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Bromley Green 1 City 0

- 24/10/2009

At best you can fall back on the old line about 'concentrating on the league' but dropping out of the Kent Intermediate Charity Shield to a team in a division beneath City was no easier to bear.

Wind and match-long drizzle made for difficult playing conditions at Willesborough. The ball skidded off the turf and was unpredictable in the air. City suffered a setback even before the game started when Dave Read aggravated a hamstring problem in the warm up. With other regular First team players absent, the side was brought together in difficult circumstances. Even so, that they ended with some heads down and back tracking hard against a Bromley Green side who were determined to hold on to the lead that they had established, a little fortunately, seven minutes from the end, was disappointing.

The second part of the first half was the time in which City had the opportunity to gain the upper hand. Until then there had not been much between the sides. Mark Rook did place a free-kick close but Bromley Green ought to have done better with a clear twenty-sixth minute opportunity. At that stage City were defensively fairly sure of themselves, thanks mainly to the leadership of Luke Lockhart.

Five minutes before half time Scott Lawford played an inch perfect through ball for Royston Gough to chase down and take on defenders. But when it came to chasing down danger, the Bromley Green defenders were usually spot on. Gough rarely had a chance to avoid their close attention. Meanwhile, the best of City's work was usually instigated by Craig Southern, whose midfield industry was dogged and positive.

Five minutes into the second half Southern followed up a Lawford free-kick and headed a shade beyond the far post. City had a few other chances but Bromley Green were getting more confident, playing some neat football and always looking for a shooting opportunity from distance. City continued their attempts to provide Gough with the chance to run at the defence, which he did outstandingly after sixty-seven minutes, only to been intercepted as he tore in on goal.

When Bromley Green hit the foot of the post with fifteen minutes to go, the omens were not good for City. Rob Lindley, in goal, made sure that a powerful shot was pushed into the side netting and he turned another dangerous drive away for a corner, but in the eighty-third minute he was unable to react when a shot from Mark Howells took a big deflection in the penalty area to afford Bromley Green the winner.

Karl Williams came on to add his now familiar pace to the attack but by then City were sending optimistic high balls up to forwards who were at a height disadvantage. Bromley Green were looking to keep possession and their own scoreline advantage, which they did effectively.

CITY: Lindley; Searle (Bowler), Lockhart, Lingham, Seagar (Williams), Southern, Rook, Whiting, Lawford, Le Tennyue (Woollcott), Gough