Dover 1-0 Bromley (From News Shopper)

Dover 1-0 Bromley

7:44pm Sunday 21st March 2010 in

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BROMLEY returned home from the Crabble Ground on Saturday pointless as they went down to a 94th minute goal to keep hosts Dover Athletic on track for a play-off place.

Dover had the vast majority of the play and created several chances which they failed to capitalise on, mainly due to a sturdy defensive display from Bromley, in which new goalkeeper Wesley Foderingham was outstanding.

He was called into action as early as the fourth minute when he positioned himself well by the near post to deny Adam Birchinall, following good wing work by Sammy Moore.

The visitors responded and Ashley Carew saw his goalbound shot defect off a defender into the arms of Dover keeper Ross Flitney after a brilliant run by Warren McBean had given Carew his opportunity.

Dover began to exert pressure on the Bromley rearguard and, from a long throw in, Shaun Welford saw his header bounce off the top of the bar in the 13th minute.

One minute later, another Welford header was tipped onto the bar by Foderingham.

The goalkeeper did well two minutes later to punch away Nicky Southall’s inswinging corner from the right, before Wes Daly cleared off the line Welford’s header from another Southall corner after 18 minutes.

Steve Ferguson got behind the Dover defence to the byline but his cut back was scrambled away from Carew’s feet.

Jerrome Sobers then sliced a clearance for a corner when it seemed to be running through to Foderingham, from which Ollie Schulz headed over.

At the other end, Rob Gillman headed just wide from Carew’s corner.

But it was not long before the home side were back in Bromley territory and Foderingham brilliantly tipped over Birchall’s header after the Lillies had failed to clear their lines following yet another corner.

James Rogers, Moore, Schulz and Dean Hill all had good chances to put Dover in front as half-time approached, but it was McBean who should have put Bromley ahead on 44 minutes.

Salifou Ibrahima’s delightful pass put the striker clear on goal but he dwelled on the ball too long and a combination of Schulz and the Dover keeper enabled the danger to be cleared.

Dover started the second half as they had played for most of the first, with Rogers and Welford both heading over in the first few minutes before Daniel Leach headed against the bar. Foderingham was quickly out to dive at the feet of a forward and the ball squirmed away for a goal kick on 60 minutes, before a deep cross from Rogers was palmed over by the overworked Bromley keeper two minutes later.

Bromley’s first attack of the second period came on 63 minutes when Carew picked up possession just over the halfway line before jinking his way past three defenders, only to drag his shot wide of the far post with the keeper rooted to his spot.

Mark Goldberg’s side had a good spell towards the end as Dover became more and more frustrated as Marcus Cassius saw his fierce shot fumbled by Flitney, who then saved Ferguson’s follow up shot.

The crucial breakthrough came in the 94th minute, although the referee had indicated only three minutes of stoppage time.

Sobers was harshly adjudged to have fouled Welford after the two players had collided on the far touchline. From the free-kick, Foderingham blocked Joseph Tabiri’s header, only for Moore to fire the rebound through a crowd of players and into the corner of the net.

Having gone so far, it was very harsh on Bromley to concede so late, but from Dover’s point of view it was probably just desserts for the many chances they had created throughout.

Bromley: Foderingham, Fray, Dunk (Dolby 68), Daly, Sobers, Gillman, Carew, Ibrahima, McBean (Cassius 81), Butler, Ferguson. Subs not used: Udoji, Henriques, Greene. Att: 1,027.