of looking over their shoulder with the struggling sides in the division.

“We’re disappointed where we are and the players are and I am and the management are but we’ve still got to believe that we can achieve something this season,” said Smith.

“The one thing that is missing from our bit of play is consistency. We’ve been playing well in one half and not so good in the other half. We’re very rarely put in a 90 minute shift. I thought last night believe it or not - I know we’ve lost - I thought we played a full 90 minutes of very good football. Baring the sending off and the penalty I thought we were on top from the minute we started that game.”

Smith wants the drum banging younger supporting element to keep on giving the team vocal support and wants everyone pulling in the same direction to put the club back to where it should be.

He said: “They were fantastic, they came past us (after the game when we were in the dressing room) banging their drums.  I think they’ve given us that support because they could see with ten men the effort those boys put in but we’ve got to do that every week.

“I think the more we do that the more results we’ll get and we’ll have a bigger following coming with us and that’s what we want to achieve at this club.”

Welling United – and Dover Athletic – are two points behind full-time leaders Salisbury City at the top of the table and the long-suffering Bromley faithful are desperate for their side to be in the same boat as their Kent rivals.

Smith, who is employed on a full-time basis at his home-town club agrees:

“We’ve got into the Second Round for the first time in how many years in the FA Trophy – we’ve got into the First Round of the FA Cup – they are one off games.

“I want to be playing because we’re in the top-flight and we’re looking at into the play-offs and we’re the top team playing everybody and that’s what we want to achieve.

“I know the supporters want to achieve that.  We need the supporters’ and everyone pulling in the same direction or you don’t get anywhere. 

“There’s no point being out there wanting us to lose for whatever reason. We need to be pulling together. The squad we’ve got, we should be doing better.”

After Saturday’s home game against Farnborough, Bromley make the trip to Woking’s Kingfield Stadium next Tuesday to face seventh-placed Hayes & Yeading United.

It will be the third time that Bromley will wear their yellow shirts – they’ve worn them at Fleetwood Town in the FA Cup First Round and at Welling United last night and lost both games.

“They’re going to be good,” said Smith, “They’ve come down from the Conference last year. 

“Playing at Woking, the pitch should be in fantastic condition. I think they like to pass it around.

“I think we’ll discuss the Hayes & Yeading one after we’ve got through Farnborough on Saturday because we’ve just said to the players even though they’re not playing we’ve got a squad of players and every one of them are going to be included up until after Christmas and the New Year.”

This game will eat up one of Bromley’s games in hand and Smith knows points must be taken to start their climb up the table.

He added: “We know we’ve got games in hand but they don’t mean nothing if you don’t win them.   We know it’s tough. We’ve got the points we’ve got and we know we have to start putting a run together and that starts on Saturday now.”

Visit Bromley’s website: www.bromleyfc.net

Bromley  v  Farnborough
Blue Square Bet South
Saturday 8^th December 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Hayes Lane, Bromley, Kent BR2 9EF