Bromley’s league campaign ended with the Ravens on the wrong end of a seven goal thriller in Berkshire as the Magpies put paid to Bromley’s faint playoffs hopes on the final day of the season.
Having started the day with an outside chance of making the playoffs, if they could win and other results went their way, the equations never came into play as Bromley failed to do their part.
In truth Bromley were never at the races and were behind the eight ball from the outset as two quick fire goals inside the first five minutes threw their gameplan all askew.
First England C international Sam Barratt gave Maidenhead the lead heading in a Nana Owusu cross in the third minute before Christian Smith turned in from a corner minutes later after David Gregory had spilled the ball.
Bromley players looked visibly shell-shocked as they struggled to cope with the incessant wave of Maidenhead attacks and were nearly three down when Barratt’s deflected drive from the edge of the area fizzed over the crossbar.
Bromley were to pull a goal back against the run of play with their first shot in anger. A long throw from George Porter found its way back to the front man and his drilled effort took a slight deflection to deceive Carl Pentney in the Maidenhead goal.
The goal failed to signal a Bromley fight back as ten minutes later Owusu promptly restored the two goal lead for the home side.
Picking up a loose ball 22 yards out Owusu took one touch then smashed home low into the corner of the net giving Gregory no chance.
Other than a Rees effort that was blocked on the line Bromley offered nothing else in the first half and could have gone in 3 goals behind at the break when Gregory had to be at his best to tip away a Maximilian Kilman header.
If half time should have represented an opportunity for Bromley to regroup Neil Smith’s words must have fallen on deaf ears as the second half witnessed more woeful defending as Maidenhead threatened to run riot.
Within four minutes of the restart Barratt had his second of the game, James Comley’s pass found Barratt in acres of space and he made no mistake with a calm side-foot finish past Gregory.
Both Remy Clerima and Owusu came close to extending the Maidenhead lead further but were denied on both occasions by excellent Gregory saves as the Bromley custodian manfully tried to keep the score down.
Gregory couldn’t do anything about the Maidenhead 5th goal, however, as Sean Marks outmuscled Jack Holland to head powerfully past the Bromley goalkeeper.
Marks could have his second in the 66th minute but Gregory denied him with another excellent fingertip save before Smith headed over from the resultant corner with the goal gaping.
With Bromley attacks sporadic, it was substitute Louis Dennis who was to provide the few sparks for the away side. His clever interchange with Frankie Raymond saw him cross for Omar Bugiel to smash home for his 6th goal in Bromley colours.
Gregory still had time to make one more fine save denying Barratt his hat-trick with 15 minutes to go.
For the Ravens, Dennis curled a free kick against the post late on with Porter unable to turn in the rebound but the game was to peter out from there as both teams brought the curtain down on their respective league campaign.
Despite the heavy defeat Bromley were still able to register their highest ever league finish (9th) and highest points tally (70) which is very much testament to the consistent improvement under the excellent management of Neil Smith.
However the season does not end here for Bromley as they must now focus all attention on the preparation for the forthcoming FA Trophy final against National League North side Brackley Town on the 20th May at Wembley Stadium.
Maidenhead United: Pentney, Clerima (Goodman 69), Steer, Massey, Owusu (Pritchard 78), Kilman, Odametey, Comley, Marks (Clifton 87), Smith, Barratt
Subs not used: Emmanuel, Peters
Bromley: Gregory, Dunne (Hanlan 35), Holland, R.Johnson (Chorley 69), Sterling, Higgs, Raymond , Rees, Mekki (Dennis 52), Porter, Bugiel
Subs not used: Sutherland, D.Johnson
Goal scorers / Time of goal:
Maidenhead: Barratt 3, 49 Smith 5, Owusu 32, Marks 61 Bromley: Porter 22, Bugiel 68
Attendance: 1,418
Referee: Mr A.Bromley