Bromley Suffer Pre-Season Defeat to Rotherham

Michael Cheek netted a 41st-minute equaliser as Bromley eventually suffered a 2-1 pre-season friendly loss to Rotherham in Albufeira, Portugal. 

Benson curled in a 44th-minute free-kick to seal the win for Rotherham in a tightly fought first-half.

Rotherham had taken a 15th-minute lead through Jordan Hugill’s finish from Joshua Kayode’s pass, only to concede an equaliser in the 41st minute as Cheek fired in from Mitch Pinnock’s through-ball pass.

A tight start to the friendly at Estadio Da Nora saw both teams struggle to create little quality aside from free-kicks, until Rotherham launched a 15th-minute attack which saw the ball fall for Kayode to cut back for Hugill to sweep in past Grant Smith to put the Millers ahead.

Rotherham subsequently applied more attacking pressure throughout the first half  as Shaun McWilliams fired a shot wide from Kayode’s pass, until Bromley hit back in the 42nd minute with a low strike by Cheek from a through-ball pass by Pinnock in the 41st minute.

That equaliser proved short-lived as just three minutes later, Rotherham trialist, Josh Benson curled the Millers back in front at half-time from a free-kick into the far top-right corner.

Bromley consequently opted to make several changes as only Smith and Kyle Cameron kept their places for the second half, whilst Under-21s player – Tade Ibrahim received his first senior outing for the Ravens.

Bromley: Grant Smith (Trialist 70′), Carl Jenkinson, Deji Elerewe, Kyle Cameron (Trialist 62′), Josh Tobin (Trialist 77′), Brooklyn Ilunga, Tade Ibrahim, Will Hondermarck, Ben Thompson, Marcus Dinanga, Nicke Kabamba

Rotherham too rung the changes as Cameron Dawson, James Clarke, Trialist (Dru Yearwood) and Joshua Kayode were substituted, as Ted Cann, Georgie Kelly, Joe Powell and Sam Nombe were given a run out for the second half.

Yearwood however was reintroduced in the 75th minute in place of fellow trialist, Benson.

Rotherham: Ted Cann, Joe Rafferty, Zak Jules, Georgie Kelly, Reece James, Joe Powell, Shaun McWilliams, Trialist (Josh Benson, Dru Yearwood 77′), Jack Holmes (Richardson 77′), Jordan Hugill, Sam Nombe

Bromley though proved the stronger team in the second half as Ilunga and Dinanga saw shots denied but Rotherham dug in defensively to see out the win, despite Kayode and Kelly’s shots for the Millers having been denied by Smith amongst their best opportunities.

Andy Woodman’s Ravens will return to the stadium on Wednesday 16 July for a second pre-season friendly, as they face Lincoln City in a 11am BST kick-off, before returning to the Copperjax Stadium where they will face Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Millwall to conclude their pre-season.

 

Starting Line-ups

Bromley: Grant Smith, Marcus Ifill, Ashley Charles, Omar Sowunmi, Kyle Cameron, Idris Odutayo, Mitch Pinnock, Jude Arthurs, Corey Whitely, Michael Cheek, Soul Kader

Rotherham: Cameron Dawson, Joe Rafferty, Zak Jules, Reece James, James Clarke, Shaun McWilliams, Trialist (Josh Benson), Trialist (Dru Yearwood), Jack Holmes, Jordan Hugill, Joshua Kayode