Bromley progressed through to the Fourth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup after performing what can only be described as a mugging on Margate.

The home side had a 2-0 lead with only 21 minutes left and looked in no danger.

Almost as soon as the game started Margate were in front when Kwesi Appiah pounced on some ponderous Bromley defending and stroked the ball past Tommy Forecast for 1-0 after less than 30 seconds.

The Blues then went on to dominate the half with Matt Bodkin, Appiah and Curtis Robinson all going close before they made it 2-0 on 20 minutes. This time a deep corner was turned in by Appiah as The Ravens defence stood flat footed.

Margate then suffered a massive bow when Appiah had to go off injured, but they still had the best of the game going into the break, dominating midfield and reducing
Bromley to aimless hoofing. Robinson and Dean Grant both went close as the home side threatened to finish the game off inside 45 minutes.

For the first twenty minutes of the second half Margate looked to be comfortably seeing the job out, defending well and still having most of the possession before they handed The Ravens a lifeline on 69 minutes.

A very poorly executed back header left ‘gate Keeper Simon Overland scrambling for the ball with half time sub Warren McBean and the Bromley striker got there
first to bundle the ball home for 2-1.

Less than a minute later the scores were level when Marlon Patterson delivered the perfect cross for McBean to head home the equaliser and send the travelling fan delirious.

Margate still had their chances to re-take the lead with Grant firing over, but Bromley grabbed a very fortunate winner on 87 minutes. Young sub Arron Rhule, whose introduction had given Bromley some creative threat down the left, beat former Raven Mark Corneille for pace before hitting the deck in the box and to many people surprise Referee O’Brien pointed to the spot. Danny Waldren tucked away the penalty and a very fortunate Bromley were through to the next round.

Margate: Overland, Corneille, Hill, Avery, Ball, Pooley, Bodkin, Stubbs, Bradbrook, Appiah (Grant 25 (Pulman 77)), Robinson (Coleman 56).

Subs not used: Beales, Burchell, Smelt.

Bromley: Forecast, Udoji (Hill 39), Patterson, Harwood, Gillman, Waldren, Harding, Henriques, Jones (Rhule 63), Araba (McBean H/T), Williams.

Subs not used: Agu, Mckenzie, Smith, Green.

Match Rating: 4/5

Star Man: Kwesi Appiah (Margate)

Attendance:

Ref: Mr J O’Brien