Bromley’s recent love affair with the FA Cup continued on Saturday as they overcame a courageous performance from Evesham United to book their place in the FA Cup 1st round draw on Monday.

Mark Goldberg’s sides have seemingly always risen to the occasion where the FA Cup is concerned and Saturday’s victory sealed a personal milestone for himself and the club as Bromley have now clinched five FA Cup first round appearances under his tenure.

Evesham had entered the match in great form having plundered 17 goals in their last 4 games and performed giant-killings in the previous rounds. Bromley knew that to avoid a cup-set they would have to start with a great tempo and got off to the best start possible when good link up play from Louis Dennis and Moses Ademola led to the former presenting an opportunity for Danny Waldren to side foot home from inside the six yard box within the first six minutes.

However despite the early goal it did not dampen Evesham spirits, moments later Lance Smith had a half volley on the turn excellently saved by Seb Brown as Evesham sought an immediate reply.

With Bromley unable to dictate the tempo of the game, the match took on the classic ebb and flow of a cup tie with Evesham’s Elliott Kennedy a constant threat to the Bromley rearguard. Indeed whilst Bromley had the most talented players on show, Evesham matched them due to the sheer graft and tenacity put into the game from each of their players.

Deservedly so, Evesham drew level on 37 minutes when Ashley Edenborough got his head to a corner to flick in the equaliser. Yet it was Bromley who came closest to the next goal of the game, prior to the half time whistle, Moses Ademola reacted quickest to a through ball and lobbed the on rushing Sawyer only for the ball to be cleared off the line by Linden Dovey. In the melee which followed Jordan Robertson then saw his shot well saved by Sawyer.

The second half was a tense and nervy affair where both sides fashioned enough opportunities to feel they deserved to be the victors.

As early as the 47th minute a fantastic one handed save by Seb Brown denied Carl Brown, and an Evesham equaliser, pushing a fierce drive over the bar from close range. Bromley were to punish the miss 3 minutes later when a Louis Dennis corner was headed in by Danny Waldren to enable Bromley to regain the lead.

With a goal advantage again Bromley were able to control the tempo of the game until the last 15 minutes when Evesham threw the kitchen sink at Bromley in search of an equaliser. In the 75th minute Seb Brown again had to be at his very best to save brilliantly from a Washmore free-kick. From the resulting corner Ugo Udoji produced a fantastic block when Dovey was well set inside the area,

With Evesham pushing it was inevitable that Bromley would fashion chances on the counter-attack with Pierre Joseph-Dubois twice missing glaring opportunites. Jack Holland then had to be at his best to clear a cross that had taken Brown out of play. From the corner Matt Sysum headed narrowly over.

The final clear chance of the game was to fall to Joseph-Dubois again but he was denied by an excellent block by Dovey when he seemed certain to score.

As the final whistle sounded, Bromley players embraced and celebrated yet another successful FA Cup qualifying campaign. All at the club now wait with baited breath the outcome of the FA Cup draw to see where the next round will take the team. Most fitting of all was that it was the club’s current longest serving player and fan favourite, Danny Waldren, who scored both goals to clinch the progression.

Evesham United: Kevin Sawyer, Jared Wilson, Lewis Binns, Marcus Jackson (Nathan Jackson 85), Matt Sysum, Linden Dovey, Elliot Kennedy (Jack Watts 73), Carl Brown, Ashley Edenborough, Lance Smith, George Washbourne (Kevin Slack 87).

Subs: Liam Harding, Michael Tambling, Aaron Drake, Sean Wood

Goal: Ashley Edenborough 37

Booked: Lewis Binns 40, Marcus Jackson 66, George Washbourne 72, Matt Sysum 87

Bromley: Seb Brown, Ugo Udoji, Joe Anderson, Danny Waldren, Rob Swaine, Jack Holland, Pierre Joseph-Dubois, Reece Prestedge, Jordan Robertson (Mitchell Pinnock 73), Moses Ademola (Duncan Culley 61), Louis Dennis.

Subs: Adam Bailey-Dennis, Ali Fuseini, Adam Birchall, Paul Rodgers, Harry Grant

Goals: Danny Waldren 6, 50

Booked: Moses Ademola 27, Reece Prestedge 52, Danny Waldren 66, Louis Dennis 72, Ugo Udodji 75, Duncan Culley 90

Star Man: Seb Brown

Attendance: 811
Referee: Mr Robert Massey-Ellis (Coventry, West Midlands)