“If you’re thinking about staying in and watching The Chase, don’t bother. Come and watch us.” Those were the words of Andy Woodman before his Bromley side drew 0-0 with Oldham Athletic on Tuesday night.
Following the conclusion of that game, where the Ravens failed to score at home for the first time this season, a murmur of boos echoed across the newly named George Wakeling stand.
Were they aimed at referee Ross Martin for not giving a penalty that was “so blatant” in the dying embers of the match? Or another attritional performance that lacked any sustained attacking threat?
Either way, Bromley are unbeaten in 17, five points clear at the top of the League Two table, and remain the only side in England’s top four divisions to still be unbeaten at home in the league this season.
That last stat in itself should already be a cause for celebration. Yet, expectations are now so high that every time the Ravens don’t come away with all three points, the same uncomfortable question seems to emerge.
Can Bromley keep this fairytale going?
Twenty-two years ago, across Bromley’s 2003/04 campaign in the Ryman League Division One South (the seventh tier of English football), the Ravens gathered a total home season attendance of 5129.
This season Bromley have surpassed that figure in one game alone.
In their 2-1 win over Swindon Town and 1-1 draw against Notts County, Bromley achieved a crowd of 5505 and 5316 respectively, and the impact that had on the Ravens’ performance was clear.
It helped to maintain momentum before Nicke Kabamba’s 90th minute winner, and to secure a point against a Notts County side that before that had won all of their last six.
Bromley’s home attendances have been bigger than ever, they are also going to be their most important. It’s no surprise manager Andy Woodman is rallying up Ravens fans and reiterating their significance.
Albeit, the fans aren’t the only ones considered to be ‘the 12th man’. Referees share that tag too.
EFL officials certainly don’t have the greatest reputation when it comes to decision making, and Bromley have fallen victim as of late.
“Penalty. No doubt about it. I can’t catch my breath. We will get another email this week, we had an email today about the Notts County one. When does it stop?”
“I can’t hide my disappointment. This will be the eighth email we’ve had apologising, and I guarantee we’ll have another apology email again. It’s so bad.”
The Bromley manager was visibly seething with anger over another “big decision that has gone against us” when speaking to Bromley’s media team post-Oldham.
Yes Woodman has a history of conflict with league officials, that includes several touchline bans, but he is right. The fate of Bromley’s season will also be affected by those beyond just the starting eleven.
Despite Opta’s supercomputer predicting Bromley to finish first this season, with a 57.74% chance of clinching the title, recent performances suggest that the margin for error is narrowing.
Out of League Two’s top five placed teams, Bromley are on the worst run of form registering 14 points in their last eight, even though the unbeaten streak remains intact.
Additionally, in that time frame, they have scored the least, and conceded the second most goals out of their promotion rivals.
Looking at what’s to come for Bromley, the average league position of their remaining opponents is 12.45, and includes difficult trips next up against Grimsby Town and away to MK Dons in April.
Sandwiched between those testing visits are games against the likes of Bristol Rovers, Barrow, Newport County and Shrewsbury Town, all of which being equally as tough as they all aim to avoid relegation.
Meanwhile at home, they are still yet to play second place Cambridge United, and will ultimately finish their campaign at the Copperjax Community Stadium where Bromley host Walsall.
The prospect of automatic promotion and subsequent League One football is so exciting that the fear of missing out on this opportunity looms over what the Ravens have already achieved.
With great success comes great expectations, and although the business end of the season has and will be tough, Bromley don’t have to be ‘perfect’ to make even more history.
They just need their best to start stepping up when it matters most.
