Ide hill suffered their fourth defeat in a row on Saturday afternoon in a 2020 which is rapidly threatening to undo all of their excellent work from 2019.
Ide Hill were missing their goalkeeper Mike McKay and two of their key defenders in Ben Pearson and Phil Alteirac which did not help going in to a game Ide Hill were determined to attempt to stop the rot in. They had lost their previous three games, although these games were against the 3 top sides in the league, and the last game against Faversham finished with a second half performance to suggest that there is enough in the squad for the season to not peter out.
Ide Hill started well on Saturday, with better drive than they’d shown against Faversham, with a youthful midfield showing bravery and poise on the ball. Jamie Fearn had a strong first half on the left and James Humphreys scooped the MOTM award for his composed and brave performance at the base of the midfield, showing for the ball throughout and controlling much of the game in the first 45. Humphreys had mixed views on the match though, despite his impressive offering “I thought we showed good intensity today, on another day we might have come away with a point or more. As a team we need to be a bit more clinical when chances come our way.”
Ide Hill were playing well without creating great openings, Craig Jackson firing just wide from range after 20 minutes, but the good early work was undone as Ide Hill conceded from a set piece on the half hour. Joe Baker challenged for a ball out wide, took the ball, with the referee saying the defender got the ball then changing his mind and awarding the free kick. The ball was swung in and Jack Baines slipped his marker to nod in to the corner for 1-0.
Ide Hill went in to the break disappointed with the scoreline but not necessarily the overall performance. Humphreys unfortunately had to come off with a dead leg and Ide Hill looked to go again in the second half and salvage a result. However, they found themselves two down on the hour, a wayward backpass playing in Kevaughn Ward who stepped inside a challenge and slotted in to the corner.
Ide Hill struck back quickly though, Callum Heath driving down the right, cutting in to the box and winning a penalty which Jackson slid home for his 10th of the season and to give Ide Hill a sniff of a result. However, the visitors have made a worrying habit of conceding multiple goals a game and as they strained for the result they were hit on the break, Jamal Ossai losing his marker wide on the right, cutting in and rolling home to put daylight between the sides again. Jack Edmeads stood in manfully in goal throughout and could do nothing about the goals, acquitting himself well with his handling and kicking.
Ide Hill pulled another back with ten minutes left, Heath again causing the damage down the right, squaring to the lively substitute Kanan Fitton who drew a save from close range with the impressive George Kensell on hand to tap home his eighth of a productive season in front of goal for the midfielder.
Ide Hill were unable to get the leveller though, even with the returning Shaun Boyle offering thrust and impetus from the bench, Bromleians held on for a win they celebrated vociferously at the whistle.
Ide Hill are clearly in the middle of a nasty slump in form which threatens to derail their whole season, if it is to be completed at all in these uncertain times. They still sit in fourth in the league for now and have sevengames remaining against sides in the lower half of the table to try to return the season to the air of positivity it had only a number of weeks ago.
