Bromley manager, Andy Woodman feels that each of Bromley’s last nine games of the 2025-26 season is a “cup final.”
Woodman’s Ravens currently sit top of League Two after a 1-0 victory at home to Bristol Rovers last Saturday through Will Hondermarck’s 18th-minute winner, but Woodman in his pre-match preview for their trip to Newport County admitted that every game in the run-in feels like a cup final.
“Um, it’s been a tough season for many reasons, but hopefully it’ll be a successful season. Um, and I think we’re all just sort of waiting a baited breath. We’re at the business end now, so it’s every game is like a cup final.”
The win over Bristol Rovers extended Bromley’s winning run to 19 matches and Woodman feels that the team produced a “professional” display to get a crucial three points.
“Yeah, professional performance. Um good result. I think that’s the most important thing at this stage of the season, getting the three points, but I felt we were in control.
“You know, I know, they had a bit of possession at the end, maybe one or two little long throws, but overall I felt we were in control. Although 1-0 was always a nervy result for everyone but um three points then onto the next one.”
Hondermarck returned to the starting line-up for that game after he was utilised as a substitute in a 1-1 draw at Grimsby, with Woodman explaining his rotation is down to managing the midfield’s game time but felt that the midfielder brought a goal threat into the match.
“I mean, look, we’ve rotated the midfield quite a lot because obviously the amount of mileage they do, we got to keep those legs fresh in there.
“Will I always feel gives us probably a bit more of a goal threat. Um and yeah, he came in and he did that. So, uh, you know, delighted that we could do that and they say it was the winning goal. So, fantastic.”
Kyle Cameron and Michael Cheek are currently sidelined with injuries of which Woodman is coy on their return dates, but he admitted that rotation is about ensuring that the team stayed fresh in this important period with promotion on the line.
“And I think, you know, the level of output that we have, I mean, we are by far the fittest team in the league and our intensity and levels of intensity are by far more than anyone else the way we play. So we have to be mindful of that, with a Tuesday game and a Saturday game and a Tuesday game.
“We have to make sure that we pick and choose and make sure we get that right. Um, so that’s been a key factor for the whole squad really.”
The whole squad was in for training on Sunday in an “upbeat” mood but focused on the visit to Newport, as Woodman explained that the decision to train on Sunday was about sorting out any fresh injury concerns and resetting for their trip to the Exiles.
“As you’d expect, it’s quite upbeat. You know, everyone’s upbeat when you get a result. Um, but also on top of that, everyone’s kind of very focused on the next match, which is exactly what I want the team to be like. So, um, it’s been business as usual.
“It’s a day of really making sure the knots and bangs and bruises are all sorted, everyone has a cool down, everyone gets all the energy back into their bodies, ready to go again on Tuesday.”
Newport have claimed ten points in their last six matches and their 2-1 win at Barnet moved them out of the relegation zone, with Woodman noting their “pretty good” form as he bemused that his team are again facing a relegation-battling team who had found form.
Woodman however has iterated that the club must worry about itself and execute their game plan, even though he expects Newport to give them a battle.
“Um, but look, I have to maintain we’ve just got to worry about us and we’ll go there with our game plan. We’ll go there with making sure to be the best version of us and hopefully that’ll be enough for the night. But it certainly won’t be an easy game.
“It’s not one, you know, on paper everyone looks at and thinks it’s an easy game, but there is no easy game”
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