Bromley boss told Wembley goal hero he would hit back of the net against Wrexham

BY KAI BENNETT

Michael Cheek gave Andy Woodman credit for believing in him after Bromley beat Wrexham
1-0 at Wembley to win the FA Trophy for the first time in their history.

The 30-year-old striker scored the winner as the Ravens made amends for their 2018 penalty shootout defeat to Brackley at the same venue.

Cheek produced a simple close-range finish just past the hour mark after Corey Whitely unselfishly squared.

Woodman said in his post-match press conference that he had backed the forward to score the winner after leaving him out of the penultimate National League fixture at home to Altrincham. Cheek was also an unused substitute at Solihull Moors at the start of the month.

Cheek, who scored 17 goals in 42 league matches this season, said: “There was a few games towards the end of the season where he didn’t involve me and he said: ‘Don’t worry, I know you haven’t scored for a while – but save it for Wembley.

“He said I would score today [Sunday] and gave me a hug after and said: ‘I told you so’.

“I don’t know why he [Whitely] passed because I wouldn’t have passed it. I’m glad he did. I said to him in the shower: ‘I owe you a drink now’.”

Cheek stepped to the fore in the latter stages of the FA Trophy.

He netted twice in the 3-0 win over York City at Hayes Lane that sealed their place at Wembley. And he also scored two when Bromley defeated Solihull Moors in the last eight.

“I’m a bit speechless,” admitted Cheek soon after Sunday’s match had finished. “In the semi-final when I scored, and thought we were going to go Wembley, I was quite emotional after the goal.

“I felt the same thing on Sunday – just pure joy. I nearly shed a tear – but not as many as Luke Coulson.”
Bromley captain Byron Webster has won three finals at Wembley Stadium.

The former Millwall centre-back, 35, started for the Lions when they beat Bradford in the League One play-off final to reach the Championship in 2017. He also helped Yeovil win the 2012-13 League One play-off final.

Webster missed Millwall’s 2016 defeat to Barnsley – in exactly the same showpiece in English football’s third tier – when he got injured in the warm up.

Webster told the South London Press: “I’m going to say every time I’ve started we have won. That’s a hat-trick of wins at Wembley – it’s massive.

“I’m not blowing my own trumpet here but we have got a good group and there is experience in there in me and Trotts [Liam Trotter] especially.

“I can talk a lot of rubbish at times but this trophy is down to the lads – to a man they were fantastic.

“It’s a crazy thing coming to Wembley, because you can talk as much as you want but as soon as you’re out there as an individual you need to sort it.

“Whoever got the first goal, like the Millwall game against Bradford, was going to win. They [Wrexham] are good at holding on to a lead and we’re good at that too.

“It was massive to get that first goal and Cheeky was there.”

A crowd of 46,000 were at Wembley including Wrexham’s owners, Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney – who had celebrity guests in David Beckham and Anchorman star Will Ferrell.

The FA Trophy is Woodman’s first silverware as a manager.

“I’m chuffed for my boys,” said the 50-year-old, born in Camberwell.

“We had a gameplan, we worked hard and we executed the gameplan. And it just goes to show, all the riches on the day, if you’ve got a team that’s got heart you can get across the line.

“There is not one game all season that I can think of have they not given me anything. As a football fan first and foremost – which I am – what you want is a team that grafted. This team gives you that.”

PICTURES: ROB AVIS