Bromley manager, Andy Woodman is sensing “anxiety” creeping into the club amidst their 1-0 victory at home to Bristol Rovers.
Will Hondermarck’s 18th-minute finish saw Bromley claim their first home win against Bristol Rovers in all competitions, and complete the league double over the Gas, as Woodman’s Ravens remained top from MK Dons by two points.
Results elsewhere also saw Bromley move nine points clear of fourth-placed Notts County which has put promotion in their own hands for the run-in, with the top three going up to League One automatically.
Woodman however felt that anxiety is beginning to creep into the club around the Copperjax Community Stadium despite a positive performance, but he has urged fans to just enjoy the ride as he reflected on their National League days but acknowledged that they’re now 19 matches unbeaten in his post-match interview.
“So I thought uh the performance was good. We were unlucky to not get a second goal which was a really unbelievable move. Uh and yeah I mean look I can sense a little bit of anxiety around the place. A little bit of nerves. I don’t know why, um it wasn’t that long ago we were playing Wealdstone and other teams like that here.
“We know you know we should be really enjoying where we’re at. Um but I understand it as well. We want to keep this run going here. We want to keep at the top of the table. Um, but we need everyone just to keep their cool and relax and stay with us.
Woodman proceeded to praise captain, Omar Sowunmi for his performance alongside Jesse Debrah in central defence, as he expected Bristol Rovers to bring a competitive game to South-East London given their recent form.
“I thought the lads were brilliant and um, I don’t like singling players out, but I thought the skipper – Omar Sowunmi, I thought he was brilliant today.
“Um him and Jesse um, I thought they were solid at the back. Really didn’t let them have a opportunity. I thought that was as good as I said for them two.
“Um and overall, you know, it’s a Bristol Rovers are not going to come here and just roll over. They’re going to come here and give us a game and I thought credit to them. They’ve too 10 points out of 12, another team in form. So, um it was never going to be an easy game.”
In an even game which saw both teams convert three of 12 shots onto target, Woodman was pleased with the threat nullification of his team but credited the Pirates’ manager, Steve Evans for using his experience to keeping the visitors in the game.
“Yeah we did. But you know, you still know that ball keeps coming in the box and those long throws, it causes problems. And look, let give a bit of respect to Steve Evans. You know, he’s managed at a good level. Well he knows how to grind out results and get results and stay in games and he did that today.
“Um and you know, I think I’m glad this one’s out of the way if I’m honest. It was a I wouldn’t say a banana skin, but it was a game on paper people thought was probably a lot easier than it was. And I never thought that for one minute.”
Hondermarck’s winner from Corey Whitely’s pass left Woodman pleased to see the midfielder convert his training quality into a match-winning goal.
“Yeah, I thought the build-up play was really good. I thought we had a couple of moments like that where we had our build-up play and we just failed to deliver at the final moment with either a cross or a final ball which was a bit disappointing. Um but you know Will has been scoring goals in training.
“I said to him before the game ‘Go take what you do in training that I see every day into the game and go and get your goal and go and you know keep having that final moment, that end product.’ and he did that today. I was delighted.”
Woodman made just two substitutes as he brought on Marcus Dinanga and Tottenham loanee, Damola Ajayi, with Dinanga limited to just 12 league appearances in total this season after his latest outing.
The 54-year-old boss though spoke of Dinanga’s patience and desire to stand by the club even when game time was limited and other clubs enquired about signing him, but also acknowledged Ajayi’s own patience given his lack of game time at the club.
“Marcus Dinanga has been unbelievable. I have to give him a special mention. This guy’s not featured as much as he probably wanted to. He’s come back from an Achilles injury last year.
“Um he had loads of opportunities to leave this football club. Uh not from me by the way, but you know, people all ringing up about him. He has stayed so solid to me, the team, and the club throughout probably a difficult season for him.
“And I’m so chuffed for him. He come on today. He come on he’s grafting for us and he listen for us. So I’m chuffed for Marcus then Damola, you know, Damola’s been waiting waiting, waiting. We know he got quality and he showed flashes today.
“He’ll want more minutes. I get that, but we’re just at that stage of the season where we just got to make sure we just get it right all the time.”
Woodman however described the team’s late decision-making at times as “naive” but is happy that the club are now unbeaten in 19 matches, ahead of their trip to Newport County on Tuesday 17 March at 19:30pm GMT.
“Yeah, we still done one or two naive things. I got to be honest. I mean, we get the ball in a wide area and we’re putting a cross in when there’s like 40 seconds left and then their keeper catches it and then booms it down our throat. You know, the things that drive me crazy.
“Um, you know, but look, we got across the line and it’s now on to a really tough game at Newport. They got an unbelievable result at Barnet, and I thought they were good when we played here. So we’ve got to be on it at Newport. That’s going to be no shoe-in let me tell you.”
Woodman also acknowledged that his Ravens have developed a habit of frustrating teams who had been on a run of form ahead of their meetings, and has urged fans to celebrate the team and their unbeaten run.
“Yeah we seem to be picking off all of these teams when they’re on a bit of a a bit of a run, but I don’t think we should lose sight of I think that’s 19 unbeaten for us.
“I think um I think if I was a Bromley fan, I’d be going home and just checking the history books of this football club and wondering blimey 19 games without a loss is something else.
“And I think regardless of anything, everyone should be seriously proud of this football club and this and not me, this football team. This football team and these boys, I’m telling you, they’re pulling up trees for this place.”
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