BROMLEY FC (A) PREVIEW BY Steve Harris

TT PREVIEW

Steve Harris – @steveharris84

Steve Harris previews the game at Hayes Lane

Bromley vs Torquay United

Venue: Hayes Lane, Bromley

Date: Tuesday 16th August 2022

Kick-off: 7.45pm

HEAD TO HEAD

Bromley: 6

Draw: 3

Torquay: 3

BROMLEY FC FACTFILE

Year founded: 1892

Nickname: The Ravens

Last season’s league finish: 10th in National League

Notable Honours:

National League South:

Winners: 2014-2015

Isthmian League:

Winners: 1908-09, 1909-10, 1953-54, 1960-61

MANAGER: ANDY WOODMAN

One of the few goalkeepers to have turned his hand to management, Andy Woodman appeared for a host of clubs throughout his career including Crystal Palace, Exeter City, Northampton Town, Brentford and Oxford United before taking up coaching.

Woodman had previously worked as goalkeeping coach at Premier League giants Arsenal and has also managed Whitehawk in National League South and succeeded Neil Smith as Ravens’ manager in March 2021. He was able to make a positive impact on his appointment as Ravens boss, as they reached the National League Play-offs with a seventh-place finish in the league. They were then eliminated by Hartlepool United at the first eliminator stage.

Woodman is regarded as one of the brightest managerial prospects outside the EFL and he was the subject of an approach from the Ravens’ Kent neighbours Gillingham in the 2021-22 season.

PLAYER TO WATCH: MICHAEL CHEEK

A seasoned performer at National League level, Michael Cheek was the National League’s top scorer in the 2020-21 campaign. Since making the step up to the National League in 2015 with Braintree under Danny Cowley, Cheek, 29, has found the back of the net on a regular basis for Braintree, Dagenham & Redbridge and Ebbsfleet United before signing for the Ravens at the start of the current campaign. Cheek also topped Bromley’s goal scoring charts in the 2021-22 season with 17 goals.

CHEEK STATS:

Position: Centre-Forward

Date of Birth: 23rd August, 1991 – 30 years old

Birthplace: Nuneaton

Former Clubs: Stanway Rovers, Heybridge Swift, Chelmsford, Braintree, Dagenham and Redbridge, Ebbsfleet

NL Stats 21-22: Played 42, Goals Scored 17, Yellow/Red 6,0

OLD BOYS

Torquay: None

Bromley: None

PREVIOUS HEAD TO HEAD

TORQUAY UNITED 0-0 BROMLEY

5th March, 2022

It was another draw – a fourth on the trot for the Gulls – but it was a point gained for Torquay United after they battled to keep Play-Off chasing Bromley at bay with only ten men at Plainmoor.

However, the visitors will see this as a missed opportunity to pick up a first victory since January 29 after Joe Lewis was sent off on 38 minutes for pulling back George Alexander when the Bromley man was through on goal.

Bromley could not make their numerical advantage count as Luke Coulson missed a late chance to steal all three points – as United’s back line, most notably goalkeeper Shaun MacDonad and defenders Ben Wynter and Dean Moxey, kept the Ravens at bay.

Andy Woodman’s side remain winless in four league games but are just a point behind seventh-placed Notts County.