Bromley boss Neil Smith: My players gave me everything in defeat at Leyton Orient
Bromley boss Neil Smith says he couldn’t have asked for any more from his players following their 3-1 defeat at high-flying Leyton Orient.
John Goddard’s free-kick had the Ravens a goal to the good at the interval, but Orient stormed back with three strikes in the second-period to climb atop the National League Table. Jobi McAnuff had levelled with a free-kick, before goals from Josh Koroma and Macauley Bonne sealed the victory for the O’s.
“The boys have done everything that we said we wanted to do,” explained Smith.
“As soon as you give a free-kick away on the edge, the guy’s got quality and he put it in the top-bin. All of a sudden, they’re up, the crowds behind them. It just makes it a little bit more difficult. I was just disappointed that we got the ball in their eighteen-yard box and within three seconds it’s in the back of our net.
“Disappointed in that respect but we had a very bare squad today, loads of injuries and everything else. I can’t ask for any more from them. I just think we could have done it a little bit better towards the end the of the second-half.
“The boys kept on going. I can’t ask for any more. I have got a minimum squad. I’ve got trialists on my subs bench, just shows you how thin we are.”
Goddard had a huge opportunity to double Bromley’s lead just after the break but was unable to take it. Smith reckons that moments like that are costing his side, who fell to a third defeat in four league games.
“The small margins at the moment are costing us,” added Smith.
“Johnny goes through. If he scores that, 2-0 and it’s a different game. He doesn’t, they go up the other end, we give a free-kick away and then it’s an uphill battle.
“We lost to Peterborough (in the FA Cup) last week who are third in League One and we’ve lost to the top of the table side away from home after being in there with a very minimal squad. So, we’re disappointed with the run of results but there’s a lot of positives I’m taking from today.”