‘Phenomenal’ Dennis Is Bromley’s FA Trophy Menace

By Sam Elliott

Bromley manager Neil Smith hailed man-of-the-moment Louis Dennis as his two goals helped defeat Gateshead 3-2 in the first leg of their FA Trophy semi-final at Hayes Lane, writes Luke Turner.

The Ravens twice had to come from behind, before Dennis netted the winner with nine minutes remaining to give Smith’s men the advantage heading into the second leg at the International Stadium next Saturday.

Speaking to BFCtv after the game, Smith expressed his delight at the fight his players showed to turn the game on its head.

He said: “To go a goal down after less than a minute was not what we had planned. To come back like we did in the second-half was phenomenal.

“It just shows the determination I’ve got in there with the bunch of boys in the changing room.

“At one stage it looked like every time they were going to attack they were going to score a goal, so the boys had to show character.

“We got the penalty decision and I think that was the turning point.”

And Smith found it difficult to overlook the impact that star man Dennis once again had in flipping the tie in favour of Bromley.

“Louis is phenomenal. I say it every week and I’ll never get bored of saying it,” He continued.

“Louis can do stuff that I can’t coach and both finishes were phenomenal, sublime.

“It’s not a shock because he works on those in training. He doesn’t just rock up and do it in the game – he does that every day in training.

“We’ve needed Louis today and he produced. As a team they thank him, but it was also his hard work today. He put a shift in and it was when he didn’t have the ball that he showed what he can do for us.”

Prior to the second leg in just under a week, the Lillywhites must first head to the Automated Technology Group Stadium on Tuesday to take on Solihull Moors.

A place in the end of season National League play-offs still remains a possibility for Bromley, who sit eight points outside of the top seven but have three games in hand.

PICTURE BY ED BOYDEN

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