Bromley’s promotion aspirations received a severe setback at Hayes Lane on Tuesday evening, when they were comprehensively beaten 4-2 by third-placed Sutton United.

Without their two central defenders – Jack Holland on England International duty, and the injured Rob Swaine – who have been their mainstay all season, Bromley’s defence had a ‘loose’ effect from the start.

However, Bromley started well with Jay May going close following a misplaced clearance; but the visitors soon found their feet and it was no surprise that they opened the scoring after 20 minutes when, following a corner, Jamie Slabber found himself clear on the six-yard-box to drive past Joe Welch.

Sutton looked to increase their lead and Welch saved at the feet of Jamie Taylor, before the goalkeeper denied Craig Dundas and Damian Scannell; while Scannell’s 25-yard shot a few minutes later was deflected away from goal at the last moment.

Rather against the run of play Bromley produced an equaliser three minutes before half-time when Elliott Buchanan played Pierre Joseph-Dubois in on goal and, under extreme pressure from two defenders, the striker kept his cool to slot past Sutton’s goalkeeper, Jason Brown.

The home side took the lead 10 minutes into the second period when Albert Jarrett’s corner was only partially cleared to Buchanan who knocked the ball back into Joseph-Dubois who turned to convert from 10 yards for his second goal of the evening.

Bradley Goldberg was denied by two saves from Brown, before May headed just wide of the intended target. But it all went downhill for the home side from there on in.

Taylor Parmenter was injured in an off-the-ball incident, and was replaced by Brendan Kiernan with 15 minutes remaining – a situation which Sutton took full advantage of.

The inevitable equaliser came on 81 minutes when Kiernan was dispossessed on the halfway line and substitute Dean Sinclair capitalised by curling a long shot past Welch into the far corner of the net.

Ali Fuseini had a shot fumbled by Brown, before Buchanan’s 30-yarder was just wide.

Another mistake on the halfway line in stoppage time led to Sutton’s third goal when Dundas netted with a powerful volley, and Bromley’s misery was completed two minutes later when Sinclair made it four following a poor clearance which went straight to the Sutton substitute.

Bromley: Welch, Pooley, Anderson, Fuseini, Waldren, Parmenter (Kiernan, 75), Joseph-Dubois, Buchanan, May (McDonnell, 86), Goldberg, Jarrett (Dennis, 90). Subs not used: Swaine, Nicholls. Gate: 795