Caledonia Dreaming or Ian38018 Sporting Travels: Copperjax Community Stadium

Bromley 2-0 Grimsby Town

20th December 2025

Without scaling any particular peaks on the pitch, this afternoon Bromley efficiently despatched Grimsby Town to move (if only for a couple of hours) up to the dizzy heights of second spot in EFL League Two. Will HONDERMARK scored both goals in the victory, each tap-ins after some fine work by one or other of his colleagues.

The first arrived after just 12 minutes, following a free-kick which the Grimsby defence twice failed to clear properly; Deji Elerewe's back post header setting up the scorer. And then ten minutes after the break, HONDERMARK was left with another fish-in-a-barrel to shoot, after Marcis Ifill's trickery had left visiting Charles Vernam having to pay to get back in.

It briefly looked as if Bromley had scored a third, when home keeper Jackson Smith fumbled the ball on his own goal line, but the officials decided, quite rightly, not to guess - despite home number nine Michael Cheek's cheeky attempt to convince the ref by elaborately celebrating. All in vain.

We had (notionally) four Scots in the line-ups today - two on each side. Although - as I have noticed whenever I have ventured into the lower reaches of the English pyramid - the term "Scottish" often refers to an English born player who has turned out for one or other of Scotland's younger age-group national sides.

The exception to this state of things today was Grimsby's Jamie Walker, who drew his first breaths in the salubrious Edinburgh surroundings of Wester Hailes. Walker is best known up here for a couple of moderately successful spells with Hearts; the second of which won him a move to Bradford City.

He played over 100 matches for the Yorkshire club, before finding his way east to Grimsby a few months back. The lad enjoyed a fairly decent first half I thought, but was pretty much anonymous in the second.

Bromley FC play at Copperjax Community Stadium.

Or Hayes Lane, as it was once known.

Away supporters are funnelled past the mud to this entrance behind the East Stand.

The rear of the Glyn Beverley Stand.
Opened in 2019, it is named for a former club President.

The stand also houses the shop and ticket office...

...and a large food and drinks area.

Copperjax Community Stadium

The modest main stand commemorates a former player and, later, club official.

Lining up in the Grimsby defence we also had Samuel Lavelle (you can tell from his slightly exotic-sounding moniker, he was certainly not born in Wester Hailes). A Blackpool boy, he had somehow found his way into a few Scotland youth squads between 2013 and 2015.

Lavelle endured a rather more unhappy afternoon than Walker - he did not look too clever at Bromley's first goal, then was hooked on the hour. Although, to be fair, I believe this had been Lavelle's first match back after a period out injured.

Bromley's Caledonian contingent consisted of central defender Kyle Cameron (Hexham) and substitute goalkeeper Sam Long (Redbridge). Long was not called upon, but Cameron had a fine match and looked for the most part an effective and reliable chap to have in your side. Although a powerful aerial presence, he is not the most nimble of performers, and I noted he occasionally had to phone a friend when dealing with one or other of Grimsby's nippy pair up front.

The aforementioned Will Hondermark, the home fans' goalscoring hero of the day is in interesting chap. Born in France with both German and Congolese heritage, he was raised in the Republic of Ireland, so was faced with a veritable smorgasbord of international eligibility choices.

In 2024, he made his Congo debut in a 6-0 bashing by Morocco.

Grimsby's Jamie Walker

Bromley v Grimsby December 2025

Visiting number 5 Harvey Rodgers hoofs a corner clear.

Kyle Cameron (Bromley)

Grimsby captain Kieran Green learns the wisdom of wearing shinguards.

Time up.

Season 2025/26 is only Bromley's second as an EFL club, and sitting as they do in one of the automatic promotion places with almost half the season gone, must be considered a good bet for at least a play-off spot.

Grimsby, by way of contrast, are having a dreadful time of things just now, and have now gone eight league matches without a victory. That penalty-kick win over Manchester United back in August must seem to some fans almost a lifetime ago.

*****************************************************************

Before my journey back to Caledonia, I spent a morning in Crystal Palace Park. I knew the dinosaurs were undergoing a facelift, but I though I could still have a poke around looking for relics of the original Crystal Palace.

For those folks unaware, the dinosaurs were (still are, I suppose) models of a number of known species, their anatomy reflecting the (incorrect) scientific wisdom of the time (1854).

Unfortunately most of the beasts were under wraps, with the whole park undergoing
a major upgrade. But, I did spot this chap down by the lakeside.

Never mind - according to Google the park museum opens at eleven...

...perhaps not.

Part of the refurb is a restoration of the now slightly crumbly Italian Terraces
which once led up to the Crystal Palace itself.

Pretty much all of the structure of the palace, which burnt down in 1936, is gone.
Although a few oddments have been retained.

This is, apparently, an iron column from the Crystal Palace.

The Italian Terraces are guarded over by a pride (is that the collective noun?) of Sphinx.

This chap, gazing out towards Kent, is known as The Turkish Statue.

In another area of the park is sited this structure which may or may not be
part of the original palace. Seems unlikely.

The park also houses a transmitting station, erected by the BBC in 1956.

These are the remains of an aquarium which was once on the site.

Another original statue (although headless, obviously).
This one, the poet and philosopher Dante.

Between 1927 and 1974, there was a motor racing track around the park, sections of which
still remain. Formula Two and Three meetings took place, as did occasional
Non-Championship Formula One races.

The National Sports Centre now sits in the middle of the park, where once was sited
a football ground. The FA Cup Final was held here from 1895-1915.
The current Crystal Palace FC also called the place home from 1905-15.