Despite racing into an early two goal lead, Bromley slipped to another home defeat as they conceded four to a very impressive Notts County side at Hayes Lane on Saturday afternoon, the visitors having 66% possession of the ball over the whole match.
Andy Woodman made three changes to the team that drew at Colchester last week, Callum Reynolds, Ben Thompson and Cameron Congreve coming into the side and he reverted back to 5-4-1.
Bromley made an attacking start to the game, winning early corners and Idris Odutayo headed just wide. County’s first chance came when Ashley Charles was caught in possession and Dan Crowley set up David McGoldrick who shot wide.
The Ravens though, continued to press and were in front after only four minutes when Odutayo shot across goal from the left and Michael Cheek slid in to turn the ball over the line for 1-0 from six yards out.
A minute later The Ravens were two up, when a poor pass from Notts keeper Alex Bass went straight to Ben Thompson who drove the ball past him from 20 yards out low into the net for 2-0.
Notts continued to play the same possession based tactics, undeterred by the early set backs and they were gifted a way back into the game on 13 minutes when a clumsy challenge on Jodi Jones in the area from Karmarl Grant saw Referee Charles Breakspear award The Magpies a penalty.
Jones converted the spot kick low to the left and it was 2-1 inside fifteen minutes. Conor Grant headed over for Notts, before the game drifted for a spell. Late in the half Bromley had another good spell, Corey Whitely going close twice, but it ended 2-1 to Bromley at the break.
The second half saw the visitors start on the front foot, Crowley had a shot saved by Grant Smith and Alassana Jatta’s effort from the rebound was cleared off the line by Odutayo.
A minute later though it was 2-2 when Crowley’s deflected shot from 20 yards out wrong footed Smith and nestled into the net.
Michael Cheek dragged a shot wide for The Ravens as they had a good spell of pressure, before The Magpies made it 3-2 on 56 minutes when Crowley cut through the middle of the pitch and played in Jatta who coolly rolled the ball past Smith into the corner of the net.
Andy Woodman changed to two up front from there, introducing Marcus Dinanga. Notts still had the better of things, McGoldrick and Conot Grant having shots saved.
Bromley rallied again with Dinanga having a shot saved at the near post by Bass and Byron Webster then had a shot tipped over by Bass following a scramble from a free kick.
From the resulting corner Dianga headed over before County then had another spell of pressure. Crowley crossed for Jatta who turned the ball narrowly wide at the far post and they continued to have long periods of possession.
For the final few minutes Bromley went with three up top as Josh Thomas came on, but it was to no avail as Stuart Maynard’s side sealed their three points with a fourth goal on 89 minutes when a break up field ended with Jones’ powerful shot from 20 yards out deflecting off Reynolds and hitting the post before agonisingly creeping over the line with Smith stranded.
Jones fired a free kick over late on as the visitors saw the game out and took the points back to Nottingham.
Bromley now travel up to Grimsby Town next Saturday having not won a league game in a month and lost or drawn from winning positions in four consecutive games, slipping down to fifteenth in the League Two table in the process.
Bromley: Smith, Imray, Grant, Webster, Reynolds, Odutayo, Charles (Leigh 65), Congreve (Thomas 83), Thompson, Whitely (Dinanga 58), Cheek. Subs Not Used: Amantchi, Arthurs, Long.
Notts County: Bass, Bedeau, Platt, Cundy (Jatta 45), Macari, Abbott, Palmer (Austin 72), Grant (Tsaroulla 74), Crowley (Hincy 93), Jones, McGoldrick (Brown 92). Subs Not Used: Slocombe, Brown.
Goals: BFC – Cheek 4, Thompson 5mins. NCFC – Jones 13pen & 89, Crowley 47, Jatta 56mins.
HT 2-1 FT 2-4
Att:
Referee: Mr Charles Breakspear