Well, that was a tasty game, wasn’t it? League Two’s top-of-the-table clash between Bromley and Swindon Town certainly met expectations at a fully sold-out Hayes Lane.
Swindon would dominate the first half and open the scoring with Fletcher Holman inside 10 minutes.
However, Bromley didn’t give up and completed a sensational second-half turnaround where Ashley Charles equalised, and Nicke Kabamba grabbed a 90th-minute winner.
Below I reflect on three key talking points from this week’s standout League Two game including the good, the bad and the funny:
The Good
Nicke Kabamba’s Winner was Written in the Stars
Unlike other managers, Andy Woodman calls his substitutes “the finishers.”
Striker Nicke Kabamba had the chance to win the game last week with a late penalty against Chesterfield.
Albeit his strike would be kept out by Zachary Hemming, and after the game, Kabamba would be subjected to vile racist abuse.
With Bromley searching for a winner late on again this time, Woodman would still back Kabamba as he brought on the striker in the 87th minute.
Just 3 minutes later, after a difficult week, Kabamba would get his deserved moment, rising highest above Swindon goalkeeper Connor Ripley to head home the winner.
Prior to the whistle, the speakers at Hayes Lane sounded out Tinie Tempah’s and Eric Turner’s Written In the Stars.
The song title would certainly resonate with Nicke Kabamba’s goal that has boosted automatic promotion hopes. Meanwhile, the whole Bromley team would have related to the final lyrics included in the chorus, “I’m on my way.” The Ravens certainly are as League One beckons.
The Bad
Swindon Town Rue their Missed Opportunities
Ian Holloway’s Swindon Town came out of the blocks firing by physically overwhelming the hosts with great intensity throughout the first half.
They were soon rewarded through Fletcher Holman’s finish within the opening 10 minutes but the Robins will be kicking themselves that they didn’t increase their advantage.
James Ball’s header, destined for the bottom right corner, was palmed out by Grant Smith in the 25th minute whilst the Bromley keeper would somehow stick out a leg to deny Holman from netting his second of the day.
In the second minute of first half additional time, Holman would be denied by Smith again as his attempt to loop Bromley’s number one was unsuccessful after running through on goal.
Speaking to Swindon Town’s YouTube channel after the game, Ian Holloway fumed:
“Could’ve been three up. Should’ve been three up. […] We let a goal in and our a**holes fell out, that’s what it looked like.”
The Swindon Town boss has every right to use such language, as a catastrophic second-half capitulation resulted in Swindon ultimately losing and slipping down to 6th in the table.
The Funny
Is Byron Webster the Newest Master of Football’s ‘Dark Arts’?
As 38-year-old Byron Webster reaches the twilight of his football career, the centre back is now evolving into a coaching role where he has started to feature for Bromley more prominently on the touchline rather than on the pitch.
Today again was no different wearing his cap and Arsene Wenger inspired jacket.
But rather than emulating the former Arsenal manager, Webster instead replicated the infamous antics of current Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
His first trick was to initiate the latest ‘dark arts’ trend in football by ordering Grant Smith to go down and pretend to be injured so that Andy Woodman could issue a team talk to his Bromley side during this time out.
The plan was carried out swimmingly, and from that point on in the 30th minute, the Ravens seemed to improve.
But Byron wasn’t done there.
Now 2-1 to Bromley and with the Ravens clinging on in the dying embers of the game, the ball was kicked out of play for a Swindon throw-in and into the grasp of Byron Webster.
Thinking with great menace and footballing evil, Byron wouldn’t simply give the ball back but instead roll the ball down the pathway of the East Terrace stand, impossible for Swindon left back Thomas Wilson-Brown to retrieve.
What would come after for Webster was arguably deserved… a red card.
His antics would be met with cheers from the Bromley faithful as he had heroically wasted a crucial 30 seconds of stoppage time.
Chants of “He’s one of our own” also rang out in the East Terrace by Ravens fans… except that isn’t factually correct. You see, Webster isn’t from Bromley and instead was born in West Yorkshire.
