In front of the lowest league crowd of the season Bromley suffered their fourth defeat in a row at Hayes Lane on Tuesday night in farcical circumstances after conceding two penalties and being reduced to nine men within half an hour and then having manager Neil Smith sent to the stand.
The game got off to the worst start possible for The Ravens when keeper Ross Flitney brought down Reece Hall-Johnson and Referee Mr Rock awarded Braintree a penalty, but did not book the custodian.
Michael Cheek blasted the spot kick past Flitney to make it 1-0 on 5 minutes and the tone was set for the evening.
Jack Midson had a low drive saved by Flitney soon after before Bradley Goldberg had The Ravens first shot which was saved by Sam Beasant.
Bromley’s night then got worse on 16 minutes when Lee Minshull was red carded for a poor challenge on Harry Lee.
Soon after Brandon Hanlan missed Bromley’s best chance when he fired wide from only six yards out after a good move down the left.
With the game turning sour The Iron were lucky to keep eleven men on the field when Lee then crashed into Jordan Higgs who later had to be taken off injured, but Mr Rock soon branded his red card again when he sent off Dan Johnson for a clumsy foul on Reece Hall-Johnson in the penalty area.
Midson converted the spot kick to make it 2-0 against the nine men on 32 minutes.
Minshull and Johnson were soon joined in the dressing room by their manager when Smith was sent off for protesting to the officials.
Hall-Johnson had two long range curling efforts saved by Flitney before he finally made it 3-0 in first half injury time when a long ball up field eventually found the pacey forward to converted from close range.
The second half began with Hanlan firing wide from distance and Goldberg went close after working a chance out wide and nearly catching Beasant out of position.
For a while Bromley kept possession well, but failed to create any chances and they were eventually picked off again on 70 minutes when Monty Patterson received the ball on the edge of the box and beat Flitney with a low drive which sneaked under his body.
Three minutes later Hall-Johnson made it five with a superb solo run through the beleaguered home defence and smart finish low into the corner to cap his man of the match performance.
The game then drifted until the final incident of note came on 84 minutes when Connor Dymond was booked for a heavy challenge in midfield and Braintree’s Ian Gayle was sent off for pushing him to the ground in the scuffle that followed.
This was an evening to forget for Bromley who will be without their suspended players for the tough trip to Boreham Wood on Saturday.
They will certainly be grateful that they have a ten point cushion between themselves and the bottom four with eleven league games left.
Bromley: Flitney, Johnson, Anderson, Chorley, Holland, Turgott, Higgs (Dymond 45), Minshull, Dennis, Hanlan (Sho Silva 68), Goldberg (Martin 76).
Subs Not Used: Dunne, Granger.
Braintree: Beasant, Okimo, Lee, Gayle, Midson, Isaac, Hall-Johnson, Cheek (Barnard 64), Patterson (Maybanks 76), Clohessey, Parry.
Subs Not Used: Henshall, Corne, Twardek.
Goals: Cheek 5 Pen, Midson 32pen, Hall-Johnson 45 & 73, Patterson 70mins
Referee: Mr D Rock
HT 0-3 FT 0-5
ATT: 437