Bromley vs Chesterfield preview

And so we meet again.

Back on May 7 2023, when Chesterfield fans swarmed in front of the 700-odd travelling Bromley fans to celebrate their 3-2 play-off semi-final victory, I turned to a good friend of mine and said we’ll be seeing them next season.

Chesterfield went on to lose the play-off final to Notts County on penalties. 

When we met again the following season, 2023/24, the two teams shared the six points on offer and both celebrated promotion to League Two at the end of the season.

The clubs’ last three encounters might have been meaningful, but this isn’t a new tie. Bromley and Chesterfield have faced off thirteen times in the last six seasons, so their ‘rivalry’ actually dates back to 2018. And when you study those clashes, you realise that the games have always been close affairs. 

While Bromley hold a slightly superior record (6 wins, 3 draws, 4 defeats), all but three of the encounters have been won by an odd goal.

In short, we should probably expect another close encounter tonight.

Since their National League title-winning season, Chesterfield have understandably strengthened and flexed some of the financial muscle they showed in the non-league.

Most notably, free-scoring Paddy Madden has arrived from Stockport County to accompany Will Grigg in attack. Other eye-catching signings have come in the form of Lewis Gordon from Bristol Rovers, Chey Dunkley from Shrewsbury, and Dilan Markanday on loan from Blackburn Rovers. Highly rated Fulham defender Harvey Araujo has also joined the Spireites on loan and is first-choice ahead of Jamie Grimes, which tells you all about his ability.

What Chesterfield fans will be most happy about, however, is that they have kept the core of the side that got them promoted.

The uber-talented Armando Dobra is still there, along with Liam Mandeville, Ryan Colclough, James Berry, and Darren Oldaker to name but a few.

Let’s not make light of the task Bromley face. 

Of Chesterfield’s eight league games so far, they have only lost two, one to league leaders Gillingham (1-0) and the other to fifth-place Port Vale (1-0). 

However, Chesterfield’s embarrassment of riches aside, I see no reason why Bromley should go into this encounter fearing them. Playing a side they recognise and know very well, new additions notwithstanding, may prove a welcome respite from League Two’s sea of new challenges. 

Chesterfield will pay particular attention to Michael Cheek, who has scored nine goals in eleven games against them. Keeping him quiet for 90 minutes may well be key to their game plan, as more often than not, Cheeky only needs one chance to punish them.

Andy Woodman will be encouraged by elements of what he saw against MK Dons on Saturday, but the need to stop conceding soft or self-inflicted goals remains his main focus. Bromley haven’t kept a clean sheet since their second league game of the season against AFC Wimbledon.

I don’t believe Andy has found his answer in defence yet, and it wouldn’t surprise me if we saw another tweak tonight, particularly as Kamarl Grant didn’t look comfortable at LCB on Saturday and was hooked at half-time.

Will this be the game Andy hands Carl Jenkinson a debut at RCB, moving Omar Sowunmi to the middle and Callum Reynolds to LCB? Or will Odutayo slot in at LCB and Topalloj enter the fray at LWB? The latter is my guess.

Further afield, I don’t expect any changes. Depending on how much Woodman respects Chesterfield’s attacking nous, I suspect he will start Cheek alone up top with Whitely and Congreve behind. The rest will follow.

But here’s a question. Given Marcus Dinanga is likely to be out for the foreseeable future, who climbs the totem pole to partner Cheek when the time comes?

Over to you. Who would you throw into the mix tonight?

The From Bromley with Love XI

Smith

Sowunmi Reynolds Odutayo

Imray Thompson Charles Topalloj

Whitely Congreve

Cheek

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

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