Bromley returned to winning ways in a hard-fought London derby against playoff chasing Barnet.

Falling behind to an early Josh Walker goal Bromley were initially up against it but turned it around with two headers from Chris Bush and Joe Kizzi either side of half time.

Bromley manager Neil Smith welcomed back to the starting line up the previously suspended Bush and Kizzi with Marc Anthony Okoye (injured) and Adrian Clifton (bench) missing out.

Despite Barnet’s opening goal it was actually Bromley who should have taken the early lead.

Working the first opportunity of the game, Luke Coulson freed Michael Cheek down the right wing and the frontman’s cross found an unmarked Billy Bingham lurking in the penalty area only for the midfield man to scuff his shot wide.

Barnet immediately punished the Ravens for that miss with the opening goal of the game. Cheye Alexander did well to skip past Reeco Hackett-Fairchild before crossing for Josh Walker to smartly finish through a crowded penalty area.

With that goal came a sustained spell of Barnet pressure that should have seen the Bees put the game beyond Bromley. 

Firstly David Tutonda crossed for Alfie Pavey who headed over when he perhaps should have hit the target before Tutonda repeated the trick for Mauro Vilhete who also failed to hit the target.

Bromley made Barnet pay for their profligacy with a well worked equaliser in the 25th minute that came very much against the run of play.

Frankie Raymond’s free kick was headed back across goal by Jack Holland and nodded in by an alert Bush to level the game.

Despite the setback Barnet could have regained the lead before half time but on two occasions were denied by Bromley custodian Ryan Huddart.

Just after the half hour mark Huddart did brilliantly to tip over a Pavey header before excelling himself just before the interval.

Seeing an Alexander free kick late through a sea of legs the 6”4 man reacted well to tip the effort around the post. 

If the first half saw Bromley lucky to be level the second half was the polar opposite as the Ravens largely controlled the second 45 with a mature display built around a better defensive shape.

Reacting to the joy the Barnet wingbacks had been getting, Smith responded with a half time change replacing Alfie Doughty with Michael Klass. The Southend loanee was to go on to play a significant role in the assured second half performance.

Having served notice with an early Cheek effort that Scott Loach had to turn behind. Bromley took the lead shortly before the hour mark.

Raymond again delivered an inch perfect free kick this time for Kizzi to head Bromley into the lead.

With Barnet now having to force the issue, Bees manager Darren Currie used all of his available substitutions but despite a lot of endeavour could not find any way past the Bromley rearguard.

In fact the closest either side came to adding to the scoreline was a Bush header six minutes from time. Yet another excellent set piece delivery from Raymond found an unmarked Bush but the defender headed the ball down and over the crossbar, with Loach stranded.

As it was Bromley did not need the cushion of a third goal and comfortably held on to seal the three points and go joint top of the National League once more.

Barnet: Loach; Reynolds, Sweeney (Adams 58), Santos; Alexander, Taylor, Fonguck (Mason-Clark 59), Vilhete, Tutonda; Pavey, Walker (Akinola 72)

Subs not used: Azaze, Elito

GOAL SCORER: Walker 9

Bromley: Huddart; Kizzi, Holland, Bush, Wood; Bingham, Raymond; Coulson, Hackett-Fairchild, Doughty (Klass 46); Cheek (Clifton 85)

Subs not used: Dunne, Mekki, Rees

GOAL SCORER: Bush 25, Kizzi 57

Referee:Scott Jackson

Attendance: 1,083 (171)