ROVERS HUNTING THE PACK!
Tranmere win fifth on the spin but Macc sail clear at the top
RAMPANT Tranmere Rovers continued their assault on the National League playoffs while ten-man Macclesfield Town once again displayed title credentials by extending the gap at the top to six points. Rovers thumped hapless Guiseley 4-0 thanks to a brace from Connor Jennings and strikes from James Norwood and Andy Cook in a scintillating second half display.
Meanwhile, Danny Whitaker’s tenth-minute penalty was enough for Macc to edge out high-flying Sutton United, despite having goalkeeper Shwan Jalal sent off after 63 minutes.
Boreham Wood’s win over Torquay United moved them back into the play-offs at the expense of Dagenham & Redbridge, while rock-bottom Solihull Moors tasted victory with three points at Barrow.
THERE probably won’t be too many Leyton Orient fans unhappy when Big Ben chimes in the New Year tonight. It’s been a 2017 to forget for the O’s as the 12 months, at times, descended into farce, as they dropped out of the Football League with their very existence threatened. But while the final game of the year ended in defeat, there seems to be green shoots of recovery under new boss Justin Edinburgh. Not that he could believe December didn’t end in a fifth win in his six games in charge after what he said was the best performance of his short reign. Down to ten men for more than 86 minutes following the fourth-minute dismissal of Bondz N’Gala, they hit the woodwork twice, saw two cleared off the line and found the Bromley wall impossible to knock down after Louis Dennis had put the visitors ahead on 22 minutes. Edinburgh felt defender N’Gala, who only extended his loan from Dagenham & Redbridge in midweek, was wrongly dismissed by referee David Rock, claiming Bromley striker George Porter hadn’t been touched when he was through on goal after nipping in front of the defender to get on Joe Widdowson’s slack back-pass. “The performance was a very good one and worthy of something from the game,” Edinburgh said. “As we know in football, you don’t always get what you deserve. “I’m disappointed for the players because they thoroughly deserved more than they got today.” Did N’Gala deserve to walk? “Nope, not at all,” Edinburgh said. “The linesman has made the decision. The linesman is the wrong side to give the decision, the referee is the right side to give the decision. “But once the linesman is waving his flag from 40 yards away, frantically, it leaves the referee with no decision and unfortunately it’s the wrong one. “There was only one key decision to make today and unfortunately the officials got it wrong.” Bromley’s winner came when midfielder Josh Rees opened up the Orient defence for Dennis to race on and tuck past Dean Brill. Buoyed by the goal and the man advantage, Bromley went in search of a second no doubt with the memories fresh of their 6-1 rout against the O’s earlier in the season.
But this seems to be a different side now Edinburgh has taken charge.
Josh Coulson was the width of the post away from a leveller, Bromley’s Luke Woolfenden headed off the line and James Dayton fizzed a shot close from distance.
Frankie Sutherland was in the right place to clear another Coulson header on 54 minutes as the home side upped their search for a way back into the contest.
But credit to Bromley, they dug in deep with Ben Chorley and Jack Holland standing tall at the heart of defence. When they were bypassed by Alex Lawless’ curling shot, keeper David Gregory made a brilliant flying save.
Craig Clay hit the bar, top-scorer Macauley Bonne headed a golden chance over and then couldn’t keep the last kick of the game down from close range when Jake Caprice’s cross was parried into his path.
Proud Bromley boss Neil Smith said: “We knew coming to an inform Leyton Orient – Justin has got them playing some high-energy football – we’d have to be at our best.
“It proved it today and I thought every man gave everything. I’m just fantastically happy for the boys.”