Bromley 2-2 Gillingham: Gills Have Eyes On Promotion
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With Premier League and Championship teams having a weekend off for the international break, the TV cameras - and the Tipple Big Bet - turned their attention further down the pyramid. the spotlight this time fell on Gareth Ainsworth’s table-topping Gillingham and their trip to fellow promotion chasers Bromley. The final two unbeaten teams in the fourth tier faced off in Saturday evening’s late kick off in front of just over 3000 fans at Hayes Lane. At stake? A place atop the table for the victors as the cream begins to rise to the top seven games into the new season. Game on.
Those still awake enough to switch the channel over from the England game were treated to a vintage display of League Two football from the very first whistle, neither team required many touches of the ball to bridge the gap between both boxes.
EARLY DOMINANCE
One man who was sure to have his say was Bromley talisman Michael Cheek. The experienced target man was the league’s top scorer last campaign and hasn’t hit below double figures in a season since before Obama was president. With just eight minutes on the clock, Bromley ‘keeper Grant Smith found Cheek on the corner of the box with a long punt forwards. Cheek battled hard and won the flick on, which fell to Nicke Kabamba in the box. His strike partner struck the ball beautifully on the turn using his weaker foot, guiding it past Gillingham’s ‘keeper Glenn Morris just inside the right hand post for his fourth goal of the season despite only starting twice. 1-0 to the home side!
The Bromley faithful had barely had time to catch their breath when, twelve minutes in, that man Cheek nodded in the second. Wide centre-half Idris Odutayo galloped over the halfway line unchallenged and sent a hopeful cross from deep into the Gillingham penalty area, but when you’ve got a number nine like Michael Cheek lurking, hope is sometimes all you need. He leapt highest, diverting the hopeful cross hard and low past the hopeless outstretched reach of Morris. Lead doubled early, and the home faithful were in dreamland.
The hosts will feel they should’ve been three up on the twenty second minute. An excellent ball over the top by Ashley Charles landed at the feet of Kabamba, who brought the ball under control and drove unopposed towards goal. The striker opted to try and dink Morris as the ‘keeper closed in, but he stood tall and saved the shot into the path of an onrushing Michael Cheek. The striker reacted quickly to direct the loose ball towards goal with his head, and had he got it anywhere else on target he would have scored, but his effort was gratefully cleared by covering Gills defender Robbie McKenzie. The lead remained just two goals but Ainsworth’s side were struggling to cope with Bromley.
The away side should’ve had one back before the break. A long ball forward was completely misjudged by Bromley man Omar Sowunmi, leaving Josh Andrews with a clear run at goal. Perhaps surprised to be handed the opportunity, Andrews snatched at the chance, unable to place the ball either side of Smith and left still searching for his first goal of the season to get himself up and running. The whistle rang out for half time, Bromley leading 2-0 and cruising. A lot of work to do for Gareth Ainsworth if his team are to work their way back into this game.
GILLS RESPOND
I dread to think what was said in the away dressing room at half time, but whatever it was, it worked a treat. Seven minutes after the restart, Gills captain Armani Little swung in a corner from the left onto the head of Elliot Nevitt. The striker had somehow evaded his marker and was completely free to head the ball at goal, but he will feel he should have done better as Smith parried the attempt well clear and the deficit remained two goals.
Two minutes later, we almost saw a repeat of the second Bromley goal from the away team. Gillingham full-back Max Clark strode into the Bromley half without being pressured and had all the time in the world to launch a cross from deep into the box and onto the head of Andrews. The centre forward does well to get clear of his marker but the contact isn’t as clean as he would’ve liked and the ball drifted wide of the right-hand post. The Gills had opened the half strong, banging away at the Bromley door.
Just three short minutes after Andrews missed that chance, he broke the door down himself. Remeao Hutton hurled a long throw from down by the corner flag and Andrews applied the perfect touch to head the ball well beyond Smith and nestle it into the bottom corner. Finally, Andrews opened his account for the season and the relief was visible on his face as he roared in celebration towards the travelling fans. Questions will have to be asked as to how he was allowed to break free of his marker so easily, Kabamba defended like a true centre-forward and his lapse of concentration was costly. One back, one to go.
Despite the flurry of Gillingham chances, it was the home side who came close to restoring their two goal lead. Once again, Cheek at the heart of all things positive for Bromley. He got fortunate as a clearance from a Gills defender struck him in the chest, but the rest was nearly magical. He brought the ball under control brilliantly, nodding it into his stride and surging towards goal. His left-footed strike from the edge of the box looked destined for the net, Bromley fans jumped off their seats and even Cheek himself began to wheel away in celebration, only to see the shot clatter agonisingly against the post. Inches from 3-1.
They came forward again just a few minutes later, and I needn’t tell you who very nearly had the ball in the back of the Gillingham net. Bromley’s left wing-back Mitchell Pinnock found himself in acres of space out wide and pushed onwards into the box. The summer arrival surveyed his options and opted to shoot, his powerful effort stopped by a strong hand from Morris. The ball was sent spinning towards the edge of the six yard box and within reach of a seemingly omnipresent Michael Cheek, whose volley was blocked brilliantly by the brave head of Clark to keep Gillingham hopes alive.
LAST-GASP DRAMA
This Bromley team are brilliant at a number of things. They’re a threat from set-pieces, they’re devastating in transition and they have goals all over the pitch. The one thing they’re best at, however, is drawing football matches. Six of their nine games in all competitions heading into this one had ended in a stalemate, and three of those were from winning positions. You know what happens next.
Deep into stoppage time, the ball is launched forward by Gills stopper Morris. The bounce fools two Bromley defenders and substitute Garath McCleary gambled, bringing the ball down under pressure from the defending Ben Krauhaus. The wily and well-travelled forward used every drop of his experience on his Gills debut to touch the ball away from the goalkeeper to invite the challenge. He seemed to lose his footing and fell into Grant Smith, resulting in the ‘keeper giving away a last-gasp penalty and taking a knee to the head for his troubles. On a second viewing it looks soft. And it looks criminal on a third. McCleary knows exactly what he’s doing and gives the referee a decision to make. With the ball transitioning between both boxes so quickly, the referee wasn’t close enough to play get to get a clear view and pointed to the spot. Devastation for Bromley and delight for the Gills fans behind the goal. Four long minutes after the penalty was given, Max Clark steps up and dispatches it coolly with a powerful strike straight down the middle.
Full time. 2-2. And breathe!
For a neutral, a fantastic watch. Both teams were a real credit to themselves and the occasion and highlighted the quality that exists in the division without straying too far from the well-loved stereotype of big physical sides duking it out - the shortest of the four starting strikers today was still 6 feet tall. Just the way we like it down here. End-to-end stuff, questionable defending, a bit of handbags at the end and a baffling refereeing decision. Welcome to League Two everyone.
THE VERDICT
Both sides would’ve probably taken the result had you offered it them pre-match. But Bromley hobble away from the tie scorned while Gills boss Ainsworth was delighted by his teams fight and desire to come back in the second half.
The usually confident and notably unusual Gareth Ainsworth was reserved - by his standards - in his post-match comments, perhaps indicative that even he can’t quite believe they managed to keep that down to just two conceded and they may have been a touch fortunate to get the decision at the end. He was full of praise for Bromley, christening them “the best battlers in the division” and admitting he was excited for the return fixture but is “glad it’s not next week”.
This praise will do little to salve the wounds of Bromley boss Woodman, who was visibly seething in his interview and did not mince his words. On his team’s performance, he admitted they “should’ve been out of sight… 4 or 5 up easily” and he isn’t half right, they had enough clear-cut chances to bury Gillingham twice over and failed to capitalise. Talk quickly turned to the decision at the end, Woodman practically spitting. “I’m gutted, I’m fuming… we’ve worked so hard and to get it robbed off us like that… it’s a foul on the keeper.” He’s obviously hurting and you would be, after such a promising display against the side setting the pace in the early stages of this league season a point hardly feels fair. Not to mention they would’ve been sitting pretty in first place had they held on.
Still, 39 games left and lots of positives to take for both teams, who you’d imagine will both be in and around that top seven come May. Plenty of twists and turns to come along the way as always in the Football League. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.
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