Andy Woodman has rued a “uncharacteristic” performance as Bromley’s 21-match unbeaten run was ended in a 2-1 loss at Barrow.
Ashley Charles curled the Ravens in front through a 35th-minute free-kick but Josh Gordon’s header and Danny Rose’s finish saw Barrow produce a second-half comeback win.
Bromley however remained five points clear at the summit of League Two after second-placed MK Dons suffered a 1-0 defeat at Salford, whilst Cambridge fell at Barnet by the same result but other results meant that those sat between second to sixth were split by only four points.
Woodman though is refusing to get distracted by his rivals’ results as he admitted that 85 points now is the target to secure promotion mathematically in his post-match interview on Bromley’s YouTube channel.
“I think we got to just all pinch ourselves on 79 points. I think 85 is what’s needed. I really do. Um, and I think we just got to make sure we keep our heads and keep our cool and just make sure we keep taking care of our business.”
The 54-year-old manager though felt that his team simply were error prone at Barrow whilst the wind direction also caused serious issues, but added that Barrow showed more fight given that they’re fighting for their EFL status and currently sit in the relegation zone on goal difference.
“I felt I didn’t think we were very good first half. I think we kind of just got every decision and every moment kind of wrong uncharacteristically like us.
“Um second half, the wind, you know, unless you’re here, you can’t believe how windy it is here, but they dealt with the wind better than us and we made wrong decisions when we had the ball at our feet. Um, you know, they’re fighting for their lives. We should be fighting for our lives to get across the line. And today, it just didn’t go for us in every way possible.
“It wasn’t through try and effort. It was just we made bad decisions all over the pitch.”
Woodman noted that his side simply lacked the “margins” needed to avoid a first defeat since late November, but has urged everyone to stay calm given that they’ve still got a five-point lead at the summit.
“Yeah, it is. But, you know I say all the times, margins and margins and the margins didn’t go for us today. Um, and let be honest, we could have been another goal or two down as well. Um, look, I think we should kind of just pinch ourselves a little bit.
“We are still where we are. We you know I don’t think we should panic. I think there’ll be a lot of teams that like to be in our position and um like you say is a bit uncharacteristic of us and we make sure we come back in and get ready to go to Barnet.”
With the scrap for the last two automatic promotion spots now down to four points between MK Dons and sixth-placed Salford, Woodman admitted that he quietly worries about results of their rivals but is more concerned about how Bromley perform.
“I’m not worried about, well of course I am worried about results, but I’m more worried about what we do. And um I think really the most important message to the team I’ve just sitting there, let’s get the performance right because if you get performance right normally the result follows and the performance wasn’t right today.”
One positive out of the defeat at Barrow was Charles’ free-kick stunner which left Woodman chuffed although he felt that their half-time lead wasn’t worthy, but he ultimately felt that his players didn’t follow the script in the second half in regard to his half-time team talk.
“Fantastic free kick, fantastic goal. Um and if I was to be really honest, don’t really felt we deserved to go 1-0 up at half time. I have to be honest. But that was nice. I knew it was going to be tough second half, but I didn’t realise from the first minute we uh, I gave an instruction of what I wanted them to do at half time.
“For the first minute, we turned down the instruction. And then I just knew that the guys were on a different pace today a little bit, and some people just weren’t doing what we’ve done all season and sort of went off script a little bit which is a little bit annoying, a little bit disappointing and sometimes happens you know.
“Conditions were tricky though let be honest.”
Bromley could of been 2-0 up in the 50th minute if Nicke Kabamba’s shot had evaded Wyll Stanway’s outstretched body from close range, but Woodman as a former goalkeeper praised Stanway for the save and admitted that his team lacked those opportunities.
“Yeah great save, great save, yeah was a good save but we didn’t have enough of those moments to be honest. I felt we didn’t really get in their box in second half with the wind the way it was. We didn’t threaten their goal enough. So yeah, it wasn’t a good second half.”
Academy graduate, George Evans made his League Two debut as a substitute and Woodman was impressed at how the forward adapted to the league in his first appearance.
“I thought he was fantastic to be honest when he came on. He won his headers. He got hold of the ball. He put himself about. Um yeah, I thought he was fantastic George. Got a lot of time for George. Um so yeah I was really chuffed, you know, and I felt he done well when he came on. So yeah, fair play to George. I’m delighted for him.”
Bromley now turn their attention to a London derby away to Barnet on Good Friday 3 April and Woodman is relishing the trip to North London, as he admitted that he prefers a visit to Barnet more than Barrow.
“Absolutely. Big week for us now. I say a big week. A week we can get some work in, get ready to go to Barnet. And Barnet’s always a fixture I look forward to. I actually look forward to the Barnet fixtures more than the Barrow fixtures. This place is a real tough place to come.”
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