‘WE’VE GOT TO BE BETTER THAN THAT’
TORQUAY UNITED are two points clear at the top of the National League after drawing 0-0 with Bromley in front of the BT Sport cameras at Plainmoor on Saturday – but substitute Benji Kimpioka will rue a missed chance in injury time that could have won the game for the Gulls.
Torquay’s four-point lead at the top of the table had been cut to one point when Sutton United won 2-0 at home to Weymouth earlier in the day. With Sutton still having a game in hand until Tuesday, when they play Woking live on BT Sport, they are now the team with the mathematics on their side.
Bromley came to Plainmoor after winning five of their last six games. It was a good match to watch, but ultimately frustrating for both teams and managers.
The Gulls’ manager, Gary Johnson, said: “I am disappointed we didn’t come away with the three points. I felt we had enough good opportunities to come away as winners.
“Bromley came here with a gameplan that they saw through – they were taking their time over lots of things from early on, but we’ve got to be better than that. We’ve got to try and create easier opportunities.”
There were a couple of changes from the team that beat Chesterfield last Monday, with on-loan striker Scott Boden, who could not play against his parent team, back in for on-loan Sunderland player Kimpioka alongside Billy Waters up front. Joe Lewis was back after his injury, with Gary Warren dropping out after dislocating a finger in the last game.
In the second minute, Boden lobbed visiting goalkeeper Mark Cousins from a difficult position and the ball looked like it was going in, but it hit the inside of the far post and was cleared. Going forward, Jake Andrews had at least three good chances that Bromley dealt with.
The conditions were not great – as well as the wind, the pitch was noticeably wet and fast because of a day of on-and-off rain.
In the second half, Bromley’s impressive young midfielder Jude Arthurs put an early second half chance over the top, while an Asa Hall shot was easy for the visitors’ goalkeeper on 55 minutes.
Kimpioka came on for Waters and Armani Little came on for Andrews just after the hour. Little took up corner-kick duties from Andrews and Sam Sherring got down low to his first in the 65th minute, and his header went agonisingly wide of the far post.
From a second Little corner, Boden headed the ball wide from the back post when he should have done better. Kimpioka touched an Adam Randell cross towards goal but the goalkeeper got down to stop the chance. From a Bromley corner, Charlie Fox headed the ball wide – it was a good chance.
Torquay put some good pressure on the visitors in the last 15 minutes but could not do enough to score an all-important goal. Four minutes were added to the 90 and Kimpioka had the best chance of the game. He was strong and won the ball in the box, escaped the attention of two defenders, but shot straight at the goalkeeper.
Next up for the Gulls is Stockport County away – with the game being moved from next Saturday to Sunday (12.15pm) because it will now be live on BT Sport.