A much improved performance saw Bromley dominate possession for large spells of the game but fail to find the killer finish as they returned from Solihull with no goals and no points.
On the surface there will be plenty of disheartened Bromley supporters looking at the league table which shows Bromley in last place with no points or goals from their opening three games. However in the context of the three performances, Saturday’s defeat was the most encouraging and demonstrative of the potential attacking verve the side can possess.
Manager Neil Smith shuffled the side as predicted from Tuesday’s defeat away at Torquay United. Rob Swaine and Bradley Goldberg came in for Joe Howe and Dave Martin respectively as Bromley switched to a 4-3-1-2 with Goldberg in the hole.
That the only goal of the game came within the opening four minutes of the match may have in no small part been due to the late arrival of the Bromley team coach. Arriving at 2.15pm with limited warm up time prior to kickoff, Bromley duly conceded from the first Solihull attack.
Failing to clear lines from a corner, Jordan Gough’s high floating cross into the box was met by the head of giant captain Liam Daly who sent a looping header back and over a stationary Alan Julian. The goal was soft and one that left Jack Holland and Julian exchanging sheepish looks.
Bromley could have equalised within minutes but for excellent defending from Gough, Blair Turgott and Goldberg linked up well leading to the latter sending in a dangerous cross that Gough headed away inches from Adam Cunnington being able to capitalise.
In what was to become a theme for the match Bromley began to get a stranglehold on the match possession wise and put together several pretty patterns of approach play. One such play led to Max Porter playing in Blair Turgott but his effort from 15 yards out went into the side netting.
Solihull came close to extending their lead on the quarter hour mark when a cross-cum-shot by Stefan Moore nearly eluded Julian but an excellent fingertip save from under his crossbar kept Bromley in the game.
On 26 minutes more intricate play between Turgott and Goldberg led to the latter finding space only for his effort to be deflected into the grateful arms of the Solihull custodian.
With Solihull happy to play on the counter attack and gift Bromley plenty of possession, one such counter ten minutes before the half time whistle saw Jamey Osborne and Stefan Moore play a neat one-two that breached the Bromley backline but Moore’s shot under pressure was saved once again by Julian.
Bromley were to have their best opportunities of the first half in the final five minutes of the half. Firstly Reece Prestedge let fly from 25 yards but his strike was deflected conveniently into the path of Turgott, inside the penalty area, whose first time effort was saved by Danny Lewis’ feet with Goldberg unable to force home the rebound.
Turgott let fly from 30 yards a minute later but his effort flashed over the bar, not to be denied Turgott then went on a mazy run at the heart of the Solihull defence however as he laid off the ball to Maz Porter, Porter’s sidefoot effort could only screw wide of the post from 18 yards.
The second half was to witness the exact same pattern of play as the first, Bromley the dominant side in possession and wasteful in the final third but Solihull forcing the better overall opportunities.
The first Bromley opportunity of the second half fell to Goldberg whose volley from just inside the penalty area, following a Prestedge cross, was heroically blocked by several Solihull defenders. Goldberg also went close with a free-kick from 20 yards that beat the wall but did not have enough dip on it to threaten Lewis.
Well on top in the opening ten minutes of the second half, Turgott was next to threaten the hosts when good play by Tobi Sho-Silva created space for Turgott to drive in an effort from 18 yards out however Lewis got down well to tip the effort around the post.
In quick succession around the 60 minute mark, Solihull nearly caught Bromley with a sucker punch forcing Julian to be at his best on two occasions. Liam Daly fired a shot through the legs of Bromley defenders following Shepherd Murombedzi’s left wing cross into the penalty area however Julian did well to react. Julian had to do even better a minute later when Murombedzi’s cross from the right wing found an unmarked Andy Brown but his side foot effort was tipped round the post when a second goal seemed certain.
Tobi Sho-Silva was to have his first shot of the season, in the 70th minute, when his effort from the edge of the area went straight down the throat of Lewis.
However from the moment on the game essentially petered out with both sides having one last effort piece. With 15 minutes to go, Andy Brown saw his effort well smothered by Julian after he had been played through on goal. Two minutes later Bromley looked on with incredulity as Joe Anderson’s wicked teasing cross was missed by Sho-Silva’s head when any sort of connection would have led to an equaliser.
As Bromley attempted to chase the game in the final ten minutes, the Solihull backline held firm and vigorously celebrated the continuation of their unbeaten start to the season at the sound of the final whistle.
For Bromley there will be an attempt to focus on the many positives from this match ahead of Aldershot’s visit to Hayes Lane on Tuesday night but the failure to score for the third game running will surely be of a major concern to the whole squad. One cannot help but get the feeling that until a scuffed shot or deflected goal goes in that Bromley’s season will only then begin in earnest.
Solihull Moors: Lewis, Murombedzi, Franklin, Daly, Gough, Byrne, Brown (Beswick 81), Fagbnola, Moore (White 57), Osborne (Knights 46), Sterling-James
Subs not used: Asante, Moseley,
Goals: Daly 5
Bromley: Julian, Holland ©, Chorley, Swaine (Johnson 85), Anderson, Prestedge (Dymond 65), Turgott, M.Porter, Goldberg, Sho-Silva, Cunnington (Dennis 72)
Subs not used: G.Porter, Howe,
Referee: Mr Neil Hair
Attendance: 756