This remains a new world for Bromley. Recent entrants to the Football League, this meeting with Ipswich was just their second Carabao Cup contest – now they have their first victory, delivered on penalties against a side who were in the top tier three months ago.
After Ben Johnson cancelled out Deji Elerewe’s first-half opener for Bromley, the game went to sudden death and the night belonged to Sam Long. He saved Ipswich’s first penalty, low to his right off George Hirst, and was required for another, denying Ali Al-Hamadi, once a Bromley player. Marcus Ifill slotted in for the final blow. It proved to be a memorable moment for a club not short of them in recent years.
“Show them a level of respect but don’t roll over and just say: ‘Come in here and nick all our crown jewels and go home with the win,’” the Bromley manager, Andy Woodman, said in explaining his pre‑game instructions.
“Let’s go out there and give an account of ourselves. I’m probably not a household name as a manager, but my team and me, we work our socks off to cover everything. And my team represents me very well.”
This game brought together two managers who are 15 years and two divisions apart but with similar stories to tell. Kieran McKenna and Woodman joined their respective clubs in 2021, leaving behind the luxury of the Premier League; McKenna departed Manchester United’s staff, Woodman was head of goalkeeping at Arsenal.
Both have packed plenty of history in the past four years, McKenna most notably with back-to-back promotions; Woodman with his side’s ascension into the Football League last year, a first for the club founded in 1892. The 3G pitch at Hayes Lane was subsequently ripped out and replaced by grass to fulfil league requirements, symbolic for a club wanting more.
Bromley finished last season four points off the League Two playoffs and reached the third round of the FA Cup for the first time, even taking the lead at St James’ Park before Newcastle won 3-1. Ipswich, days after an intense Championship opener with Birmingham, were well positioned for a serious scare.
Bromley’s special occasion was not to get in the way of rotation, both sides much changed from their last outings. Michael Cheek, the leading goalscorer in League Two last season, was left on the home bench. McKenna handed a first Ipswich start to Ashley Young, older than his manager but still up for a trek down the right. He eased through the first half as Ipswich dominated possession but failed to create.
Jack Clarke was lively when cutting in from the left; the overlapping Leif Davis enjoyed the space created and launched his cutbacks. But they could not get past the Bromley centre-half Omar Sowunmi, towering over Al-Hamadi and in control at the back. Fittingly, Sowunmi was key at the other end, too. Leaping high from a corner just before half-time, he headed into the middle for Elerewe, who glanced in to prompt the roar.
Doncaster continued their dream start to the season as they stunned Championship side Middlesbrough 4-0 at the Riverside to book their place in the Carabao Cup second round.
Rovers took the lead in the 11th minute when Boro were made to pay for cheaply conceding possession in their own half. Jordan Gibson found Billy Sharp in the box and the experienced striker teed up Ben Close, whose shot deflected in off defender George McCormick.
Doncaster doubled their lead in the 23rd minute thanks to another heavy deflection, with Boro defender Alfie Jones diverting Damola Ajayi’s shot from inside the box beyond goalkeeper Tom Glover. Robbie Gotts fired in the third from outside the box six minutes from time, before Tom Nixon curled in the fourth deep in stoppage time.
Bradford scored twice in the first four minutes to shock Blackburn 2-1 in the tie at Ewood Park. Graham Alexander’s newly promoted Bradford stunned their Championship hosts with a lightning start, as Ibou Touray slammed in a sumptuous volley with barely 90 seconds gone.
It got worse two minutes later when Blackburn’s debutant goalkeeper Nick Michalski lost control of the ball outside the area under pressure, leaving Will Swan with an empty net.
Michalski had to be alert to deny Swan a second before Rovers grabbed a lifeline on the stroke of half-time when Dion De Neve controlled a long throw and rifled in expertly from six yards but Bradford held on.
Wrexham, meanwhile, staged a dramatic late comeback to snatch a place in the second round on penalties after a 3-3 draw with Hull. Veteran striker Ollie Palmer put doubt over his future aside with two headed goals in stoppage time to take a pulsating encounter at the Racecourse to a shootout.
The hosts prevailed 5-3 on penalties after Joel Ndala hit the crossbar for Hull. Wrexham had led after 31 minutes through Elliot Lee but looked like going out as Hull hit back through Oli McBurnie, Ndala and Matt Crooks.
There was more joy for Bromley supporters after the break as Cheek came on under lights, ready to hassle up top. Ipswich, nonetheless, went level through a half-time change of their own. Chiedozie Ogbene thundered down the right wing before Conor Chaplin seized on the cross, his close-range volley tipped on to the crossbar by Long. But Johnson’s arrival into the box was perfectly timed, the rebound slotted in.
Bromley came close when Marcus Dinanga was denied inside the area by Christian Walton as the game turned more frenetic around the hour. But the net refused to bustle, with Al-Hamadi and Ifill going close in the dying exchanges. The latter had his moment not long after.
