Injury time heartbreak befell Bromley on Tuesday night as Manny Oyeleke’s fierce drive a minute from time rescued a point for Aldershot in a pulsating game between two of the league’s top eight.

Having been unlucky to return from Birkenhead with no points on the weekend, Bromley manager Neil Smith shuffled his pack in search of greater reward. Roger Johnson returned to the starting line up in place of Ben Chorley whilst Jordan Higgs came in for Luke Wanadio.

He was to be vindicated for his changes with a gritty and resolute display that for the most part negated the renowned slick attacking style of the Shots.

Bromley have earned the reputation as one of the league’s entertainers and that has largely been built on their ability to counter attack at pace. Time and again throughout the night the inexhaustible running of Brandon Hanlan and trickery of Louis Dennis ensured the Shots defence were kept on high alert and but for better finishing Bromley should have been home and dry before Oyeleke’s late intervention.

The game itself actually took a while to get going with the first meaningful event of the first half actually being the opening goal.

Dennis picked up on a loose ball in the middle of the pitch before producing fine trickery that left one defender on the floor. Dennis released Hanlan down the right wing and the front man’s cross was turned home by an onrushing Luke Woolfenden.

Seeking an immediate response James Rowe curled an effort over the bar from 20 yards and Josh McQuoid also tried his luck from distance but Gregory was able to save at the second attempt.

For all their slick approach play and comfort in possession the Shots were unable to find a killer pass beyond a Bromley defence marshalled by the excellent Jack Holland.

With Bromley content to try and pick Aldershot off on the counter, they nearly doubled their lead three minutes before the interval. Another attack led by Dennis and Hanlan led to the latter crossing for the former only for Dennis to have his goal-bound effort blocked by desperate last ditch defending.

The second half followed the same pattern but with Aldershot dominating the large majority of possession. Both sides were to go close in the opening minutes of the second half, Fabien Robert headed Mcquoid’s cross over for the Shots whilst George Porter curled an effort narrowly wide after good work from Hanlan.

However with Aldershot repeatedly pressing and probing without any real end product in the final third, Bromley missed a golden opportunity to punish them on the hour mark. Josh Rees’ incisive through ball and Hanlan’s electric turn of pace caught the Aldershot back line unawares but despite the on-loan Charlton man putting the ball on a plate for Dennis, Bromley’s top scorer saw his effort deflected over the bar by George Fowler when it seemed easier to score.

As the clock ticked into the final twenty minutes and Bromley legs tired the ravens inevitably dropped deeper and deeper with the finishing line in sight. This merely served to hand the initiative to the Shots. First Adam McDonnell saw his effort from 20 yards fizz inches wide of Gregory’s left hand post before Shamir Fenelon just failed to turn Bobby-Joe Taylor’s cross in at the near post.

As Aldershot becoming increasingly desperate with their attacks and the crosses from the wing not bearing fruit, Bromley could and should have won the game four minutes from time following a rare forage forward. Once again Dennis was to be at the heart of the action, Frankie Raymond’s quick free kick set Dennis away down the left wing and his cut back for unmarked substitute Omar Bugiel should have been turned home but the on-loan Forest Green striker inexplicably sliced his shot well wide of the goal.

Bromley were to pay for that glaring miss when Oyeleke ran on to a Scott Rendell knock down to smash the ball home deep into injury time.

That the goal came at the death was gut-wrenching for Bromley but the reality was a final chance for the home side had always looked inevitable as the last ten minutes had essentially resembled a game of attack vs defence.

The draw keeps Bromley on the cusp of the playoffs and still in with a very good chance of making them over the remaining 12 games.

For now however they will take a break from league action as Saturday sees the highly anticipated FA Trophy Quarter Final between Bromley and Spennymoor Town. With both sides having already made history to get this far in the competition neither will want their journey to end with the possibility of two games away from Wembley awaiting the victors.

 

Aldershot Town: Lewis Ward, Cheye Alexander, Lewis Kinsella, Adam McDonnell, Callum Reynolds, George Fowler, James Rowe, Manny Oyeleke, Nicke Kabamba (Scott Rendell 56), Fabien Robert (Shamir Fenelon 57), Josh McQuoid (Bobby-Joe Taylor 69).
Subs: Jake Cole, Jim Kellerman

Bromley: David Gregory, Luke Woolfenden, Tyrone Sterling, Frankie Raymond, Roger Johnson, Jack Holland, Jordan Higgs, Josh Rees (Ben Chorley 84), Brandon Hanlan (Omar Bugiel 76), Louis Dennis, George Porter (Frankie Sutherland 64).
Subs: Dan Johnson, Luke Wanadio

 

Goal scorers / Time of goal: Aldershot: Oyeleke (90+2) Bromley: Woolfenden 23

 

Referee: Mr A Quelch

Attendance: 1,909 (84 Bromley)