Preview: Bromley vs Swindon Town

For all of the praise Bromley’s unbeaten run has garnered, a win at home to Swindon would trump all of the attention and commendation.

This is a genuine top-of-the-table clash as 1st take on 2nd. Dare we call it a six-pointer? 

Swindon are targeting automatic promotion and have been very active since the transfer window opened. Michael Olakigbe (Brentford loan), Aidan Borland (Aston Villa loan), Ben Middlemass (Sunderland), and Fletcher Holman (Wolves) have all arrived at the County Ground, and there is every sense that their business is not finished yet. 

Having led League One at various points this season and been in the top three for the majority, manager Ian Holloway has chosen to twist rather than stick as he pursues automatic promotion.

Swindon are rightly considered one of the standout sides in the division, and Bromley will struggle to have it all their own way at Hayes Lane. Interestingly, in the previous encounter at the County Ground, Swindon switch-reversed on Bromley by allowing the Ravens to have the majority of possession. In doing so, they recorded a 2-0 win and pretty much beat Bromley at their own game.

The defining element of that match was that Swindon made the most of their possession and were far more clinical in the final third. Some might point out that Grant Smith added to Bromley’s poor performance with his worst outing of the season, but Swindon were ruthless when their chances came.

One of the reasons why Swindon are hard to plan for is that you can't predict what formation they will play. They have utilised five different starting shapes in their last five games and have chopped and changed their starting XI.

The obvious standout is the league’s joint top scorer, Aaron Drinan, who is to Swindon what Michael Cheek is to Bromley. Ian Holloway favours a very attacking mindset, and it is no coincidence that they rank third for most shots on target per match.

To better understand the threat Swindon will pose at Hayes Lane, I spoke to Swindon Town writer Sam Morshead, who runs the club’s independent journalism portal, The Moonraker. Sam also happens to be the founder of CounterPress, the tech platform that hosts From Bromley With Love.

What is The Moonraker’s take on Swindon’s current form, and who is the underdog here?

Until the back-to-back defeats by Salford, Swindon had been on a very useful run. While performances fluctuated between fluent and hit-and-miss, they lost just twice in nearly two months prior to Salford’s win at the County Ground last week. In that time, they conceded just twice, and both goals were long-range spectaculars. 

The games against Salford (by my reckoning the best team in the division) need to be taken in isolation. 

Town are among the most proficient League Two teams away from home, and while Bromley are in much richer form, they were swatted aside in the corresponding fixture. 

This is a very even matchup. Both teams will likely go into the game feeling they are the favourites.

There have been a few off-field wranglings in recent weeks, like Ollie Clarke and the ghost substitution. How much of a distraction has that been?

It’s certainly given us something different to write about. 

Yes, it has had an impact. The wait for the FA’s decision over Swindon’s future in the EFL Trophy this season hangs over the buildup to this fixture.

Ian Holloway has talked about using the experience to form a siege mentality, but there’s been little practical evidence of that during the two games against Salford.

Morale is in a dip. The club really needs the next piece of news to be positive, and they have that in their own hands this weekend.

Plenty of transfer business has taken place since the window opened. Can you give a synopsis of who Swindon have added and why?

Swindon have added two forwards and two central midfielders so far in January, as well as losing Finley Munroe.

Michael Olakigbe is a fast and skilful winger who loves to take on his man and cut inside off the left. 

Fletcher Holman is a young forward who can operate either as a nine or on either side of a central striker in a three. He’s got a burst of pace, a fizzing right foot, swagger, and lovely close control. 

Aidan Borland is one of Aston Villa academy’s brightest talents; a low-lying midfielder with an eye for moving the game on quickly. 

Ben Middlemas is a transitional midfielder from Sunderland, who is likely to make his debut at Bromley.

The loss of Munroe, who was sold by Villa to Middlesbrough, has left Swindon with a gap at left-back. They are definitely weaker in this area, and Town’s delivery into their strikers has lapsed since his departure.

How do you see Swindon approaching the game?

Holloway only wants wins. There is no way he goes to Bromley to shut down Michael Cheek and bid for a point. 

The biggest selection issue he has is whether or not to drop Ollie Palmer for Holman. Palmer has scored eight times for Swindon, but the overriding feeling among fans is that Town are less effective when he is on the pitch. Curiously, Aaron Drinan’s contribution metrics dip significantly when Palmer is in the same team. 

Holloway will have to decide whether to put Olakigbe and Holman either side of Drinan and go for ball-on-the-floor, fast transition football, or stick with the more direct approach, which has been unpredictable at times.

But you can bank on an attacking approach.

Sam’s insight suggests this is going to be a difficult game for Bromley to prepare for, but prepare for it they must. At Chesterfield, there was a sense before the game that Andy Woodman wouldn’t turn his nose up at a point, and that came to pass, even though Nicke Kabamba missed a penalty that would have won the game.

Dare I say Woodman would take another point here if offered one?

Bromley may be at home, and the team in the ascendancy, but given the transfer rumours swirling around the club on Friday, the squad may be experiencing turbulence ahead of this all-important tie. This is the kind of upheaval a promotion-chasing club could do without.

It has been widely reported that Deji Elerewe has played his last game for the Ravens, opting instead for a move to League One Lincoln. This means Bromley are almost certainly in the market to replace him, but it also creates an opportunity for Kyle Cameron to stake his claim for a regular starting spot.

Andy Woodman has made it clear that he expects everyone in his squad to contribute at some point this season, and if the spirit and ethos in the dressing room is as good as we believe it to be, then this transfer news will be little more than a blip. 

That notwithstanding, the rest of the teamsheet seems to write itself these days. If Andy Woodman expects Swindon to play fast-flowing, counter-attacking football, with possession ceded to Bromley, then he will likely start with Krauhaus behind Cheek. Other than that, any other changes will be injury-dependent. 

Damola Ajayi is expected to make the bench for a possible home debut, and Byron Webster will probably be called in as defensive cover, but other than that, I believe the side will line up as follows for this crucial encounter.

From Bromley With Love XI

Smith

Ifill Sowunmi Cameron Odutayo

Arthurs Charles 

Whitely Krauhaus Pinnock

Cheek