An exciting end to end game between two of the bottom five saw Bromley return from Southport with three crucial points and open up some daylight between themselves and the relegation places.

Fresh off a midweek win in the Kent Senior Cup against Maidstone United, Neil Smith stuck with both Dan Johnson and Jordan Higgs in his starting XI following strong performances and he was to be rewarded as both youngsters stood out over the course of the 90 minutes.

Despite it only being October, due to the perilous league position of the respective clubs, both teams started the game at breakneck speed eager to get on the front foot and secure three crucial points. Whilst possibly folly to suggest so early in the season the game had all the hallmarks of a relegation six pointer. Neither side could afford to lose and this reflected in the nervous defending in the opening half hour and ultimately it proved to be the period in which the game was decided.

As early as the fourth minute Alan Julian was called into action as Neil Ashton, who was an excellent attacking outlet all game, sent in a delightful left wing cross that Andrai Jones met with a firm header but Julian made a smart save to tip the effort over the crossbar.

Undeterred Bromley promptly created their first opportunity of the game thirty seconds later, Tobi Sho-Silva’s well struck effort from  20 yards out forcing Norman to tip the ball round the post for a corner.

As if both sides were taking it in turns to attack, Ashton again turned provider for Jones a minute later. His wonderful cross-field ball found Jones in space and as he advanced into the penalty area his goalbound effort was cleared behind for a corner by Joe Howe with Julian beaten.

Bromley were to take the lead with their next attack, in the 11^th minute, neat interchange between Dave Martin and Joe Anderson led to the latter sending in a cross with the outside of his boot and Adam Cunnington provided the finish with a deft header back across Norman. For the big front man his celebration told the story of a man relieved to get his first of the season and hopefully his season truly off and running.

If the goal was to signal a period of calm in the game, neither side read that script as the frenetic pace simply carried on unperturbed. Southport were unlucky not to equalise in the 16^th minute as Liam Nolan’s half volley, from the edge of the area,  beat Julian all ends up but crashed off the post and away to safety.

Two minutes later Bromley followed suit as Sho-Silva headed Blair Turgott’s inviting cross from the right against the crossbar.

With neither side seemingly prepared to batten down the hatches, Bromley should have stretched their lead in the 20^th minute as they once again breached the porous Southport backline. Again Turgott proved the provider as he excellent cross found Martin free at the back post but his header produced a fantastic point-blank reaction save from Norman.

The ravens were not made to rue that missed opportunity as their next attack led to them doubling their lead, a neat flick from Adam Cunnington sent Sho-Silva through on goal however as Sho-Silva dithered Nolan was able to block his effort for a corner. From the resultant Martin corner Jordan Higgs produced a fantastic diving header to put Bromley two-nil ahead.

A momentary lull descended on the game with the final opportunity of the half coming ten minutes before the interval, again the combination of Ashton and Jones proved to undo the Bromley backline, Ashton’s left wing cross was met by Jones’ head but Julian provided a brilliant fingertip save to deny the Sandgrounders.

The pace refused to let up after the break and within five minutes of the restart Adam Cunnington was denied twice in his attempts to further Bromley’s lead. First his low drive from 18 yards forced an excellent save from Norman then from the resulting corner Cunnington saw his goalbound header cleared off the line.

Southport’s first opportunity of the second half succeeded in reducing the deficit, Jordan Lussey curling a sumptuous effort beyond Julian from 25 yards leaving him with no chance. Buoyed by the goal, Southport proceeded to gain a stranglehold on the game in terms of possession but for all their prompting the closest they came to equalising was through the combination of Ashton and Jones three minutes later.

Ashton’s cross found its way through to Jones on the edge of the 6 yard box but inexplicably Jones shot high and wide when it seemed far easier to hit the target.

With Bromley happy to defend and break on the counter, Southport found it increasingly difficult to find a way through and in the last ten minutes it was Bromley who should have put the game beyond doubt.

Seven minutes from time, Martin’s barnstorming run from the left wing took him past four Southport defenders but his left foot shoot from the edge of the box hit the post with Cunnington unable to turn in the rebound.

Deep into injury time substitutes Bradley Goldberg and Daniel Ajakaiye combined but Ajakaiye’s effort was well saved by Norman.

At the full time whistle a very jubilant Bromley side celebrated with gusto as the win moved them up to 18^th place four points ahead of the bottom four. With fellow relegation strugglers Woking (20^th) set to visit Hayes Lane on Tuesday night boss Neil Smith will be targeting another three points as Bromley try to push to the safety of mid-table mediocrity.

 

Southport: Norman, Higgins, O’Brien, Howe, Ashton, A. Jones, Nolan (Moseley 90), Lussey, Caton (Cofie 79), Allen, Gray (G.Jones 45)

Subs not used: Weeks, White

Goals:  Lussey 57

 

Bromley: Julian, Howe, Johnson, Holland, Anderson, Turgott, Higgs, Prestedge, Martin (Goldberg 88), Cunnington (Ajakaiye 84), Sho-Silva (Minshull 69)

Subs not used: Dymond, Stanic-Stewart

Goals:  Cunnington 11, Higgs 24

 

Attendance: 744 (52 Bromley)

Referee: Mr Stephen Ross