Bromley’s difficult start to 2017 continued with a humbling home defeat to a title chasing Forest Green side who taught The Ravens a lesson in creating and finishing chances.
The game started fairly evenly with the play flowing from end to end, but Rovers created the clearer chances with Elliott Frear going close twice, Christian Doidge having a close range shot saved by Alan Julian and Charlie Clough heading a good chance wide. Julian was on hand again to deny Frear tipping over his dipping free kick and Keanu Marsh-Brown went close twice.
Forest Green were more direct than Bromley who did their best to press the visitors, but Rovers used the ball better. Ethan Pinnock headed wide from a corner before they eventually took the lead on 27minutes when a slick passing move saw Rob Sinclair set up Frear who scored with a curling low effort beating Julian at his near post. From there Bromley sat a little deeper initially, but they did manage their first shot on goal in the 36th minute when Louis Dennis set up Blai Turgott who sent in a low drive from the edge of the box that Sam Russell saved at the foot of the post.
Bromley had two good shouts for penalties turned down after Dan Wishart appeared to upend Dennis and then Dave Martin soon after, then to add insult to injury the visitors went 2-0 up when Liam Noble and Fear combined to set up Doidge who finished from close range past a stranded Julian on 42minutes. Late in the half Bromley rallied with Martin forcing a save from Russell, but Rovers held out for the two goal lead at Half Time.
The Ravens started the second half well, Dennis had a run into the box, but couldn’t get a shot away under pressure, before they pulled one back on 50minutes when Jordan Higgs crossed for Ron Swaine to head home. Sadly for the home fans any hope of a comeback was extinguished less than a minute later when Marsh-Brown scored with a low drive in off the far post straight from the centre.
With Bromley stunned it was soon 4-1 when a deep free kick from Frear was headed home by Pinnock in a crowded area. Neil Smith rang the changes after the fourth goal and sub Lee Minshull missed a great chance to pull a goal back when he headed Joe Anderson’s cross wide. Doidge was denied by Julian after another good move for Rovers, before Turgott fired wide and Adam Cunnington had a shot saved by Russell.
Former Bromley striker Shamir Mullings had a volley saved by Julian at one end and Turgott had a header saved by Russell from an Anderson free kick. To compound a miserable afternoon for The Ravens, Swaine was sent off for a needless second yellow on 80minutes, making a rash foul in midfield, which gave the visitors even more space to exploit late on. Although Bromley could rightly complain that opposition players were not booked for similar fouls before and after this. Noble forced a save from Julian as Forest Green pressed and their fifth goal came in injury time when Doidge Coolly finished off a good move slipping the ball past Julian from ten yards.
Defeats against a side as strong as Forest Green Rovers won’t define Bromley’s season, but the manner of the loss will concern Neil Smith as he looks to turn things around ahead of the FA Trophy game with Welling next weekend.
Bromley: Julian, Wynter, Anderson, Swaine, Holland, Turgott, Martin (Porter 63), Chorley (Minshull 63), Higgs, Dennis, Cunnington. Subs Not Used: Goldberg, Dymond, Johnson.
Forest Green: Russell, Monthe, Clough, Bennett, Marsh-Brown (Cooper 63), Doidge, Frear (Robert 55), Noble, Pinnock, Wishart, Sinclair (Mullings 71). Subs Not Used: Kelly, Carter.
Goals: Bromley – Swaine 50mins.
Forest Green – Frear 27, Doidge 42 & 90, Marsh-Brown 53, Pinnock 54 mins.
Referee: Mr A Coggins
HT 0-2 FT 1-5
ATT: 1,247