What was it… seventeen chances and one goal? We’re hardly shot-shy but in the aftermath of yesterday’s failure and the diversity of opinion on both forums and social media, I’m baffled as to where we go with this team and as worried as the next man about the possibility long-term of relegation.
But then, as I’m reiterating continually, the conundrum that is the beautiful game means that you are never certain what lies around the corner. It’s that belief, misguided or otherwise, that keeps you going, fuels your fervour, refreshes your loyalty. There are folk on ShotsWeb way more positive. “Give the manager more time.” “We’ve got a decent crop of players.” I make some points at times but generally don’t argue with them. I respect them and want more to support the common factor. That we are all on the same page and want the best for our club.
Hats off to the 160-odd who turned up at Chesterfield. Usually I’d be one of those. I would have been happy with a point, given that it was two sides battling it out at the wrong end of the table.
But to dominate the second half like they did and spurn so many chances (including another penalty; how many is that now this season that we have missed?) and come away with nothing is, to me at least, unacceptable. And embarrassing.
There are some folk who say that the buck lies with the board of directors and that they couldn’t run a bath. And we can see that there is a lot of unrest among fans which is unsurprising, given current performances.
It’s now past two in the morning. Go on the official Shots website and look. There is no post-match interview from DS and more worryingly, no match report. Did we have a game yesterday? This is something I’ve witnessed too many times this season and there can hardly be an excuse for not getting a report to poress at the very least the same day we;ve played a game. All the other NL clubs manage it. This is just so unprofessional it beggars belief, it really does.
So over our coffee and croissants (or maybe you’re having something stronger this morning), how can I brighten the day with a picture of positivity?
The focus of course is now on Chorley which is more like a nine-pointer now in ye olde six-pointer sense. As we know, neither of us can score goals so we’re hardly likely to see a 3-3 but the three points is absolutely crucial so, we achieve that by…
Not starting with the line-up we did yesterday. When I saw it I tweeted that Chesterfield must have thought Christmas had come early. Tinkler back as skipper? Okay, that wasn’t the big issue but bringing back the two profligate strikers was, to me anyway. And where was Fowler? And why did Searle wait for an absolute eternity to make changes?
I’d bring Whittingham in (about time he had another start) and start Fletcher. Powell and Chislett (obvs) are shoe-ins and reasons to be cheerful right now. One thing I’m very positive for the immediate future and the season overall is Finney coming back – boy how we’ve missed him. I was at Torquay when he got the injury and remember him hobbling his way up that stand. I’d no idea the injury would keep him out this long.
So I AM upbeat about Chorley actually and reckon most of you will be too, once the disappointment of yesterday has subsided. We simply must win the game or the knock-on effect will be that the ‘pay what you want’ Hartlepool game will be a white elephant and we’ll be lucky to see 2K at the Rec.
Finally, here’s a round-up of yesterday’s National League games.
Barnet 0-0 Solihull Moors
Barnet had to settle for a point as they failed to break down a resolute Solihull Moors side. Darren Currie was handed a boost as he welcomed Dan Sweeney and Harry Taylor into the starting XI, meanwhile Mauro Vilhete made his first home start of the season.
The visitors had the first chance of the afternoon as Jamie Reckord’s cross was headed over by Paul McCullum from six yards out. Up the other end Wes Fonguck played in Mauro Vilhete but the midfielders effort deflected wide of the post.
The Bees should have been ahead after 22 minutes as Callum Reynolds connected with Akinola’s knock down, but the skippers effort was parried away by Ryan Boot.
Currie’s side certainly had the better of the opening half hour, playing some neat football which led to two chances for Alfie Pavey who was hounded out by The Moors defence.
Seven minutes before the break Pavey found J Taylor 25 yards out but the Irish midfielder fired over the bar. A minute before the break Ricardo Santos made a chance saving challenge as Daniel Wright broke through on goal in a rare Moors attack.
Into the second half and it was The Bees who started the brighter of the two sides as Fonguck did superbly to beat his man then unleash a strike with the outside of the boot, however Boot was equal to it.
With 25 minutes left on the clock, it was Currie’s side again who were on the front foot as the ball looped in the box, Sweeney poked goalwards before Vilhete turned it towards the corner, but it was Boot again to the rescure for The Moors.
Five minutes later and it was Fonguck with another powerful drive towards the bottom corner but yet again the Moors stopper got down well to deny the midfielder the opening goal of the game. A minute later it was the visitors turn to threaten as Reckord flashed a low driven cross across the face of goal, but there were no blue shirts to turn it home.
With 10 minutes left Pavey had the ball in the back of the net but it was disallowed for handball by the Bees number 9.
Barrow 2-0 Maidenhead
Attendance: 1520 (19 Maidenhead supporters)
The Bluebirds Trust school ticket scheme saw a bumper crowd of 1520 at the Furness Building Society Stadium as the Bluebirds produced a dominant display to claim a 2-0 victory over Maidenhead.
The Bluebirds started brightly and had two chances in the opening exchanges. After Luke Burgess saw his effort saved by keeper Carl Pentney, the shot stopper was again called into action minutes later when Jason Taylor saw his shot saved.
Barrow were pressing for the opening goal, but Maidenhead had their first real chance after twelve minutes. A cross field ball from John Rooney found Josh Kay, he squared it for Tyler Smith, but after he was tackled Maidenhead broke and Dan Jones had to be alert to head behind. From the resulting corner Remy Clerima headed just over.
The Bluebirds continued to dominate after that slight scare and Pentney was again called into action after eighteen minutes, when Burgess received the ball from a quick free kick but his shot was easily saved.
Half chances for Kay and Rooney then followed, before Barrow finally got the goal their play deserved. A well worked move from the Bluebirds saw Kay and Burgess link up, the latter showing fantastic skill to leave his marker stranded, before squaring the ball to Rooney who had the simplest of finishes to open the scoring.
Goal scorer Rooney then struck the bar with a free kick from a tight angle, before the visitors made their first substitution with Christian Smith replacing Rene Steer. Adrian Clifton fired over before the break, but the Bluebirds held a deserved lead at half time.
The visitors then had a fifteen minute spell which required the Bluebirds defence to be at their best. Ryan Upward had their best chance twenty minutes into the half, the midfielder found himself in space at the back post and only a terrific low stop by Andy Firth denied him, with Dan Jones then doing well to block from Smith.
The Bluebirds made their first substitution shortly afterwards, Jack Hindle replacing Rory Holden before several corners for the visitors were well defended by the Bluebirds back line.
Barrow had weathered the Maidenhead storm and doubled their lead after seventy-four minutes. Rhys Norrington-Davies, making his home debut, showed fantastic pace as he made his way towards the visitors area and slipped the ball through for Tyler Smith who poked the ball past Pentney.
As Maidenhead looked for a way back in the game Ryan Bird replaced Ryan Upward, and they had two chances soon after as Andy Firth first saved a Christian Smith free-kick, before he was at full stretch to save from Josh Kelly.
The Bluebirds made their remaining substitutions as they saw the game out, Jacob Blyth replacing Josh Kay, before Jack Barthram replaced Dan Jones. Two further yellow cards then followed when Harold Odametey and Jason Taylor were booked after tempers flared.
The final whistle went after four additional minutes, with the Bluebirds finally earning the victory that recent performances have deserved.
Dagenham & Redbridge 0-0 Chorley
Attendance: 1,212 (including 54 Chorley fans).
Dagenham & Redbridge extended their unbeaten run to 10 matches but had to settle for just a point against lowly Chorley at Victoria Road.
Massanka went close for the visitors in the first minute, before Daggers captain Kenny Clark was left needing treatment for a facial injury. Clark had his head heavily bandaged, before Joe Quigley fired a shot on the turn high and wide.
Angelo Balanta flashed a shot wide on 21 minutes before Clark made way on the half-hour mark to be replaced by Liam Gordon. And the full-back fired into the side netting after being found by Joan Luque, before Louis Dodds fired over for Chorley.
Luque was too high after drifting in from the left then saw Alexander McQueen fail to control his ball into the box during first-half stoppage time. Elliot Justham was called into action four minutes into the second half to save from Massanka, while Will Wright had an effort put behind for a corner at the other end.
And after Luque spurned a chance for the hosts, Massanka flicked over from a long throw-in on 55 minutes, while Justham palmed over a shot from Newby. Quigley was denied at the far post from Wright’s excellent ball, while Luke Croll was booked on the hour for a challenge on Newby, but then produced a brilliant tackle on Nortey in the box.
Manny Onariase directed the ball wide from a McQueen free kick on 63 minutes, with Massanka booked for dissent soon after. And Chorley’s Adam Blakeman was also booked for an off the ball incident with Wright, before Chorley countered and Croll was dismissed for conceding a penalty with a late tackle.
Justham saved the 72nd-minute spot-kick from Meppen-Walters, though, to keep the match all square and an unmarked Massanka fired over the bar with a quarter of an hour remaining.
Reece Grant produced a nice turn on the edge of the box to create a chance for himself, but was tackled as he attempted to let fly with six minutes left. And Newby scuffed a shot into the hands of man of the match Justham, before Grant had an effort blocked and Robinson’s cross was gathered by Unwin.
Cottrell fired just wide for the visitors in the last minute of normal time, while Balanta sent Grant into space in stoppage time, but he could not find a supporting runner. And Grant just failed to get on the end of a McQueen cross in the final minute of injury time, before Balanta had a header saved from the corner and Onariase lifted the rebound over the crossbar.
Dover 0-2 FC Halifax
Attendance: 1,020
Dover’s poor form at Crabble continued on Saturday as they were beaten by fellow National League play-off hopefuls Halifax. Playmaker Cameron King scored the opener as early as the 11th minute and despite creating a host of second-half chances Whites could not force an equaliser. King then rubbed salt into their wounds by lobbing a spectacular second in time added on. The defeat was Dover’s fourth in seven matches at Crabble this season – in stark contrast to their away form which has yielded six wins from seven.
Dover manager Andy Hessenthaler kept faith with the same side which had won 2-1 at Maidenhead in midweek. The only changes were on the bench where the newly re-signed Anthony Jeffrey replaced Bilel Hinchiri and Jack Munns came in for the injured Kevin Lokko. The Halifax side included former Dover forward Tobi Sho-Silva, but Jamie Allen, another former Crabble favourite was ruled out by injury.
Both sides had plenty of incentive ahead of the game – Whites could have gone third with a win – but it had been a scrappy start before King opened the scoring. Jerome Binnon-Williams picked out Liam McAlinden on the left and from his crossfield ball, King wriggled past Aaron Simpson before squeezing a shot under Lee Worgan.
Dover’s first sight of goal came on 16 minutes when Ricky Modeste fired over from the edge of the box but four minutes later they could have been level. Bobby-Joe Taylor’s ball over the top played in Inih Effiong who did well to hold off two defenders only to shoot inches wide.
There were home penalty appeals on 23 minutes when Modeste went down in the Halifax box as keeper Sam Johnson came out but referee Daniel Middleton booked the Dover man for diving. TV replays suggested there had been contact. Dover continually looked to get the ball in to Effiong but the visitors looked good on the counter with King forcing Worgan into a low diving save just after the half hour. Worgan also had to save from Danny Williams, gathering at the second attempt, while McAlinden, who looked lively out wide, fired over from 20 yards.
Just after the hour De Havilland had keeper Johnson scrambling across his goal with a dipping effort from 25 yards which went wide. The home side had another penalty appeal in the 68th minute when the ball hit a Halifax player in a crowded goalmouth but ref Middleton said no. Two minutes later Reason’s fierce free-kick was well beaten away by Johnson who must have seen it late.
Still Whites pressed and with 16 minutes remaining Hessenthaler threw on Jeffrey for Modeste. Halifax – who barely had a shot in the second period – were content just to soak it all up and then, with the game in its dying throes, King spotted Worgan off his line and lobbed him spectacularly from 25 yards. The win moved Halifax back into second.
Eastleigh 1-1 Hartlepool
It looked like being Hartlepool United’s day when Ben Killip saved a second half penalty to keep their lead intact, but it wasn’t to be.
Gime Toure’s stunning opener put Pools in the driving seat before Eastleigh started to push and apply the pressure as the game wore on. A penalty gave the Spitfires a golden chance to equalise as Aaron Cunningham was penalised for a foul. The resulting spot kick was wonderfully saved by Ben Killip. But soon after captain Danny Hollands headed in for a corner to ensure the spoils were shared and stretch Pools winless run to five.
Harrogate 2-0 Sutton
Harrogate struck late in each half to earn a 2-0 National League win at home to Sutton.
George Thomson opened the scoring before Jack Muldoon sealed the points with a penalty in added time. Sutton were left to rue Jamie Collins’ penalty miss which would have brought them level.
Thomson got the hosts up and running in the 35th minute, latching on to an Alex Bradley through-ball and finishing coolly. The visitors were handed a great chance to get back on level terms 10 minutes after the break when George Smith brought down Aaron Jarvis in the area, but James Belshaw kept out Collins’ spot-kick low to his left-hand side.
Belshaw had to be alert again as he dived to his left to keep out Will Randall’s free-kick. Sutton’s hopes of salvaging a point were ended at the death when Muldoon, having been brought down by Jamie Butler, got up to dispatch the resulting penalty.
Notts County 2-0 AFC Fylde
Notts County recorded a 2-0 win over AFC Fylde in front of over 9,000 supporters at Meadow Lane on Saturday afternoon.
Wes Thomas gave the Magpies the advantage 19 minutes into the game and it stayed that way until the 80th, when Damien McCrory nodded home from a corner to make sure of the points. The result saw Notts record back-to-back wins for the first time this season and extend their unbeaten run at home to five matches.
Neal Ardley kept faith with the squad that recorded an impressive victory at Boreham Wood in midweek, which meant Sam Osborne – who scored his first senior goal on Tuesday night – retained his place on the wing as Sean Shields’ wait to make his full debut continued.
After a tentative opening 10 minutes, Notts began to put ther foot on the gas and called visiting keeper Dan Lavercombe into action twice inside the first quarter of an hour.
First it was Osborne as he looked to find the target for the second game in succession. Richard Brindley’s lofted pass was inadvertently headed into the winger’s path and he tried his luck with a dipping right-footed strike of the bouncing ball, which was turned over the bar.
Notts sustained the pressure from the set piece and a Mitch Rose long throw was headed down to Thomas, who had a difficult angle to try and beat Lavercombe from – the Coasters’ stopper blocked his shot and it went behind for a corner.
He could do nothing to prevent the former Grimsby man opening the scoring on 19 minutes, though. Connell Rawlison played a pass forward from centre half and picked the striker out on the edge of the box. He beautifully brought the ball under his spell before turning his man and bursting past another to find the space to rifle into the roof of the net for his third Notts goal.
Referee Peter Gibbons was forced off with an injury midway through the half after colliding with Fylde’s Kyle Jameson and the visitors had their first sighter on 28 minutes when Danny Philliskirk tried his luck with a free-kick from 30 yards, which wasn’t far over Sam Slocombe’s crossbar.
Notts went straight down the other end and Osborne picked out Thomas with a whipped cross, which the striker controlled excellently but he lost his footing and the chance to double his tally passed him by.
Fylde began to look lively as the first half drew to a close but they were restricted to efforts from distance, with Rawlinson and his central defensive partner McCrory making good interventions to clear a pair of dangerous crosses.
Seven minutes were added on for stoppages at the end of the opening period, during which a Regan Booty corner led to an airshot from McCrory, who was later strongly challenged by Danny Rowe on halfway – the Coasters striker went into the book.
The Fylde frontman registered the visitors’ first shot on target deep into the additional time but Slocombe comfortably held his low 20-yarder before the sides returned to their dressing rooms.
Notts started the second half brightly and won a corner inside a minute, which McCrory climbed well to meet but he couldn’t keep his header down.
The visitors came out intent on levelling proceedings quickly and had the ball in good positions throughout the opening exchanges following the restart but Slocombe wasn’t called into meaningful action, with a deflected Ryan Croasdale shot not troubling him at all.
Rawlinson made an excellent sliding challenge on Rowe on 54 minutes shortly before Osborne forced another strong save out of Lavercombe after cutting in from the right flank and shooting from 20 yards. The Coasters keeper pushed the attempt over the bar.
The winger was withdrawn on the hour, with Shields on in his place for his first appearance at Meadow Lane, playing in a free role off the front two with Booty going out to the left.
The Coasters were in the ascendency, though, and were getting dangerous crosses into the Magpies’ area with increasing regularity but were still yet to trouble Slocombe.
Ardley looked to seize back the initiative by throwing Kristian Dennis into the fray on 67 minutes, with Thomas making way, but the visitors has their best two chances moments later.
Scott Duxbury’s low cross was deflected into the path of Jordan Williams at the back post and Slocombe had to rush out of his goal and make himself big to deny the former Rochdale man one-on-one.
From the resultant corner, the ball broke kindly for Nick Haughton who fired a fierce effort towards goal and the Magpies keeper parried away.
The saves seemed to spark Notts back into life and Kyle Wootton and Enzio Boldewijn both had openings on the right side of the Fylde area in the minutes that followed – the former slipping as he shot before the Dutchman’s effort was blocked behind for a corner.
That proved to be the winger’s last action as he was replaced by Pierce Bird with 16 minutes to play, which signalled a change in shape for the Magpies, who went to a 3-5-2 in an attempt to see the game out.
And the substitute had an almost instant impact at the other end. Wootton had done well to win a corner which Booty whipped into the area where Bird flicked on at the near post. McCrory was perfectly positioned inside the six-yard box to clinically head home and register his first for the club to calm any nerves inside Meadow Lane.
Another Booty set piece caused havoc with four minutes to play and Wootton attempted to scramble the ball home at the back post but was crowded out and Fylde cleared.
Dan Bradley, who had looked lively all afternoon for the Coasters, almost made it a nervy finale when he showed neat feet in the area before bending a shot just past Slocombe’s far post.
Four minutes were added on at the end of the 90, during which Duxbury whipped a devilish low ball into the area but there was no one on the end of it for the visitors.
A late corner might have had Slocombe fearing he’d lose his third successive Meadow Lane clean sheet but Notts dealt with the delivery and left the field to a rapturous reception following the final whistle.
Stockport 0-4 Torquay
Attendance: 4.275
A first-half Jamie Reid hat-trick, along with a Jordan Keane own goal, gave The Gulls a scarcely believable four-goal advantage at the interval, with the damage too much for the home side to repair during the second half that followed.
Manager Gary Johnson made one change to the side that went down 3-2 at home to Eastleigh on Tuesday, with Kalvin Lumbombo-Kalala recalled at the expense of Ruairi Keating.
With both sides on lean runs in recent times, it was perhaps not surprising that the game took some time to get going, with neither side creating much in the way of scoring chances in the early stages.
Out of nowhere, United were given a golden opportunity to open the scoring in the 19th minute, as the referee wasted little time in penalising Paul Turnball’s shirt-tug on Robbie Cundy inside the box.
Reid needed no further invitation, and duly fired Johnson’s side ahead from the spot.
Seven minutes later, the first real chance in open play saw The Gulls double their advantage. Neat interplay in midfield from Ben Whitfield and Lumbombo-Kalala saw the two link up to feed Reid, who at point-blank range couldn’t miss.
With the focus on keeping things tight, Torquay were doing well to limit the hosts to minimal chances, however just before the break, they pulled clear.
Lumbombo-Kalala and Whitfield, who had linked up so well during the first half, interchanged passes before the latter sent in a teasing cross that County defender Jordan Keane could only steer into his own net in the 42nd minute.
If that wasn’t good enough, in the last minute of the half, Reid picked up the ball from deep, and with Stockport waiting for the pass to Whitfield alongside, United’s leading marksman looked up and fired into the net to give The Yellow Army a half-time interval to remember.
The home support will have demanded better from their side in the second period, and an early shot into the side netting from substitute Ben Jackson reminded the Gulls’ backline that there was still work to be done.
Although Turnball and Adam Hammill’s 53rd minute shots were easily claimed by United ‘keeper Covolan, they were the first on target for the home side and represented an improvement by the hosts.
Johnson’s men were still looking dangerous on the break, with Lumbombo-Kalala trying his luck a minute after, forcing Ben Hinchcliffe to palm the ball away from danger. They went even closer in the 63rd minute, with Matt Buse’s curling effort from the edge of the box striking the woodwork.
In the 73rd minute, County came close to pulling a goal back as Connor Dimaio’s effort first struck Robbie Cundy and then the post. Thankfully though, the ball fell kindly into the path of Covolan.
As the clock began to wind down, United performance became typified by calm, sensible play throughout the team, as they remained resolute at the back, in addition to continuing to pose a threat in attack.
Just when a few may have began to question The Gulls’ prospects at this level, Johnson’s men responded by coming up with the perfect away-day performance.
Woking 1-2 Boreham Wood
Kabongo Tshimanga’s double enabled Boreham Wood to come from behind and win 2-1 at Woking in the National League.
Kane Ferdinand opened the scoring for the home side at the Laithwaite Community Stadium in the 10th minute, finishing from close range after a corner was not cleared.
The hosts should have doubled their lead 15 minutes later but the unmarked Jake Hyde volleyed over from barely six yards.
And Woking were made to pay for the miss six minutes before half-time when Tshimanga levelled, receiving the ball from strike partner Tyrone Marsh and beating goalkeeper Craig Ross.
The turnaround was complete three minutes into the second half, Tshimanga netting from close range.
The visitors were down to 10 men seven minutes later when Mark Ricketts was dismissed.
Woking came close to an equaliser midway through the second half but Manny Parry was off target from close range.
Wrexham 1-0 Ebbsfleet United
The second Brian Flynn era at Wrexham kicked off with a win as the Dragons collected a first victory in nine matches in the National League thanks to a stunning effort from Paul Rutherford.
Sent on at half time, Rutherford unleashed an unstoppable effort into the top corner beyond Jordan Holmes and ensure Flynn’s second reign as Dragons’ chief, albeit in an interim basis, began with a win to move the Dragons out of the bottom four.
Placed in charge after the midweek sacking of Bryan Hughes following an atrocious run of results, the caretaker chief made just one change to the starting XI for the visit of Ebbsfleet United from the side that went down to a midweek loss at AFC Fylde.
Out went defender Michael Chambers from a back three to be replaced by Mark Carrington as a straight swap in the defence.
Christian Dibble retained his place following his two errors in the loss at Mill Farm, while striker the Dragons were boosted after JJ Hooper made a welcome return to the bench for the first time in five league games following an injury suffered at Hartlepool.
Wrexham needed a quick start yet it was the visitors who had the first sight of goal, James Ball letting fly with a curling effort that had Dibble beaten but not the far post.
Jason Oswell was just unable to get a telling touch on Jazzi Barnum-Bobb’s cross/shot, while Jake Lawlor chested an effort wide from Luke Young’s driver corner, Wrexham creating two half chances in quick succession before Mark Harris should have done so much better with a very good chance, firing wide of the mark after being sent clear following a marauding run by Barnum-Bobb.
Harris saw an effort deflect wide for a corner as Wrexham grew into proceedings, the on loan striker soon after heading into the hands of Jordan Holmes from Barnum-Bobb’s cross.
Shaun Pearson needed to be at his attentive best to get in ahead of Josh Umerah, the Fleet striker close to reaching a Stephen Obileye flick on as the visitors enjoyed a sporadic foray into Dragons’ territory in what was an opening half of little quality from either side.
Flynn made a double switch at the interval, sending on Paul Rutherford and Bobby Grant in place of Redmond and Harris, and the latter seeing a shot within the opening five minutes of the half smothered by a defender after a surging run by Barnum-Bobb.
Grant was then given an excellent chance to open the scoring, Obileye needlessly grappling with Pearson in the box as Young whipped in a deep free kick, referee Andrew Kitchen pointing to the spot and booking the Fleet holding midfielder, only for the Dragons forward to see his effort kept out by a strong hand from Holmes, the substitute unable to get a telling touch to the follow up as the ball was cleared.
But Wrexham were not to be denied the opener, Rutherford curling an effort into the top corner thanks to an immediate impact from Hooper, who had been on the pitch just four minutes.
First Young did well to disposes former Dragons’ loan striker Alex Reid, the ball being cleared as far as Oswell, who fed Grant who in turn played in Hooper, his final pass in to Rutherford to whip a stunning effort into the top corner of the net.
Hooper was not far away with an effort as Wrexham caught their visitors on a quick counter, before Holmes needed a strong punch to clear a Barnum-Bobb cross ahead of Oswell waiting in the middle.
Grant let fly with a shot from distance that failed to test Holmes, while Reid headed wide in the dying embers, Wrexham holding on for a valuable and much needed three points.
Yeovil 3-1 Bromley
It’s been a while since Yeovil Town supporters had it so good.
Seven wins in a row for the first time in six years, and the long-awaited takeover of the club now complete, there is an optimism bounding around Huish Park that has not been seen for some time.
Darren Sarll’s side had to work hard to come from behind to beat Bromley, but they did just that, with goals from Jimmy Smith and Charlie Lee either side of an own goal sealing a 3-1 win.
It marked the first home game since Scott Priestnall and Errol Pope took control of the club, and the game was played out in front of a bumper home crowd of 3,960 fans.
The one sour mark on the game was the injury to Bromley goalkeeper Mark Cousins in a collision with Rhys Murphy, but he was released from hospital after undergoing checks.
Michael Cheek gave the visitors the lead, but Jimmy Smith equalised before a Marc-Anthony Okoye own goal and Charlie Lee header secured all three points for the Glovers.
Bromley were unbeaten going into the game and took the lead on 22 minutes through a simple Cheek tap-in.
In reality this was the early stages of the match after that stoppage. Murphy did eventually get to his feet, but Cousins was stretchered off and straight to hospital.
“Rhys is fine,” said Yeovil manager Darren Sarll, with the striker sitting on the bench after being taken off.
“Everyone at Yeovil sends their best wishes (to Cousins) towards a speedy recovery.
“In football it’s one of those things. It’s a competitive game, a contact sport. Unfortunately we put ourselves at risk every time we step out there.”
In the second minute of the 19 added on at the end of the first half Smith headed in a Lawson D’Ath cross for his third goal in four games.
With Cousins off and no substitute goalkeeper on the bench, centre-back Chris Bush filled in between the posts and helped keep the Glovers at bay until a comedy of errors in the 72nd minute.
Okoye headed a Craig Alcock cross into the back of teammate Jack Holland, before putting it past his makeshift ‘keeper. Lee then finished things off with a looping header five minutes later.
“From a performance perspective I was pleased after we went to 2-1. That looked like us,” Sarll continued.
“Until that point there was no kind of ebb and flow. I felt at times we were playing against almost like 10 men.
“For 15 minutes in the first half I thought we were awful, really sloppy. We lacked focus, concentration, vigour and I thought we deserved to be 1-0 down.”
Before the final whistle there was still time for one more delay as after twice failing to return the ball promptly to Sam Wood, all the Yeovil ball boys were escorted away upon the advice of the referee.
This was greeted by cheers from a bumper Huish Park crowd of 3,960, with Glovers fans coming to watch Scott Priestnall’s first match as the new owner – with Priestnall and director Errol Pope both in attendance.
“I think they’ve (the fans) got to stand up and be counted as well,” said Sarll.
“They’ve got now what they want. They’ve got a new owner who’s really vibrant, young, energetic and wants to take this club forward off the pitch, as well as on it.
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