Bromley manager, Andy Woodman feels that his team got a “solid” goalless draw at Chesterfield to stay top of League Two.
In a scrappy contest at the SMH Group Stadium, Mitch Pinnock saw a 17th-minute curled strike saved by Chesterfield goalkeeper, Zach Hemming.
Hemming then denied Nicke Kabamba’s 89th-minute penalty to salvage a point for the Spireites, whilst Bromley moved six points clear at the summit after Swindon lost 3-2 at home to Salford.
Woodman post-match in an interview with Bromley’s YouTube channel felt that his Ravens could of won the game but was pleased with the performance and clean sheet.
“Yeah I mean it was uh it’s a tough place to come isn’t it? You know we’ve know that over the years. It’s a big club in this league that you know got riches that we can only dream of and I think they’ve signed six players in this window.
“Um so it’s always going to be tough but I thought we were by far the best team out there today and um it with the last penalty kick that you know Nicke, the keeper made a good save in my opinion.
If the kick goes the other way, it’s a brilliant penalty. Um you know we should have had all the points but um we haven’t. We’ve got a clean sheet and um we roll on again.”
After Kabamba’s penalty was saved, Chesterfield got a late second wind but Bromley stood firm, which left Woodman defending Kabamba but he credited Hemming for the save.
“Yeah it’s always going to give the opposition a lift at that moment. You know that’s happens you know. Um but look, Nicke shouldn’t have his head down at all because we’ve been in debt to Nicke for getting us out of a few situations before. So that’s the joys of a striker.
“Um credit to the keeper, guessed the right way and made a good save. It was in the corner. Um and uh you have to take that on the chin. That said, I thought we were brilliant today. I thought we were solid.”
The 54-year-old added that Omar Sowunmi and Deji Elerewe deserved praise for the central defensive partnership but also acknowledged how well Ashley Charles controlled the midfield.
“Yeah, Omar and Deji have been great today. Um you know they’ve struck up a real good partnership for us at the moment. Um, so they were excellent today. Um there were some really good performances.
“I thought middle of the park, Ashley Charles kept things going. Um, you know, I couldn’t really single anyone out. I thought it was a real team collective performance. Um and like I say, you know, these teams that play out from the back, brilliant. I mean that’s brilliant for us. We should probably should have had a goal or two maybe when they were doing that.
“Um, but look, we just worry about us and it’s a good point away from home. There won’t be many teams coming here and get a result.”
The result meant that Bromley picked up their third pair of clean sheets this season in the league, with Woodman pleased that they’re now eight matches unbeaten.
“Yeah clean sheet’s good. You always look at the penalty and what might have and could have, but um you know, football doesn’t always work like that and um we’re still unbeaten and a nice little run at the moment.”
Many critics and fans of rival clubs in the EFL consider Bromley as an one-dimensional team but Woodman felt that their performance demonstrated that there is more depth and layers to their style.
“I keep hearing everybody say about we’re a one-dimensional team. I don’t we too dimensional today. I thought some of our build-up playing in the right areas were fantastic.
“Um we just couldn’t get the breakthrough today and another day we will.”
One of the key elements to Bromley’s misconception is their robust fitness levels but Woodman feels that their fitness is just simply an element rather than anything significant.
“I think we’re by far the fittest team in the league and I say that all the time and I think you see it every week, every week teams can’t live with us and um you know there’s many elements to a football team and a football club and that’s one of our super strengths.
“We’re a super fit team and credit to my sport science department and my physio department and my coaches. You know these boys are right at the top of their peak performance.”
Bromley now will face second-placed Swindon at home on Saturday 24 January at 3pm GMT in a top-of-table showdown at the Copperjax Stadium, knowing that they will remain top regardless but a win would move them potentially as much as nine points clear if results elsewhere go in their favour.
Woodman though feels that his Ravens are ready for such a momentous match after embracing the pressure at Chesterfield, but is aware that every club from now will be keen to beat them given their lofty position.
“Yeah I think we got to really get our heads around around that, every game is going to be a big game here and in. Particularly when we’re sitting at the top of the tree, everyone wants to take Bromley’s scalp and everyone, you know, wants to take the main men’s scalp and that’s a whole new sort of situation for us.
“Um, and one we’ve got to embrace and I thought today we did embrace it.”
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