Bromley manager, Andy Woodman has praised his players for a “disciplined” victory at Crewe Alexandra.
Michael Cheek’s 52nd-minute winner from Omar Sowunmi’s flick-on header of Idris Odutayo’s cross saw Bromley end their five-match winless League Two streak away to Crewe at Mornflake Stadium.
The result lifted Woodman’s Ravens up to tenth in the table and the 54-year-old manager was pleased with the clean sheet and fighting spirit displayed throughout, having battled through a slow start initially.
“I think it showed a little bit more of us as a Bromley outfit again. Clean sheet was important. Bodies on the line. Um first 15 to 20 minutes we were a little bit open. We made some great blocks which you have to do when come to this place. And then after that I felt we were pretty good.
“You know we were disciplined in what we were doing. Um you can’t come here and open the game up, you know, as much as opposition managers want us to and they want us to take quick throw-ins quick, you know, quick goal kicks.
“We are not going to do that. It’s about being away from home and managing the crowd and the expectation of the crowd and obviously their sort of tempo and I thought we’d done it really professionally, you know. I don’t think we’ve done it, you know, ridiculously, but everything we’ve done, I thought was bang on point.
“And it’s nice to get our reward because we’ve been on the receiving end of some funny old situations. Albeit not out of you know, out of our control a little bit. And it’s quite nice that the boys got their rewards today. I’m really chuffed.”
Woodman however had to deal with the absence of Lakyle Samuel who was on international duty with England’s Under-20s, whilst Deji Elerewe and Corey Whitely joined Carl Jenkinson on the injury list, but was relieved at how those on the pitch performed in light of various absentees.
“Look it’s been tough. I mean we’ve had injuries. We’ve had our Man City loan boy [Lakyle Samuel] played for England yesterday, so we couldn’t use him today, which I’m chuffed to bits. He has done really well for England.
“So we have had a real tricky week. Um Corey Whitely has got an injury and Deji. Um, but you know what I always say about this group of players and this football club, you know, when adversity faces in the face, we kind of all come together and dig in and we did that today.
“And I’m really I’m not getting carried away, but I’m really chuffed that’s kind of a bit of foundation we put down today.”
Sowunmi had travelled up separately via train after illness prevented him from training and travelling up with the rest of the squad, but the 29-year-old defender impressed Woodman with how he rebounded in his performance and produced his assist from a high position up the pitch.
“We had Omar who had to get a train up. He’s been really ill and I thought he was unbelievable today. You would never have guessed he’s been in his bed for two days.
“Exactly what I’ve been saying to the boys, you know, it’s what we are its our identity. You know when we’ve got pressure on the back line and it comes back out, put it back in, you know, don’t be clever.
“Just put it back in because you’re gonna keep pressure and you know something will fall to us and that’s what we are and I don’t want to go away from that.
“I just want to be the best version and I thought we’ve done that really well and when it falls to Michael Cheek you kind of have a little breath and think thank you you know.”
Crewe however produced a late spell of pressure but Woodman was proud of his team’s grit and determination to see out the win.
“Yeah nine minutes was tough. I think um their manager wanted 12 or 13. Um, so you know, not sure about that, but look, it what happens at the end of the game. You’ve got to concentrate. You know, the ball’s coming into your box, you have got to have all men to the pump and you’ve got to dig in.
“And I thought the goalkeeper at the back line and everybody, you know, Nicke Kabamba, everyone done their job to get us across the line and that was what it was, getting us across the line today.”
Bromley now have a week to prepare for their trip to Cambridge United who sit just behind them in the table on goal difference, with Woodman keen to ensure that this win is a base to build on whilst treating the game as brand new following a tricky period.
“Yeah, to Cambridge Saturday. Look we got to make sure we don’t think this is just enough. You know, we got to make sure now that we kind of this is us and this is our foundation and we start from ground zero again.
“You know we’ve had a tricky couple of weeks, me included in that really, and I haven’t covered myself in glory with that. Um, so I want to make sure that us as a football club, me as a manager, we start getting spoke about and written about for the right reasons, not the wrong reasons like last week.”
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