Bromley v Crewe Alex 25-26 Preview - Fortress

If there has been a bigger surprise than Bromley in recent L2 memory, I'd like to see them. Maybe Crawley in 23-24 I suppose. But to see the Ravens top the table with a healthy lead after 27 games is incredible. Especially given I was deeply unimpressed with them last season as the Alex smashed 6 past them in 2 games. I wasn't even wowed when they came away with a 1-0 win at Gresty Road in October. But boy do we have to sit up and take notice of them now. Here is my preview of the Alex's midweek visit to the league leaders:

Fortress Hays Lane

Make your home ground a fortress. That's what they say. Well, the Alex are heading to the most formidable fortress in all of L2 this season as they travel to the capital to face Bromley at Hays Lane. The stats from their home games are dazzling. They have scored 2 or more in every single home game so far this season. That is an incredible level of consistency and it's no wonder they are unbeaten through 13 games. No team has beaten them in the league at home since late March, meaning they are closing in on 10 months without defeat.

It's going to take some effort from the Alex to even come away with a point, let alone 3.

Bombardment

I said it when Bromley visited the Alex, but game planning for the Ravens should be relatively simple. They aren't going to out football you. They aren't going to beat you for pace and skill. What they are going to do is beat you physically. Their squad is a land of the giants. They lead the league in set piece goals by a margin of 4, with 20 already scored by that route.

That being said, it would be a mistake to underestimate their open play ability, as they have 19 from that source. They are a strong attack minded team with varied threats. Michael Cheek is the main man, but Nicke Kabamba is a good foil. Mitch Pinnock is a creative force with 9 assists and they have goals from other sources such as CB Omar Sowunmi, Ben Thompson and Will Hondermarck. They have scored a very impressive 46 goals, the 2nd most in L2. If the Alex can keep them out, it'll be some feat.

Scoring Splits

It doesn't mean much, but I thought I'd raise it anyway. Bromley's players seem to range from loving scoring at home to preferring it on the road. Let me explain.

Cheek has scored 14 goals this season, but only 5 have come at home. And of the 9 goals 2nd highest scorer Nicke Kabamba has scored, 8 have come at home. 4 of the 6 goals Sowunmi has scored have been at home. Ben Thompson has 3, but all have been away. All 3 of Hondermarck's have been at home.

On the other side, the Alex are similarly skewed. Of the 25 goals scored by Emre Tezgel, Josh March, Calum Agius and Tommi O'Reilly, 19 have been at home. If you did a table of the Alex's leading away scorers, Max Sanders tops the pile with 3. Behind him with 2 are Tezgel, Hutchinson, Thomas and own goal. The Alex could do with their attackers stepping up on the road a bit more often. Or at all at this stage.

Written Off

I mentioned it before the Notts County game and I'll mention it again now. The Alex go into this game as perhaps the heaviest underdogs that they've been all season. I doubt anyone in football gives them much hope of getting something from this game. I certainly don't. But when they've been written off. When their backs have been against a wall. When they are staring down the barrel. That is when they come up with big performances.

Do I see that happening here? No, not at all. But you never know.

Ref Watch

Aaron Farmer

Farmer is back for his 2nd Alex game of the season, having taken charge of the Oldham game back in November. He was fine in that game, but I wonder how he'll handle this one. The Alex were his EFL debut in that Oldham game. This will be his 5th.

2025-26 Record: 22 games(4 League Two, 6 National League, 5 EFL Trophy, 2 FA Cup, 3 National League Cup, 2 Premier League 2), 86 yellows, 7 yellows

Last Game: Wealdstone 1-0 Woking, National League, 17th January 2026, 6 yellows

Crewe Alex Record: 0-1-0, 1 yellow

Injuries/Absences

Bromley

The Ravens will be without Deji Elewre, who completed a move to Lincoln on Sunday. Marcus Ifill was missing against Swindon on Saturday and Byron Webster, who wasn't in the squad, was sent off on the sidelines at the end of that game, so had the plan been to include him for this game, he'll now be suspended. Aside from that though, they seem in good health.

Crewe Alex

Will Conor Thomas make a return? Doubtful and even if he does, it'll be on the bench. Nobody else is expected back anytime soon and now we have to add Owen Lunt to the list of wounded, as he was forced off on Saturday with a back issue.

Team

Let me preface this by saying this isn't what I'd do. This is what I think Bell will do. I think he's going to go to a back 3 to try and combat Bromley's ariel prowess. He did it in the home game and it didn't work, but I think he'll do so again in this one. Connolly will come in for Lunt and it'll be a back 5 of Billington, Connolly, Demetriou, Pond and Hutchinson.

In midfield I think it'll be a 4, with Holicek and Sanders in the middle, whilst Agius and O'Reilly move out wide. That'll leave March on his own up top. Good luck Josh.

Score Prediction

Is any predicting anything other than a comfortable defeat? Bromley aren't the kind of side that will stick 4 or 5 past you, but they should have enough about them to put in a couple of see off the Alex's feeble attack on the road.

Bromley 2-0 Crewe Alexandra