Harrogate Town 0-2 Bromley

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

So much distraction, so much media attention, but it all came to an end on Saturday 10^th August 2024. Bromley took to the pitch to play their first-ever game in the English Football League. Their date with history had arrived.

But the more things change, the more they stay the same. Bromley produced a performance that displayed all of the hard-grafting hallmarks of their promotion-winning formula. If it ain’t broke… 

Harrogate Town might have had the EFL pedigree, but a neutral would have been hard-pressed to decipher which team was the seasoned League Two outfit.

As ever, I reflect on The Good, The Bad and The Ugly from the 2-0 win at Harrogate Town.

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

The team vs Harrogate Town

The Good

Don’t concede, don’t lose.

A quick reminder for the absent-minded: Bromley had the second-best defence in the National League last season. With that in mind, it was highly likely that Andy Woodman’s team would set up to be defensively resolute first and foremost. They didn’t disappoint.

How many clear-cut chances do you remember Harrogate creating? In the second half, they created absolutely nothing.

With Bromley revved up and full of confidence, there was always likely to be some promotion bounce to their inaugural game. That notwithstanding, they moved the ball really well throughout the match. 

This was aided by Corey Whitely and Cameron Congreve, who continually picked up balls between the lines on the half-turn and were able to bring the rest of the team into the game.

Cameron Congreve was particularly impressive. It was easy to see why the 20-year-old has already appeared 15 times for Swansea City.

At various points in the match, Cameron seemed to be playing the game at a different pace, freeing him to pick out a key pass or create space for others in the final third.

However, it would be remiss to only draw attention to play in the final third. The foundations for Bromley’s attacking play were laid by the midfield dominance of Ashley Charles and Jude Arthurs. Whether they were winning second balls, recycling play, or picking the right moment to join the attack, the pair dominated their Harrogate Town counterparts. 

Finally, I must herald Michael Cheek. How apt it was that he was the man to score our first goal in the Football League. I ran out of superlatives to throw at him last season, but once again Cheek was the man of the moment when it mattered most.

If he stays injury-free, you can pretty much guarantee he will score 15, minimum.

As I mentioned in my previous match review, this season, I plan to use The Good to highlight a stand-out performance from a member of the opposition.

Where Harrogate were concerned, there wasn't really a player who stood out, which perhaps speaks to how well Bromley nullified them across the piece. 

That said, I was intrigued to see how Zico Asare got on. The right-back has served Maidenhead United with distinction for the last two seasons and did not look out of place on his EFL debut. 

The former Fulham youth offered some enterprising forays going forward and was game for the battles that came down his side of the pitch. 

No matter what kind of season Harrogate are in for, Zico is someone worth monitoring. 

The Bad

On what was a great day for everyone involved with the football club, the only downer was the injury to Josh Passley, who had looked very lean and ready for the new EFL season.

The signing of Danny Imray has put pressure on his place, but Passley has responded in exactly the way he should: by upping his levels.

The wing-back looked strong offensively and defensively in the opening action of his League Two debut, but an innocuous stretch for a ball caused an injury that ended his afternoon. He was replaced by Imray.

Given Josh had his season cut short at the tail end of 23/24, it was a cruel blow for him to be forced off after only 23 minutes of the new season. 

He will be back.

The Ugly

Shortly before the half-time interval, Michael Cheek received a yellow card for a challenge on Harrogate goalkeeper James Belshaw. Both men had slid in for a 50/50 challenge following a loose back pass, causing them to collide with considerable force.

I don’t know how obvious it was to Bromley’s travelling fans behind the goal, but on the stream I was watching, Cheek got to the ball first and appeared to take a knee to the chest. 

As the two players lay in a heap, I allowed myself a brief thought that Bromley might be awarded a penalty. So imagine my surprise when Cheek was carded for a foul.

James Belshaw had to be substituted soon after as he picked up a knock in the incident, which is unfortunate of course. That notwithstanding, how was it determined that Cheek was more reckless than Belshaw when the challenge was clearly 50/50?

Did the referee come to the conclusion that Cheek had no right to go for the ball? If so, I would love to know how he made that analysis. The ball was there to be won.

In short, will the refereeing in League Two be just as erratic as it was in the National League?

If you’re a seasoned League Two fan reading this then please let us know what we’re in for.

Over to you. What did you make of Bromley’s EFL debut? Get at me in the comments below.

Match ratings

Grant Smith (9)

Kamarl Grant (10) 

Byron Webster (9)

Callum Reynolds (9) 

Josh Passley (7)

Ashley Charles (9)

Jude Arthurs (9)

Idris Odutayo (9)

Corey Whitely (9)

Cameron Congreve (9)

Michael Cheek (10)

Subs:

Danny Imray for Josh Passley 24’ (8)

Marcus Dinanga for Cameron Congreve 70’ (6)

Lewis Leigh for Corey Whitely 94’ (n/a)

Levi Amantchi for Michael Cheek 94’ (n/a)

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