Bromley progressed to the first round of the FA Cup as they came out on top of a seven goal thriller at Hayes Lane on Saturday afternoon, knocking out fellow National League side Aldershot Town.

The Ravens got off to the perfect start when their early spell of pressure resulted in a goal after only 7 minutes as Luke Coulson’s free kick from the left wing was headed home at the far post by Joe Kizzi.

Bromley continued to press from there and Adam Mekki was just off target with a header following good work by Alfie Doughty.

Mekki, clearly enjoying the Number ten role behind Michael Cheek, was back to his best, causing The Shots defence lots of problems and also drawing numerous free kicks which looked to be their main source of chances.

The Ravens went 2-0 on 12 minutes when a deep Frankie Raymond free kick was knocked down by Jack Holland for Cheek to turn the ball in from close range.

Cheek went close soon after following great work by Kizzi down the right and the right back also was just off target with a shot across goal soon after.

Aldershot briefly rallied from there and pulled a goal back ten minutes later when a free kick wasn’t cleared properly and Mohammed Bettamer drove the ball into the corner of the net from the edge of the area.

The Ravens continued to have the better of things though and their third goal came on 36 minutes when a free kick was only half cleared with a punch from Aldershot keeper Mitch Walker and following a goalmouth scramble the linesman spotted that Holland had headed the ball just over the line before the custodian scooped the ball away down at the foot of the post.

Late in the half the visitors had a good spell, but the closest they came was when Alefe Santos fired over from range.

The second half saw Bromley start brightly, Josh Rees had a goal ruled out for offside and Mekki missed a good chance when clean through, firing wide of the goal when one on one.

Aldershot moved to within a goal of Bromley just before the hour mark when former Raven Shamir Mullings found space on the edge of the box to fire the ball low into the far corner of the net from 20 yards out to make it 3-2.

The Ravens rallied again from there, Kizzi had a header from a corner blocked on the line by Max Hunt, but the pressure paid off on 68 minutes when Doughty hit a low cross from the left, which caught The Shots defence on the wrong foot and Cheek pounced to make it 4-2 with a cool finish from close range.

The game was not over yet though as Aldershot then had a good spell, Raymond was lucky to only see yellow after a terrible challenge on Ethan Chislett on the halfway line, which sparked a mass coming together before he and Mullings were booked.

Lewis Kinsella was just off target before The Shots made it 4-3 with 11 minutes to go, Kinsella crossing from the left for Robbie Tinkler to score with a header in the box finding a gap between the towering Bromley backline.

With five added minutes at the end of the game it could have been a nervy fifteen minutes for The Ravens, but in truth they held out comfortably with Adrian Clifton having a shot saved after more good work by Doughty out wide.        

Neil Smith’s side now await the draw on Monday before they prepare for another home game with Halifax Town next Saturday.  

Bromley: Huddart, Kizzi, Wood, Holland, Bush, Raymond (Clifton 73), Rees, Coulson, Doughty, Mekki (Higgs 65), Cheek.

Subs not Used: Okoye, Tanner, Dunne, Najia, Henry.

Goals: Kizzi 7, Cheek 12 & 68, Holland 36

Aldershot: Walker, Tinkler (Shields 88), Kinsella, Lyons-Foster, Santos (Panayiotou 79), Mullings, Chislett, Berkeley-Ageypong, Hunt, Powell. Subs Not Used: Rance, Whittingham, Eyoma, Finney, Fowler.    

Goals: Bettamer 22, Mullings 59, Tinkler 79mins.

Att: 1,408 (229 away)

Ref: Mr Elliott Swallow