For the second Tuesday night running, County go head to head with one of their main promotion rivals, as we travel down to Bromley knowing a win would take us three points clear at the top of the table.
Our bid for a return to the EFL was given a big boost at the weekend, as shortly after the final whistle blew in our FA Trophy win against Cheshunt, news broke through of a late, late equaliser for struggling Weymouth in their game against Chesterfield.
We had been set to drop below the Spireites into 2nd place before that Akheem Rose strike at the Bob Lucas Stadium, but we now remain above Paul Cook’s new side on goal-difference – and can extend that lead on Tuesday with Chesterfield not in action.
It won’t be easy though against a Bromley side with an outstanding record at Hayes Lane this season. They too were in FA Trophy action at the weekend, eventually advancing on penalties after a 1-1 draw with Tonbridge Angels of the National League South.
In their last league game, the Ravens saw a five game winning run come to an end with defeat at in-form Southend United – a result that leaves them 4th in the table, five points behind County with a game in hand.
Since we last met:
A lot has changed around Edgeley Park since we last met Bromley just a few short months ago, in what was Dave Challinor’s first league game in charge of the club.
County were cruelly denied victory that day after an unfortunate Liam Hogan own-goal deep into stoppage time, with County missing a host of good chances both before and after Scott Quigley had given us a deserved lead at the Cheadle End.
That draw, one of just three games we have failed to win in the league under Challinor, left us languishing in 11th place, eleven points off top and seven behind Bromley, who sat 4th.
County’s progress since that day is well documented as we surged to the top of the table, but Bromley can be very happy with their form as well in recent months, and come into this game still firmly in contention for the National League title, and a first ever promotion to the Football League.
Victory over King’s Lynn a week after that game at Edgeley Park made it 11 games unbeaten in the league for Andy Woodman’s side, although back-to-back defeats against Yeovil and Wrexham began a mini-slump that saw them pick up two wins from six league games.
They have shown impressive character to bounce back from that in recent weeks however with that five-game winning run, particularly at a time where there was plenty of uncertainty surrounding the future of manager Andy Woodman.
The former Northampton goalkeeper has done an outstanding job since taking over at Hayes Lane less than a year ago, forming them into a formidable National League outfit, and in January the club confirmed that it had received an approach from League One Gillingham to speak to their manager.
Despite granting permission for talks to proceed however, Woodman ultimately made the decision to reject the approach and remain at the London side, providing a major and timely boost for the club as they enter the run-in.
Their home form on the artificial pitch at Hayes Lane has been so crucial to keeping them in the mix – no-one has picked up more home points than Bromley’s 32, with ten wins in 14 games and just two defeats so far this season, against Yeovil and Boreham Wood.
It may prove a case of unstoppable force meets immovable object on Tuesday night though, against a County side with the best away record in the National League, picking up 31 points from our 14 games away from Edgeley Park.
One to watch:
Michael Cheek’s 23 goals in the National League last season were enough to earn the 30-year-old the golden boot for 2020/21, after the best season of a prolific career for the former Ebbsfleet and Dagenham man.
Whilst he may not be a certainty to win the award again this time round, the forward remains on track to beat that goal tally this time round with 15 goals scored already in just 27 appearances.
He’s due a goal as well, with none in his last four league games – he hasn’t gone five league games without a goal all season, although he is still searching for his first goal against County.
Match Stats:
- We are unbeaten against Bromley in all five previous meetings between the clubs, winning two and drawing three. Goals from Alex Reid and John Rooney saw us win this fixture at Hayes Lane last season.
- We are currently unbeaten in our last 14 away games in London, last losing in the capital in September 2019 (4-0 at Boreham Wood).
- Since scoring his first goal of the season against Torquay in December, Will Collar has scored more goals for County than any other player (8 in ten appearances).
