A solitary first half goal from Bromley’s top scorer Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe was enough to secure the three points for Neil Smith’s Ravens as they took the honours in a keenly contested Kent derby.
Both teams had headed into the game in good form, Maidstone unbeaten in three whilst Bromley were unbeaten in two. Yet despite the respective runs the match had all the air of an early season six-pointer with the relegation trapdoor in the rear view.
Harry Wheeler made one change ahead of the match with new addition Bury loanee Gold Omotayo replacing Michael Phillips and his team lining up in a 5-2-3.
Bromley’s Neil Smith was happy to welcome back David Gregory from injury and Frankie Raymond and Adam Mekki from suspension. In a surprise move he also inserted Bobby-Joe Taylor into the starting line-up against his former club.
Indeed it was Neil Smith who was to be the happier of the two managers in the first 45 minutes as his side adapted better to the wet and windy conditions as well as being better suited to their 4231 formation.
Bromley took the lead in the 11th minute with their first meaningful attack of the match. Sam Wood worked space on the left wing and his deep cross was bravely headed home by Ogedi-Uzokwe for his sixth goal of the season. The tricky frontman bravely got his head to the ball, in amongst feet, to continue his rich vein of form.
Buoyed by the opening goal Bromley should have increased their lead five minutes later, Raymond’s free kick was flicked on by George Porter but neither Marc-Anthony Okoye nor Ogedi-Uzokwe could get enough purchase on the ball to trouble Lee Worgan.
When Maidstone finally worked their way into the match unsurprisingly their threat came from Blair Turgott. An opportunist strike in the 20th minute was tipped round the post by Gregory before the Bromley custodian again denied Turgott with a fine parry minutes later. That Gregory was able to follow up that save with another from Lawrie Wilson’s drive further added to Maidstone’s frustrations.
That was to be as good as it got for the Stones in the first half as they failed to gel in their starting formation. Bromley with a goal to defend were content to play on the counter attack and in truth should have scored at least one more goal before half time.
Ogei-Uzokwe was the key architect behind Bromley’s quick counters, firstly his fine run led to the striker feeding Porter but Worgan tipped away Porter’s goalbound effort. Not finished there Ogedi-Uzokwe was at it again five minutes before the interval, his jinking run from the half-way line and thru ball for Taylor allowed the former Maidstone man a clear run on goal but his effort crashed off the post and away to safety.
Harry Wheeler responded to Maidstone’s poor half with a change of personnel and formation at half time. Michael Phillips replaced the underwhelming Gold Omotayo with Maidstone matching up with Bromley’s 4231.
To Wheeler’s credit the changes had the desired effect as Maidstone dominated the second half but had to wait till the final five minutes to really threaten at an equaliser.
Gregory was called into action as early as three minutes after the restart when he tipped Jake Cassidy’s angled drive over the crossbar. However for all of Maidstone’s dominance they failed to convert possession into clear cut opportunities as a Jack Holland marshalled defence put in a defensive rearguard to rival their performance at Ebbsfleet two weeks earlier.
When Maidstone finally did find a way through they were denied by the woodwork on both occasions. Five minutes from time substitute Ollie Muldoon curled a fantastic 30 yard free kick against the crossbar with Gregory beaten all ends up.
Jack Paxman was to go closer still when he profited from a defensive slip but his strike crashed firstly off the post then off Gregory’s back to go behind for a corner.
Despite incessant pressure and a late claim for a penalty when Will De Havilland fell in the penalty area Maidstone could find no way through as Bromley held on to extend their run to three games without defeat and move up to 16th in the National League table.
Maidstone United: Worgan; Wilson, De Havilland, Finney, Walton (Muldoon 63), Doyle; Paxman, Lewis © (Quigley 83); Turgott, Omotayo (Phillips 45), Cassidy
Subs not used: Twumasi, Durojaiye
Bromley: Gregory; Okoye (Johnson 88), Holland ©, Rooney, Wood; Sutherland, Raymond; Porter, Mekki (Higgs 69), Taylor (Brindley 79), Ogedi-Uzokwe
Subs not used: Meekums, Luque,
Referee: Mr Marc Edwards
Attendance: 2294