Ten man Bromley fell to a 2-1 defeat in their first ever visit to Meadow Lane but it was very much a case of what might have been for the Ravens.

Notts County took a fourth minute lead when Sam Osborne crossed for Wes Thomas to curl home from 14 yards but Michael Cheek levelled the game straight after the restart. However, as Bromley appeared to be in the ascendancy they were caught out 20 minutes from time when Conal Rawlinson headed home.

Bromley had been forced into one change from the side that beat Dover, Jack Holland returning in place of the injured Dave Winfield, but they were to pay for early defensive hesitancy

The Ravens made a terrible start to the game going behind inside the opening five minutes. Frankie Raymond should have done better when defending against Osborne but he let the winger wriggle clear before cutting back for Thomas to fire home.

It took a while for Bromley to work their way into the game but they nearly equalised on the quarter hour, Chris Bush unleashing a left foot volley that Sam Slocombe did well to keep out at the near post. 

However the Magpies should have doubled their lead after 23 minutes. Firstly Thomas collected a long ball in the penalty area only to be denied by a fantastic save from Ryan Huddart. From the resulting corner Holland was adjudged to have man-handled Alex Lacey resulting in referee Tom Reeves pointing to the spot.

Mitch Rose smashed the resultant penalty against the post and Enzio Boldewijn smashed the rebound over the crossbar to hand Bromley a lifeline.

Buoyed by the let off, Bromley thought they had equalised five minutes later. Chris Bush’s long throw appeared to have been headed in on the line by Joe Kizzi but after a delay and some confusion the referee disallowed the goal much to the consternation of the Bromley players.

Billy Bingham then tested Slocombe from distance drawing a fantastic save from the County stopper to protect their lead.

County briefly rallied when Osborne curled an effort wide when a free kick was recycled to him but Bromley could have been level on the stroke of half time. Ben Williamson drew a sharp reaction save from Slocombe with Cheek inches from turning in the rebound.

Bromley came out of the traps quickly at the start of the second half and equalised within five minutes.

Shortly after Luke Coulson had sent an effort inches wide of the post, Cheek levelled the game up with a fantastic strike.

Collecting a loose ball 25 yards out from goal, Cheek hit an unstoppable low drive into the corner of the net giving Slocombe no chance.

With the game level both sides had opportunities to take the lead in an increasingly cagey affair. Kyle Wootton should have done better after reacting quickest to Boldewijn’s quick corner but shot wide.

At the other end, Coulson advanced into the penalty area before using the defender as a shield only to see his curling effort beat Slocombe but drift the wrong side of the post.

Just as it seemed both sides may cancel each other out an unmarked Rawlinson headed in a Michael Doyle cross to give the Magpies the lead once again.

The Ravens pressed hard for an equaliser and nearly levelled three minutes from time. Cheek headed back across goal from Kizzi’s cross but substitute Michael Klaas was unable to connect with the goal gaping.

In the dying embers of the game, Bush was sent off for a second yellow card after the referee adjudged he had gone in late on Wootton. With that Bromley’s hopes evaporated. 

Bromley now drop to 4th place, one place and four points above 5th place Notts County.  

Notts County: Slocombe; Brindley, Rawlinson, Lacey, McCrory; Osborne (Bird 82), Rose, Doyle, Boldewijn; Wotton, Thomas (Dennis 82)

Subs not used: Bakayogo, Crawford, Tyson

Bromley: Huddart; Kizzi, Holland, Bush, Wood; Raymond (Hackett-Fairchild 71); Bingham, Rees (Klaas 82); Williamson, Cheek, Coulson (Coker 82). 

Subs not used: Najia, Higgs, 

Referee: Tom Reeves

Attendance: 5,192 (179 away)