Bromley maintained their unbeaten home record in League Two this season and extended their unbeaten run to seventeen games despite an uninspiring display against a well organised Oldham Athletic at Hayes Lane on Tuesday night and in turn moved five points clear at the top of the table.
Going into the game in a 3-5-2 formation with Omar Sowunmi making his 150th appearance for the club, The Ravens got off to a lively start, but after Ashley Charles had been booked for a bad foul on Tom Pett, the momentum shifted into Oldham’s favour. The visitors were robust, well organised had a little more urgency and pace bout them in midfield, dominating possession for long spells.
Bromley suffered a real blow just before half time when Michael Cheek had to go off injured and Andy Woodman changed to a 5-4-1 formation for the final few minutes of the half.
The second half saw The Ravens come out in 4-5-1 formation with Carl Jenkinson coming on at right back and they did look positive with Idris Odutayo hitting the top of the bar with a deep cross from the left. Oldham then responded with a good spell of their own, Kane Drummond seeing a shot deflected wide for a corner.
With The Latics now looking the stronger side, they had two penalty appeals turned down as they pressed. Bromley had their first shot on target on 69 minutes when Mitchell Pinnock crossed for Jenkinson who was denied by Matthew Hudson in The Latics goal.
The introduction of Brooklyn Ilunga gave Bromley a far more positive attacking look and he set up Jude Arthurs who in turn played the ball out to Ben Krauhaus, but the Brentford loanee fired over from 20 yards out. Mike Fondop had a free kick saved by Smith after Odutayo had fouled Kane Taylor at the other end, before Pett had a shot tipped over by Grant Smith and then somehow Bromley managed to keep the ball out of the net following a frantic goalmouth scramble from the corner, with Smith smothering the ball in a crowd of players.
With the game now wide open, Ilunga set up Jesse Debrah who had a shot deflected wide and after Bromley appeals for a hand ball in the area, Debrah then headed wide at the near post from another Pinnock corner and despite lots of hard work there wasn’t enough quality and the game ended goalless.
Bromley will have been pleased to have got a point from this, while Oldham will probably go back a little disappointed not to have done the double over The Ravens.
Bromley now prepare for a difficult looking trip to inform Grimsby Town on Saturday lunchtime hoping to keep the unbeaten run going.
Bromley: Smith, Odutayo, Debrah, Sowunmi, Charles (Jenkinson 45), Pinnock, Whitely (Ilunga 64), Hondermarck (Krauhaus 64), Arthurs, Kabamba, Cheek (Thompson 41). Subs Not Used: Dinanga, Long, Medley.
Oldham: Hudson, Robson, Monthe, Daniels, Caprice (Sutton 19), Drummond, Woods, Pett, Stevens (Taylor 64), Kavanagh (Hammond 77), Fondop. Subs Not Used: Donaghy, Garner, Simeu, Payne.
HT 0-0 FT 0-0
Att: 4,000
Referee: Mr Ross Martin