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Tranmere Rovers visit Bromley FC in EFL2 at the CopperJax Community Stadium |
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The Rovers are away at the Ravens hoping to end the poor run of form having not won since Crawley in August. Bromley are in much the same form. It’s a new ground for us and a bit of a building site. It's Bromley’s 2nd season here and London City Lionesses moved here in the summer. There is some major investment going into the ground with all the stands looking new. It will be good when it’s finished. We’re in the bit that isn’t quite finished yet. It’ss part stand, part tent. The catering is practically non-existent but the pitch looks great which is probably more important. It’s very windy. We will need to keep the ball on the deck. Like that’s going to happen with 2 poor performing 4th division teams trying to play football. There are some injuries in the Rovers squad. Luke has been out for a while. Lee O’Connor and Nathan Bristow are also unavailable. Joe is in goal. Nathan, Jordan and Patrick Brough are the back 3. WIng back roles are filled by Cameron “Storming “Norman and Omari "running down the wing” Patrick. In the middle are Richie and Nohan. Up front are Josh Davison, Sol Solomon and Joe Ironside. We’ve not seen Ironside before. We just hope he’s more mobile than his namesake. That’s a very low bar that some Tranmere strikers have still failed to reach. No names to be mentioned, partly to save their pride and and also because we don’t have all day to list them 😶. Anyway, welcome to the Rovers Joe. Score lots of goals please. It’s cold and windy here, we’ve got no hot drinks or chocolate to cheer us up so let’s hope for some decent football. Up the flipin Tranmere!
Neither side can get any quality possession on the ball and it’s scrappy. Lots of head tennis back and forth with the wind causing havoc. Josh gets a shot on 6 but it’s blocked. The next play of note is a Bromely corner. The ball is in the back of the net on 17. 1-0. They get a couple more chances. Joe has to make a good save on 22. It’s soon our turn to get excited as Omari has a shot on 25. Tranmere are attacking when the ball goes out for a Bromley throw in. For reasons known to no-one other than themselves, the officials give the throw to Rovers. Cameron crosses the ball in and Nathan Smith scores it with an overhead kick at the far post on 27 ⚽. 1-1. Level. Not what we expected but what a way to equalise. Get in Tranmere. The Bromley manager is incensed by the throw in that led to the goal. He says a bit to much and stomps (literally) across the pitch having been shown a red card. It is very funny but you probably had to be there. We are on the attack down the right again when Josh is tripped from behind. He lands on the ball and the ref gives a free kick against Josh for handball. Gobsmacked. We all are. Bonkers. The wind is impacting the play. The ball keeps going out on Tranmere's right. Both teams seems to doing it with no-one thinking to compensate or play down the other side. Bromley are back in the lead on 37. It’s another corner. Joe's very unhappy for some reason. He won’t leave the ref alone and gets booked for his persistence. Jordan is down injured in the play. Play stops again on 41 after a “collision” between Josh and the Bromley 17 Webster. Webster, who has been the chief moaner on the pitch, is injured and has to go off to change his shirt. The new shirt has no number on it. We wonder how the ref is going to book him now. Hope we get to find out. Jordan hasn’t recovered and is replaced by Jayden Joseph. It’s all Bromley for the last 5 but we hang on. We’re just one goal adrift at the break. 2-1.
There is a change at the break with Connor replacing Josh who was getting pushed around a lot for such a strong and physical player. It’s a bit of a howler from the Rovers on 48. The Ravens are attacking and Omari's clearance off the touchline hits Nathan’s outstretched hand. It’s blue on blue but the man with the whistle decides it’s a penalty. Never seen anything like. The man with the whistle is, by this point, struggling to even moderately impersonate a referee. Joe has no chance with the penalty. 3-1. There is a minor exodus from the Tranmere end heading in the direction of the pub but most of us stay put. Come on Tranmere. Inspired by the injustice, the Rovers are straight down the other end. The ball ends up at the feet of Omari right in front of goal. He’s a nice guy and far too polite to turn the offer down and smashes it into the net on 50 ⚽. 3-2. We’re on our way back. They SWA are having a bit of a Sway down the wing with Omari. The Whites are pressing for an equaliser. Joe is called into action to make another good save. Back down the other end and there is a scramble in the goal mouth. Cameron Norman does the honours on 60 ⚽. 3-3. We can win this now. Collective breath is held as Omari takes a free-kick from striking range. It goes miles over and we can breathe again. Bromley aren't happy to settle for the draw but Joe is playing a blinder. He keeps out a good header on 69. The Rovers break with Ironside leading the charge. He is brought down by Webster. He’s in a new shirt with the number on the back which is handy as the ref sends him off as the last defender. Ha Ha. The Raven’s number 4 is booked for moaning at the ref 😶. Sol has had a solid but quiet game and is replaced by Whitaker on 79. Pinnock, pillock more like, puts his long throw to effect on 80. Bromley are all over Tranmere now. Some shots are wide and some are blocked. Tranmere haven’t given up on it either. Whitaker and Kenneh both get chances on 90. Joe keeps us in it on 90+3 as he tips it over. He looks injured by the big landing but is up and ready to make a great low down reaction save on 90+4. Time has run out but the Ravens are allowed to play on. As soon as the Whites break with the ball, the whistle goes. How predictable. It’s a bit heated as the players mingle on the pitch with Andy having to shepherd some of his players away from the officials. A point saved that felt like a win. Someone go and check on the lads that went to the pub.
Well, it was a good game and not a bad result considering how it was going at some points. I wonder if the boys that went ot the pub at 3-1 tried to get back in. Never leave early. This is Tranmere and anything can happen although a 2 goal late comeback wouldn’t be on many people’s bingo card these days. A point on the road is better than no points. The comeback will be good morale for both the team and the fans. It was a good turnout too. It’s a sold out away end despite being 260 miles from Prenton Park. It’s a shame about the tent/stand and the catering. Hope that it’s just temporary and will be sorted some. We might be back here with the Seagulls in December but that is probably ahead of their timescale. We caught up with Tim to check that he had finished the everlasting sausage roll from Crawley. The boys were ground hopping today so came from a Croydon FC game that finished 6-0 and went on afterwards to a game at Chislehurst that finished 3-3. 18 goals in 3 games. A busy day that! A positive performance from the Whites in difficult conditions and poor officiating. We’ll catch up with the next at Swindle.
POTM: Goes to Joe for some excellent saves that kept us in contention 🏅. Worth 3 or so goals for us. Thanks Joe.
The ref was nowhere near good enough for this level of football. Got some big calls right and then some wrong. So inconsistent. He penalised the home team with two reds but let them get away with just falling over to get fouls. There was no middle ground with him. We were either providing him with some polite feedback or cheering him while the Ravens fans did the same. Should be shocking but it’s not these days.
The Scran’O’meter was grateful for the M&S sandwiches because the catering was practically non existent. Just expensive burgers and no fridge for cold drinks. No hot drinks or chocolate at all. Poor from Bromley. Are you Wycombe in disguise?
Love Tranmerekat 🐾
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| Arrived at Hayes lane |
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| A new ground |
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| Playing away |
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| Up the Tranmere |
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| Meeting the Raven |
