Bromley boss Woodman: My team is the fittest in League Two
Andy Woodman has claimed his Bromley side are fitter than any other team in League Two and puts it down to the heart that his players possess.
The Ravens battled their way to a 1-0 victory over AFC Wimbledon yesterday to complete the league double, snapping the Dons’ five-game winning streak at Plough Lane in the process.
Bromley did not see too much of the ball throughout the League Two game but they were the ones to make it count, with Corey Whitely capitalising on a defensive mix-up in the 76th minute to round the goalkeeper and slot away the game’s only goal.
Woodman suggested his side’s fitness was the difference, especially when they were forced to hold on to their one-goal lead in the late stages of the game.
“We squandered a couple of really good chances early doors,” said Woodman. “But we had some good moments in the game and we dug in at the end. You always know when you come to Wimbledon that the kitchen sink is going to be thrown at you towards the end.
Picture : Keith Gillard
“If we can keep clean sheets, we are always going to create chances, so really we just have to make sure that we are solid and do not give a lot away.
“You can see we are a hard-working team. I would say we are the fittest team in this league by country mile, and that is credit to my staff. The longer the game goes on, the more and more happy I am. We just look fit and strong, and that is not a bad trait to have.”
One player who exemplified this spirit was Whitely, whose relentless chase of a seemingly lost ball over the top allowed him to steal the ball off the toes of the defender for the only goal of the game.
“Corey is brilliant,” said Woodman. “The mileage he puts in is phenomenal, and the work-rate for the team and unselfishness he has for the team is fantastic.
“He has not been in the team of late, and that is a conscious decision by us, because you cannot keep playing at that level all the time. It is impossible. We rested him and brought him back at the right time.”
Woodman could not help but be romantic when explaining the reasoning behind his side’s relentless energy, as well as their impressive performances this season as a whole.
Picture : Keith Gillard
“We have probably got the smallest budget in the league, but we have got the biggest hearts, and that is what I like about our boys.
“The lads have just given Marcus Ifill a big round of applause in there because he had a tough time out there, but he did not give up. He showed a lot of heart, and that is what our team is about.”
PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD