In front of a bumper Bank Holiday crowd, Bromley kept their play off hopes alive going into the last four games of the National League season with a hard fought draw at home to fellow challengers Boreham Wood.
The Ravens went into the game unchanged from Good Friday’s draw at Barnet, lining up 5-3-2, but they got off to an unusually nervy start, making defensive errors.
Boreham Wood created the best early chance with George Boradbent volleying over from close range after good work by Erico Sousa who caused the home defence problems down the right wing.
Bromley grew into the game as it went on with the excellent Corey Whitely forcing a save from Nathan Ashmore and Ryan Stirk having an effort from the rebound blocked, but Wood still looked the more dangerous with Bromley giving the ball away cheaply in midfield.
Lee Ndlovu’s strong run saw him set up Braodbent, but he fired wide and then Tyrone Marsh was denied by Reice Charles-Cook.
From there though it was The Ravens who took the lead, some great build up play down the left from Besart Topalloj, Louis Dennis and Whitely eventually saw the ball come to Michael Cheek on the left who got the wrong side of Chris Bush and drilled the ball into the net for 1-0.
Sadly for The Ravens any euphoria was shortlived as within two minutes Wood were level when they cut straight through the middle of the home defence and Ndlovu finished well from the edge of the area for 1-1.
With the game now wide open Whitely set up Dennis who shot wide from a tight angle, while Zac Brunt was denied by Charles-Cook after another dangerous long throw from Bush against his old club.
The second half began with Bromley looking to press, Deji Elerewe had a shot saved by Ashmore and Stirk shot wide.
As Boreham Wood settled the game went through a quiet spell, there were lots of long diagonal passes and aerial challenges, but little in the way of incident.
Then with twenty minutes to go Wood had a strong shout for a penalty turned down, Marsh cashed in on some defensive uncertainty between Topalloj and Omar Sowunmi and took the ball past Charles-Cook before going down under the keeper’s challenge, but Referee Ed Duckworth was unmoved by the appeals and gave nothing.
The Ravens had another good spell of pressure with Sowunmi heading wide from a Stirk free kick, but they were almost caught out on the break when a long throw was cleared out to Sousa and he ran the length of the pitch before having his shot saved by Charles-Cook.
Late on both sides had one final chance, Harry Forster crossed for Adam Marriott who headed just wide at the near post and at the other end Josh Rees volleyed over from a Bush long throw.
A draw was a fair result given the performances from both sides the point leaves Bromley in eighth, two points behind Eastleigh in the final play off place ahead of their next game on Saturday away at Gateshead.
Bromley: Charles-Cook, Fisher (Forster 65), Topalloj (Marriott 79), Sowunmi, Reynolds, Elerewe, Strik, Whitely, Vennings (Arturs 85), Dennis, Cheek.
Subs Not Used: Bingham, Webster.
Wood: Ashmore, Illesanmi, Evans, Payne, Ndlovu (Lewis 90), Broadbent, Marsh (Newton 81), Sousa, Brunt (Rees 71), Bush, Agbontohoma.
Subs Not Used: Kelly-Evans, Coxe.
Goals’ BFC – Cheek 25mins BWFC – Ndlovu 27mins.
HT 1-1 FT 1-1
Att: 3,305
Referee: Ed Duckworth