RAVENS ROLLIN UNDER RADAR

ANDY WOODMAN has given his Bromley players a simple message this season: Don’t be embarrassed to keep winning games of football.

- MATT BADCOCK

Corey Whitely’s header at Dagenham & Redbridge on Tuesday night extended the Ravens’ run to five victories on the bounce and eight games unbeaten before yesterday’s trip to Solihull Moors.

It underlines Woodman’s intentions for his side after losing their first two of the season, albeit while having to deal with suspensions and injuries.

Early days, but last season’s play-off semi-finalists are displaying all the qualities the former Arsenal and Newcastle goalkeeper coach demands.

“I keep reminding them: Top teams keep winning,” Woodman tells The NLP, pitchside at Dagenham. “They don’t get embarrassed to keep winning. That’s what we have to keep doing. Keep driving as a squad and keep trying to get the results.

“I’ve been lucky enough to work at some big clubs where we didn’t have the biggest budget in the Premier League and we didn’t have the best players. But what we did have was a team spirit and we had a desire and willingness to win.

“I’ve always said it, particularly when I was at Newcastle, all the fans want is a team to give everything. That’s what I’ve tried to bring into Bromley.

“The DNA of this football club is hard graft, hard work and being relentless in everything we do. That is what we do.”

That has led to the Ravens becoming a key figure in the annual promotion contender conversation. But it also hasn’t happened overnight.