Sat 26th April: Premier Division
Orpington 9
A.Weir (3)
R.Quick (2)
J.Hughes (2)
A.Ellson
B.Webb
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Bromley Green 1
A.Webster
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Orpington may have already secured second spot in the Premier Division, but they kept their foot firmly on the accelerator pedal by whipping hapless Bromley Green.
The side from Ashford arrived at the match on the back of eight successive defeats. A run that has seen them slide ever towards the drop-zone. However, Bromley Green looked lively at the start and could have opened the scoring but Matt Wedge just failed to convert Glenn Mackett's cross from the left. Earlier, Orpington's Rob Quick had a header cleared off the line from a Billy Webb corner.
Orpington opened the scoring on seventeen minutes when Nicky Blue's long free-kick wasn't cut out by the Green defence allowing Rob Quick to run into the penalty area and side foot the ball past Craig Smith in the Bromley goal. Three minutes later, Smith prevented a second when Dave Johnson found Anthony Weir in space. The forward quickly released strike partner, Gary Gorman, but Smith denied the O's leading scorer with a low save to his left.
But Smith couldn't prevent Anthony Weir from scoring from the penalty spot after the O's forward had been brought down inside the penalty area. On thirty-eight minutes, it was three when Dave Johnsoin's lob over the defence was back-headed by Weir over the keeper and under the bar.
Five minutes before half-time and Bromley squandered another opportunity when Ashley Webster was sent clean through on goal but his attempted chip was way too high. The Green paid the price and found themselves five goals down at the interval. First, Weir was allowed space to head towards goal from George Belchamber's corner. Although Smith did well to keep the header out, Weir was able to convert the re-bound from close range to complete his hat-trick. Then, right on half-time Adam Ellson ran onto Gary Gorman's through ball and slid the ball past the advancing Smith.
With a five goal lead at half-time, Orpington made two substitutions that included re-shuffling the defence. With O's players still settling themselves into new positions, Bromley Green applied a bit of concerted pressure on the host's goal.
With the ball flighted into the O's penalty area, Webster was fouled allowing Mackett to convert the spot kick. However, Bluey did well to save the penalty with a dive to his right and did even better to save the follow-up with a save to his left. But Bromley Green were rewarded for the persistence when three minutes later Webster was sent clean through the Orpington defence. The forward calmly placed his shot wide of Blue and into the O's net.
From then on, Orpington encamped themselves in the Bromley half and created numerous chances. Four of these were taken. On the hour-mark, Adam Ellson advanced into the penalty area and slipped the ball to his right and into the path of Billy Webb. The winger struck his shot low past Smith for number six. Four minutes later and it was seven when Danny Sandford slid the ball to Jamie Hughes who struck the back of the net from just inside the penalty area.
With twenty minutes remaining, Rob Quick collected the ball twenty yards out. With his back to goal he turned and, despite the challenges of two Bromley defenders, he was able to fire his shot past Smith.
In the dying seconds Jamie Hughes added a ninth with a delicate lob over Smith from the edge of the area.
Orpington: Nicky Blue, Danny Gorman (Byron Beard, 46), Mark Lewis, Danny Taylor, Dave Johnson, George Belchamber (Jamie Hughes, 46), Rob Quick, Adam Ellson, Anthony Weir, Billy Webb, Gary Gorman (Danny Sandford, 61).
Bromley Green: Craig Smith, Jason Thomas, Richard Floyd, Craig Southen, Ryan Holloway, Lee Milton, Leon Reed, Barry Beaney, Ashley Webster (Lee Williams, 65), Glenn Mackett, Matt Wedge (Rick Brand, 70).
Phil Alder - Orpington FC |
