Bromley 3-0 Maidstone United

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

It feels like an age since I watched a Bromley game much less wrote a Good, Bad & Ugly.

As it is its only been an absence of two games, a win and a defeat to Eastleigh and York City respectively.

Bromley headed into the Kent Derby with Maidstone United not only with bragging rights on the line but looking for three points that would consolidate their positive start to the season.

They got that and then some. As ever I’ve put together a reflection on the main talking points of the game viaThe Good, The Bad and The Ugly series.

Have a read and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

The Line-up vs Maidstone United

The Good

Most people will see the scoreline and assume it was a dominant, free-flowing performance built on scintillating attacking play. In some regards, they would be right. 

However, this is now Bromley’s ninth game of the season and fifth clean sheet. I always wheel out the phrase, but promotion-winning seasons are built on good defences first and foremost. 

When I say 'good defences' I mean defending as a team, not just the back three, who admittedly were excellent. 

In terms of the attacking play, everything finally clicked against Maidstone. Andy Woodman has long suggested that Bromley were overdue a big victory and it arrived. For me, the key difference lay in two areas: the forward play from both wingbacks and the finishing in the six-yard box.

There have been games this season where either Hannam or Forster have been decisive going forward, but not both at the same time. Against Maidstone, they both threatened consistently. More importantly, they received lots of the ball as Bromley used the full width of the pitch. 

Further forward, Adam Marriott once again reminded us why Andy Woodman wanted him at the club. He has now played five games and scored four goals. Notably, the goals have been that of a wily poacher. Against Maidstone, he scored one having smartly got across his man, and the other was the result of a quick reaction to a parried shot. 

They were the type of goals we come to expect from Michael Cheek. But here’s the chef’s kiss... The arrival of Marriott means we no longer have to rely on Cheek’s goals alone. Long may that continue. 

I spoke with Andy post match to get his reflections on the positives of the game - have a listen to the recording below before you move on

The Bad

Given Reice Charles-Cook’s form, I wondered how Arsenal loanee Tom Smith would break into the team. Unfortunately for Reice, his injury on Saturday looks likely to keep him out for at least three weeks, and that seems a generous estimate. 

Andy Woodman has always said that he wants two keepers who can challenge for the number one spot. Tom Smith will now get his chance to impress enough to keep Charles-Cook out of the side when he returns.

It’s such bad luck for Reice. Bromley have kept five clean sheets this season and that’s in great part due to his brilliant performances.

One would hope that Reice returns with renewed vigour and a determination to win his shirt back. This is the most focused I’ve seen him in some time, and it’s often forgotten that he has plenty of EFL experience. Hopefully, he’s able to rediscover his early season form and fulfil his obvious talent when he returns.

The Ugly

Let me get this off the bat straight away: I am not a royalist in any shape or form. Those that know me know my stance, particularly pertaining to my desire for Jamaica to no longer have a British monarch as Head of State.

That said, I recognised the importance of the moment’s silence before the game and the significance of HRH Queen Elizabeth’s passing to the majority of the people in the country.  

Kudos to Peter Fiorini for singing the national anthem and to the club in general for marking the moment well. However, the same cannot be said for some of the moody crew that were situated in the away end.

This isn’t blaming Maidstone United as a whole, far from it, but it does speak to the neanderthal antics that take place whenever a sizeable away support turns up at Hayes Lane.

While the majority of the ground observed the moment’s silence, no matter their political views, some fans on either side of the Bromley and Maidstone barriers decided to engage in back-and-forth vulgarities and chanting.

I’ve been there in my youth and am certainly no angel in that regard, but there’s a time and a place to live out your faux Football Factory sentiments. A moment's silence, whether for the Queen or anyone deemed worthy of one, seems well below the line of acceptance.

Poor form all-round. 

Match ratings

Charles-Cook (8)

Harry Forster (8)

Omar Sowunmi (9)

Byron Webster (9)

Callum Reynolds (9)

Reece Hannam (8)

James Vennings (7)

Billy Bingham (7)

Corey Whitely (8)

Michael Cheek (7)

Adam Marriott (9)

Subs:

Louis Dennis (on 66 for Reece Hannam) 6

Jude Arthurs (on 86 for James Vennings) 6

Chris Bush (on 76 for Reice Charles-Cook) 7

For those who are interested, I have also included the interview with Maidstone manager Hakan Hayrettin - always worth seeing how the opposition viewed a match as well

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Thanks for taking the time to read the match synopsis above.

Please note all photographs in this article are by Martin Greig - please follow him on Twitter here

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