Bromley’s first game under new manager Andy Woodman ended in a 2-2 draw against a struggling Wealdstone side, The Ravens battling back from going two down early on, but they should really have picked up all three points given the number of chances they created in the second half.  

Woodman made a few changes to the starting line up, giving a league debut to Liam Vincent and a second full start to Jude Arthurs, Frankie Raymond & Luke Coulson dropping to the bench,  while Jack Holland missed out with injury and Courtney Duffus was unavailable. 

Starting in a 3-5-2 formation Bromley came under early pressure from their visitors, Ryan Gondoh having a shot saved by Mark Cousins after a quick passing move opened up the home defence.

Five minutes in The Stones took the lead when Gondoh was given time and space to line up his powerful low effort from 25 yards out which flew into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

Bromley tried to respond immediately when Liam Vincent was denied by a last ditch challenge at the other end, but after a quiet spell Wealdstone went 2-0 up when former Raven Dennon Lewis caught Chris Bush napping down the right and crossed for Connor Smith to head home off the far post despite Cousins’ best effort to clear the ball.

The Ravens regrouped from there with a change to a 4-4-2 formation and after Joe Kizzi’s free kick was headed for a corner by Danny Green, Vincent sent in a great ball for Byron Webster to powerfully head home and pull the score back to 2-1.

The Ravens pressed from there with set pieces and long throws putting The Stones on the back foot, a scramble from another excellent Vincent corner was eventually gathered by keeper Harvey Isted and he was also on hand to deny Ben Williamson whose free header from an Arthurs cross went straight into the keeper’s arms.

Late in the half Wealdstone had a good spell, but the home defence now looked far more solid in its new shape and kept them out. 

The second half saw Bromley start on the front foot, Liam Trotter headed the ball into Michael Cheeks path, but the top scorer fired wide of the goal when well placed.

Minutes later Cheek was off target again from a similar position after good work by Williamson and then Kizzi set up Williamson himself who hit the side netting from a tight angle.

The Stones’ Ashley Charles was lucky to only receive a yellow card for a late foul on Trotter in the midfield as the game developed a more physical edge. After Jerome Okino had made a good tackle to deny Cheek, Bromley eventually equalised on 73 minutes when Williamson brought a long ball down on the edge of the box and did well under pressure to set up Cheek who drilled the ball low into the corner of the net to make it 2-2, his sixteenth goal of the season.

The Ravens continue to dominate play as they looked for a winning goal, Bush’s cross from the left saw Webster taken out by Isted as they challenged for the ball, but Referee Daniel Lamport saw no offence and gave a throw on.

On a rare attack Wealdstone went close when hard working wing back Jacob Mendy shot over from out wide, but Bromley still had the better of things late on.

Riley Harbottle fouled Vincent on the edge of the box as he advanced, but Luke Coulson’s free kick hit the wall and Vincent’s shot from the rebound flew over.

In injury time Wealdstone were reduced to ten men when Charles received his second yellow following a tussle with Cheek, that saw The Stones man theatrically fall to the ground.

A final Frankie Raymond corner failed to beat the first man and despite all their pressure Bromley had to settle for a point from Woodman’s first game in charge. 

The result leaves Bromley in tenth, now five points of the play off places with twelve league game to play ahead of their televised trip to Stockport County on Easter Monday evening.

Bromley: Cousins, Kizzi, Bush, Webster, Arthurs (Coulson 66), Vincent, Bridge, Trotter, Maloney (Raymond 66), Cheek, Williamson (Alabi 86). Subs not Used: Najia,

Wakefield. Wealdstone: Isted, Charles, Okimo, Phillips (Dyer 68), Smith, Green, Lewis (Fasanmade 75), Harbottle, Mendy, Gondoh, Cawley. Subs Not Used: Bowry, Parish, Askew.     

Goals: Bromley: Webster 24, Cheek 73mins. Stones: Gondoh 5, Smith 17mins. 

HT 1-2 FT 2-2

Ref: Daniel Lamport.               

Images courtesy of Keith Gillard