Bromley continued their positive start to the season topping the table with a narrow win over newly promoted Gosport in a game The Ravens should have won more comfortably, but ended up just holding on.

The game started with Bromley on top, Brendan Kiernan & Bradley Goldberg both went close before Gosport also were just off target through Sammy Igoe and Jamie Brown.

Goldberg fired just wide again, Danny Waldren headed just wide and The Ravens also had a penalty shout when Brown appeared to handle in the box, but eventually the break through came on 33 minutes when Goldberg headed a set piece back across goal to Ashley Nicholls who then did the same for Pierre Joseph-Dubois to head home for 1-0.

The game drifted to half time, with both sides feeling the heat.

The second half saw Gosport start the better, Daniel Smith forced a good save from Lewis Carey, Rory Williams fired just wide when well placed and Daniel Wooden was also foiled by Carey before Mark Goldberg rang the changes and got a response.

Sub Shamir Mullings set up Goldberg whose effort was saved by Nathan Ashmore, but soon after Bromley made it 2-0 when Waldren’s free kick was headed back towards goal by Rob Swaine for sub Steve Smith to head home from close range on 69 minutes.

That should have been it, but instead Gosport got going as Bromley took off the pace, the visitors were awarded a penalty on 84 minutes when Swaine was judged to have pushed Brown and Justin Bennett despatched the spot kick for 2-1.

Bennett was denied by Carey soon after and the game ended in nervey fashion for the home side, running the ball into the corner and holding on to the lead.

The win sees Bromley end August top on 12points, a good return for the new look side who go into a much tougher set of fixtures in September.

 

 

Bromley: Carey Pooley Anderson Swaine Holland Dubois (Mullings 65) Waldren Nicholls (Buchanan 57) Kiernan (Smith 57) May Goldberg.

Subs: McBean Jones.

Goals: Dubois 33mins, Smith 69mins (Bromley).

Bennett Pen (84mins)

Match Rating: 3/5

Star Man: Pierre Joseph-Dubois (Bromley)

Referee: Mr C Fitch

Att: 503