Bromley manager, Andy Woodman feels that his team earned a “fair result” in their 1-1 draw at home to Cambridge United.
Victor Adeboyejo rescued Bromley a 1-1 draw in their first home match as a League One club with a 81st-minute strike to cancel out Ben Knight’s finish.
Woodman post-match told BFC TV that he felt that the match was “of two halves” after they struggled to maintain their shape in the first half, before they dominated the second half as he thanked goalkeeper, Shamal George for his performance.
“Well, I thought it was pretty much a game of two halves really. I thought the first half we was, you know, couldn’t get near them. Our shape was the right shape but we just dropped a bit too deep at times and could get no pressure on the ball. SO it’s tough tough to change it in the game.
“You know what I wanted to do in the first half, it was more a case of just seeing it through to half time and then obviously changing the shape of the team. We got to be thankful for the goalkeeper. They made two big saves in that period.
“Second half I thought we really sort of dominated the game and then they scored against the run of play which was um disappointing and that you know you can’t afford to make mistakes at this level, they get punished.
“But we keep going and I felt the lads that come on really sort of upped the tempo for us so we looked good. I thought we were unlucky probably not to maybe get a second at that point and I think overall I think myself and Neil will be probably thinking 1-1 is probably a fair result.”
The 55-year-old gaffer added that he told his team at half time to show more bravery and quality and made two substitutions as part of the shape change, of which he explained was about strength and power.
“It was more a message of be a bit more braver, you know, ‘hold your line, don’t keep dropping off cos the midfield couldn’t get up to the ball’ and then you know, we just couldn’t keep the pressure up further up the pitch. That was the message, you know, then we obviously changed shape which allowed us to do that.
“You know we are finding our feet a little bit as well. You know, we’ve got quite a lot of new players. We’re kind of just finding our way as a group but, you know, I think we’re doing all right. I kind of accept four points at this stage for sure.”
“Yeah I felt so. It was nothing the lads had done wrong that had come off. It was more of changing the shape to make sure that we was more stronger and more powerful and more solid in the middle really. So they had to go around us if anything and then they couldn’t get it to the wide players.
“So that was all that really, and then once we sort of got a foothold in the game then we could start building on it, up until that point we was getting no foothold in the game.”
Knight put Cambridge in front after he beat Kamarl Grant to Sullay Kaikai’s pass but Woodman felt that Grant will learn from the error, whilst he also praised Knight for the finishing touch as well as his own team for their attitude to falling behind.
“It does. It was a sloppy goal by our standards. Good touch by their player. I’m sure Kamarl be disappointed really that he got attracted to the player rather than dropped off for the ball. But that said, good finish.
“You know it’s disappointing but I thought we showed what we’re about again, showed the never say die attitude and kept pushing to make sure that we one got the equaliser and then we sort of tried to get the winner.”
Woodman however was concerned that players and fans felt disappointed with a draw but iterated that these type of games will become a regular part of their season.
“Absolutely, we are going to have days like that, you know, we got to expect we’re going to have we’re not going to have everything go our way and we certainly didn’t have anything go our way today first half, but you know, this team just keeps, you know, finding a way to get results and I think if we’re starting to be disappointed about a draw this early on in the season, then we are worried. It’s a good point.”
Adeboyejo had came off the bench to score in both of his league appearances in Bromley’s first two league games, and Woodman is pleased with the strength on his bench as he teased that owner, Robin Stanton-Gleaves might bring in some extra players before the transfer window shuts.
“Well, we got a strong bench and a stronger squad than we’ve had for a little while. So it allows me to do that you know and the next thing will be really players looking to start. That’s the next thing. These boys need to be looking to start that coming off the bench.
“They won’t want to keep coming off the bench. So that’s important for us. But the squad’s stronger, better and we hope he’s still going to bring us a few more in.”
JJ McKiernan and Ethon Archer in particular drew praise for their substitute performances as Woodman continued: “Yeah, JJ’s a really good player with a little bit of bite about him. There’s plenty more to come from JJ yet and I felt his energy pushed us on a little bit.
“I thought Ethon really sort of got us up the pitch with some quality. Um and then the finish by Victor was fantastic.”
Bromley now sit eighth in the League One table with four points in two matches and Woodman is realistic that those points can’t be grumbled about.
“Look I’d like to win every game. You know what’s I’m like. But I think we got to be realistic. That’s two games undefeated in a new league, you know, there’s nothing to be sniffed at.”
Leave a Reply