Bromley progressed through to the FA Trophy semi final with a comfortable win over National League play off rivals Barnet at Hayes Lane on Saturday, courtesy of a goal in either half from Michael Cheek & Olufela Olomola.
Bromley went into the game with as strong a team as Andy Woodman had available to pick and they got off to a flying start with Corey Whitely setting up Olomola who hit the side netting on The Ravens first attack.
Inside the first couple of minutes Bromley did take the lead, when Barnet were caught trying to play out from the back and Olomola set up Cheek who drove the ball past Josh Keeley from just inside the area for 1-0.
Bromley continued to press The Bees, they had s strong penalty shout when Callum Reynolds saw his a powerful volley blocked by the arm of Connor Stevens, but Referee Alan Dale awarded The Ravens a corner.
Cheek had a goal ruled out for offside soon after and Barnet got another reprieve from the Referee when Keeley handled the ball outside his box gathering a long ball, but the official waved the appeals away.
Olomola went close again, before Barnet had their first attempt on goal when Byron Webster slipped and Gatlin O’Donkor saw his shot well saved by Grant Smith when one on one. Heading into the break, Reynolds headed wide at the near post from a Josh Passley free kick, while Ben Wynter headed wide from a free kick at the other end.
The second half saw Dean Brennan introduce top scorer Nicke Kabamba up front and he gave Barnet another attacking dimension with the play opening up. Olomola set up Whitely who shot wide and Passley had a shot saved by Keeley when one on one after a good run.
After Cheek had to go off injured heading into the hour mark, Barnet had a series of corners and pressed Bromley, but just as it looked like their pressure may pay off, The Ravens went two in front.
Olomola picked up the ball on the left, cut into the box and drilled his shot low past Keeley and into the net for 2-0. The Bees pressed again, but Bormley’s backline coped admirably with the long ball assault, Webster enjoying the dual with Kabamba and it could have been 3-0 when Smith sent a long ball up field to Olomola who latched on to the pass and dinked it over the advancing Keeley, but saw it just clear the bar.
Alex Kirk was the next player to go close for Bromley when Passley set him down the right, but Keeley made another good save.
Late on Barnet pushed for one final time, Anthony Hartigan having a free kick saved by Smith and then the same player fired wide from long range, but fittingly the impressive Olomola had the final chance of the tie when he broke clear, but Keeley was on hand to deny him.
This was an impressive display from Bromley and the win puts Andy Woodman’s side into the FATrophy semi final draw on Monday afternoon ahead of their next league game away at Wealdstone on Tuesday night.
Bromley: Smith, Passley, Kirk, Webster, Reynolds, Odutayo, Krauhaus, Whitely, Arthurs, Olmola, Cheek (Dennis 55). Subs Not Used: Aziaya, Elerewe, Taylor-Hart, Grant, Roberts, Vennings.
Barnet: Keeley, Hall-Johnson (Gorman 74), Coker, Senior (Kabamba 45), Stead, Hartigan, O’Donkor (Freeman 64), Stevens, Wynter, Cropper, Breunt. Subs Not Used: Walker, Armstrong, Matejko.
Goals: Cheek 1min, Olomola 67mins.
HT 1-0 FT 2-0
Referee: Alan Dale
Att: 2,557