Bromley keeper Grant Smith believed he would perform Wembley penalty shootout saves

Grant Smith was always confident that he would be able to pull off at least one penalty stop in Bromley’s National League play-off final shootout win over Solihull Moors at Wembley.

The 30-year-old saved the first two spot-kicks from Tyrese Shade and Joss Labadie to give the Ravens the advantage.

Smith’s early successes allowed Byron Webster to score the winning penalty and book Bromley’s place in the Football League for the first time in their 132-year history.

“That was the most confident I was during the whole game,” Smith told the South London Press.

“I knew I was going to save at least one. I’m really thankful it paid off.

“It’s been a really good season. A lot of credit goes to the manager. A huge amount of credit goes to Brannon Daly, the goalkeeper coach – he has worked tirelessly every single day.

“The manager has been really good to me on a personal level and he’s given me the confidence and the ability to play my game.”

Smith arrived at the start of the season following his departure from Yeovil Town.

The ex-Lincoln City keeper had to battle it out with Chelsea loanee Teddy Sharman-Lowe for the number one spot at Hayes Lane at the start of the season.

But after taking the shirt after the opening day 2-0 defeat at Halifax following an injury to Sharman-Lowe, Smith never looked back and racked up 41 appearances in the regular campaign and was voted in the National League Team of the Season.

Sharman-Lowe, 21, was recalled by the Blues midway through the January transfer window.

Smith said: “I still remember a meeting with the gaffer on the Thursday, two days before the start of the season.

“I knew I didn’t have the greatest of pre-seasons – I kept getting little injuries. But in the meeting, he chose Teddy over me for that first game.

“I wasn’t injured, he just chose Teddy. It has come back to bite him on the ass a little bit. It’s always about backing yourself and your ability.

“Teddy played that first game of the season and got injured. I was thrown straight in. I wasn’t probably ready. I didn’t feel mentally or physically ready. It could have been a completely different story if Teddy didn’t get injured in that game. But ever since I have been in the team, everything has gone really well.”

Ex-Crystal Palace and Newcastle goalkeeper coach Woodman has hailed Smith as the best keeper in the fifth tier throughout the campaign.

“When I first came here, I thought he would be really involved in the goalkeeper set-up,” said Smith. “He’s not. He leaves it all down to Brannon.

“He [Woodman] has come out and said a lot of nice words about me.

“It means a lot coming from someone of his calibre and what he has done in the game.”

Smith’s last appearance in the Football League came in February 2019 at Lincoln – a 2-2 draw at home to Stevenage in League Two.

The former Fulham youngster has had spells at Wealdstone, Chesterfield and Yeovil in the National League but is now set to head back into the top four divisions.

“It’s going to be really good,” said Smith of playing League Two football again. “We’ll enjoy it and then get back to work. Hopefully, we can do well next year.

“We have a really good bunch of lads here – we’re really tight.

“I’m really looking forward to keeping all the boys and going again next year.

“Let’s see what League Two brings us.”

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD