The ‘Sold Out’ signs are up at Hayes Lane for Saturday afternoon’s National League match between play off challenging Bromley and title chasing Wrexham.
The Wrexham fans have been given the whole of the North Terrace along with the usual away allocation on the east side for the match, which will see those Bromley season ticket holders who ‘claimed’ their tickets for this game, along with some general sale tickets, squeezed into the Glyn Beverly stand and half of the East Terrace, with the club looking to break the modern day attendance record.
The all time record attendance at Hayes Lane is 13,000 for the Bromley V Nigeria fixture in 1950, but with the capacity now capped at 5,000 the modern day record is 4,558 for the FA Cup replay match with Bristol Rovers back in November 2019.
Bromley were without a game last weekend and their match at Halifax Town on Tuesday was postponed, which means goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook will be suspended for this game after his red card in the 3-0 home loss to York City last midweek.
The Ravens currently sit in tenth place with 52 points from 36 league games, 8 points off the play off places with ten games left to play.
Bromley have only lost three times in 2023, but have drawn thirteen league matches over the campaign, also winning thirteen.
Wrexham travel down from North Wales sitting on top of the table, having amassed 91 points from 37 league matches, a point in front of Notts County with a game in hand. In their last outing Phil Parkinson’s side won 1-0 at home to Southend United courtesy of an own goal.
The Red Dragons are on a run of nine games unbeaten over all and thirty undefeated in the National League going back to 1st November.
When the sides met at The Racecourse Ground in January Wrexham won 2-1 in front of the BT Sports cameras, with goals from a Paul Mullin penalty and James Jones after Corey Whitely had put Bromley in front. Last season’s meeting at Hayes Lane ended 0-0, while the FA Trophy Final at Wembley in May saw The Ravens win 1-0 with a Michael Cheek goal just after the hour mark. Mullin has scored 37 goals for The Red Dragons so far this season.
Andy Woodman has had bad luck with injuries & suspensions to his small squad this season, skipper Byron Webster and striker Charlie Kendall missed the last two games injured and with Charles-Cook suspended, Lincoln City loanee Sam Long may well make his first team debut in goal on Saturday, which is quite some baptism for the young keeper.
This looks set to be a fascinating contest between two good sides, both needing all three points in their quests for play offs and automatic promotion in front of a large crowd.