AWAY THE GAS
BY DARREN STOBBS
For the second time this season we travelled to Bromley, on this occasion for League 2 action.
Bromley have yet to lose at home in the league this season, although they have lost three cup matches at Hayes Lane. In the League Cup versus Wycombe on penalties, also against Wimbledon in the EFL Trophy in normal time and, of course, against Rovers in November when we ran out 2-1 winners in the FA Cup, after goals from Fabrizio Cavegn and Joel Cotterill.
We left The Mem at 8:30am, stopping at Cobham services for 50 minutes and arriving at Bromley for 12:20pm.
It was noted by the steward that Rovers fans were not allowed into their club bar.
Many of our supporters also tried to gain access the club shop to buy programmes and souvenirs but were turned away. One of the doors leading off their shop goes to their club bar, but common sense would be to have a steward here to allow people into the shop to spend their money.
We did manage to obtain programmes and badges for the Supporters Club, but the whole experience was set up to be an unfriendly one as an away supporter.
As in the cup match, we decided to make the 10 minute walk to The Bricklayers Arms.
On approaching we saw another coach company with one coach parked up alongside the pub. Somebody had managed to get the ‘Bristol Rovers Team Coach’ sign and stuck it in the front window. All to our amusement! I can assure you that the team weren’t in the pub! (Sorry I didn’t think quick enough to get a photo of this).
It made me think of what some of our senior supporters had told me. Back in the 1950’s it wasn’t uncommon for a player to have a quick pint before the match and also travelling by public transport with their supporters. Certainly a lot different to the modern game!
This is a traditional pub selling a wide range of drinks in glasses, at ‘London Prices’. With three real ales on offer. ‘Master Brew’ was my choice, made by Shepherd Neame, in Kent (claiming to be Britain’s oldest brewer). However, if your tipple was Gin, then a double lemon gin with tonic would set you back £13. Apparently this was their special!
A number of TV’s were showing the live lunchtime football with Middlesborough v the other team in Bristol on one of those TV’s. When Middlesborough scored the place erupted!
Despite the higher than average prices, the bar staff were worked off their feet and I commented to friends that they must have taken a huge amount of money. The custom did not let up, with four people continuously serving.
We made our way back to the ground and the stewards outside the ground were a very friendly bunch.
The food options had definitely been upgraded from our last visit and also no longer served under a gazebo.
A large burger van was serving a wide range of options, including egg and bacon rolls for £5, which was my choice. The burgers looked a quality choice as well, thick and cooked to perfection. Despite there being a long queue, they were very fast at serving everyone.
Bromley’s ground has a very much non-league feel to it. The toilet facilities also happen to be a line of portaloos.
The match was soon underway, with a number of changes to the Rovers lineup.
It was a frustrating game, but one that we had plenty of possession and also three or four very good chances as well. After a fairly even first half, Bromley got the only goal of the game with a shot on the angle from the right of the box, beating Brad Young to his left.
After plenty of pressure and controlling large parts of the second half, substitute Shaq Forde received two yellow cards to reduce Rovers down to 10 men. This was his second red card v Bromley this season, with the other in the reverse league fixture at The Mem.
This then making the last 10 minutes hard to get anything out of the match. Senior was my Man of the Match, he has really stepped up his performances in recent matches. I have had a few debates about his contributions, but even when he was going through a tough spell, I had a feeling that he would hit good form. Clinton Mola also had a decent game.
The official attendance isn’t known at the time of writing, but there were 594 Rovers supporters who had bought tickets in the away end and a few more who had managed to purchase tickets amongst the home supporters!
We left Bromley at 5:05pm, with a slow exit out of the club car park. We stopped for 20 minutes at Reading services and then made Kingswood our first drop off location, at 8:40pm.
UnknowN to one of our supporters, who had lost their mobile phone at the services, a driver from RB Coaches found this and returned it to us, after seeing the Rovers logo on the screen! A big thanks goes out to him and one of our supporters said you are now a Gashead! A big thanks to him, no doubt saving a lot of inconvenience.
