Bromley bowed out of the EFL Trophy with a 1-0 defeat away at League One Charlton Athletic on Tuesday night thanks to a second half goal from Miles Leaburn.
Watched by over 850 away fans Bromley went into the game with a much changed line up, shaping up in a 5-3-1-2 formation.
After a cagey start the home team had the first chance when Kai Enslin headed over, with The Addicks having the better of things with a series of corners and set pieces.
Nathan Asiimwe was booked for a terrible challenge on Lewis Leigh in midfield that could well have been a straight red, leaving the Bromley midfielder requiring treatment.
Enslin had a deflected shot well saved by Sam Long, but as the game opened up Josh Passley’s run down the right won Bromley a corner, which came out to George Penn whose powerful drive from 20 yards was superbly tipped over by Ashley Maynard-Brewer in the home goal.
Late in the half, Charlton manager Nathan Jones was red carded as he went to trap a ball on the touch line and accidently stepped on to the field connecting with the ball while it was just still in play, which seemed incredibly harsh.
The second half saw the introduction of Leaburn for The Addicks and gave them more of a threat up top. The excellent Enslin fired over as did Leaburn soon after.
After a quiet spell, it was Charlton who made the vital breakthrough when Leaburn struck a shot towards goal from just outside the area and it deflected past Long to make it 1-0 to the home team, nestling in the far corner of the net.
Charlton looked the stronger team from there for a spell, Ramani Edmonds-Green headed a chance over and Enslin had another effort saved by Long.
The Ravens best chance came to Levi Amantchi, but Maynard-Brewer got down to make the vital stop when the striker was one on one. Bes Topollaj made a great tackle to deny Leaburn a second goal at the other end as things opened up late on.
Amantchi had a shot deflected wide for a corner, before the final chance fell to The Addicks when Callum Reynolds was booked for a foul on the edge of the area and Greg Docherty put his free kick just over the bar.
Charlton topped the group with this win having already progressed to the last 32, while Bromley now concentrate on their League Two clash at home to Carlisle Utd on Saturday.
CAFC – Maynard-Brewer, Gillesphey, Mitchell, Edmonds-Green, Edwards, Coventry, Taylor (Leaburn 45), Enslin, Asiimwe (Rylah 65, Laqeretabua 92), Berry (Docherty 65), Yahyai (Hylton 87).
Subs Not Used: Campbell, Reid.
BFC – Long, Topallaj, Reynolds, Jenkinson, Congreve (Corbin 73), Passley (Paul-Lavely 56), Olomola, Leigh, Penn, Thomas (Evans 73), Amantchi. Aziaya, Hilden, Moralee, Paye.
Goal: Leaburn 70mins.
Att: 2,916 (835 away)
Referee: Ben Atkinson
Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.