County return to Edgeley Park on Saturday, as we host Bromley FC in what will be the Ravens’ first ever visit to Edgeley Park.
Our opponents:
Bromley are currently seventh in the National League table, sitting in the final play-off spot on 51 points, four more than the Hatters, with both teams having played 34 games.
Their top scorer is Michael Cheek, who has 13 National League goals to his name so far this season, but hasn’t netted in his last four matches, with his last goal coming in a narrow 2-1 loss to Notts County at Meadow Lane in early January.
Furthermore as a team, only Yeovil Town and league leaders Barrow have scored more goals than the Ravens this season, who have netted 56 times already this campaign.
In the hot seat is Neil Smith, who has been involved at the club constantly since being appointed assistant manager in 2011, and since 2016 has been the main man at Hayes Lane.
This means that October’s meeting was Smith’s first managerial encounter against Jim Gannon and County, and this Saturday will be his first trip to Edgeley Park since 1996/97 as a player for Gillingham in a 2-1 County win.
Since we last met:
The first ever meeting between the two sides was a 2-2 draw at Hayes Lane in which the Hatters impressed against a then top of the table Bromley, high off defeating second-placed FC Halifax Town just three days prior.
After that, they won just two of their next 11 games, which did include taking Bristol Rovers to a replay in the FA Cup and being knocked out of the FA Trophy by Dorking Wanderers.
Two 3-0 home wins followed but since then the Ravens have not won, losing four consecutive games before gaining a point in their last match at home to Solihull Moors, coming from 2-0 down to equalise in the 93rd minute.
Match stats:
- Bromley have lost their last five away games, not gaining a point in the National League on the road since defeating Chesterfield away in early December.
- 2020 has not been kind for either team, with County looking for their first win of the year and our visitors looking for their first win since New Years’ Day.
- Should County win, it would bring us closer to Bromley, putting us just a point outside the Play-Off places.
