PROMOTION hopefuls Bromley and Ebbsfleet United shared the spoils in yesterday’s scoreless draw at Hayes Lane.

Before a bumper holiday crowd, both sides had their moments when perhaps a little more steadiness in front of goal might have paid dividends.

After a tentative opening, the first chance fell to the home side when Brendan Kiernan’s shot had the sting taken out of it by a defender’s foot to run through to keeper Preston Edwards.

Rob Swaine’s downward header was scrambled away three minutes later before Danny Waldren’s free-kick went high over the crossbar.

Ebbsfleet threatened briefly with a free-kick that was cleared, but on 32 minutes the visitors upped the tempo and had Bromley on the back foot for the remainder of the half. A mazy run by Anthony Cook started it, and his shot was saved at the foot of the post by Joe Welch and in front of the advancing Ben May.

May then had a fierce shot blocked before Billy Bricknell was denied by a last-ditch tackle from Dean Pooley a minute later.

Bromley keeper Welch did well to push Anthony Cook’s cross-shot around for a corner before Daryl McMahon closed the half with a shot over the bar from distance.

The home side opened the second period strongly when Kiernan’s 35 yard low shot was tipped around by the visitors goalkeeper within 30 seconds of the restart, while Ashley Nicholls’s drive curled away from the target one minute later.

Bradley Goldberg’s shot on the turn flew just wide and then Danny Waldren miscued his shot from in front of an open goal.

Ebbsfleet’s first effort of the second half came just after the hour when Welch saved Cook’s low cross.

And the Lillywhites keeper was called into action again when he punched away a tantalising cross from McMahon.

Bromley might have opened the scoring on 68 minutes when Kiernan played Goldberg through on goal, only for the leading scorer to be denied by Edwards pushing the ball away.

Ebbsfleet responded with Alex Osborn shooting over from a reasonable position before Goldberg did likewise at the other end. Michael Corcoran’s swerving shot was deflected for a corner, from which Dean Rance fired over.

Bromley thought they had scored with five minutes remaining when Ben Swallow chipped the ball beautifully through a crowd of players from 12 yards.

But Edwards, who was slightly off his line, did extremely well to arch his back backwards and tip the effort over just as it was about to cross the line.

This was the last chance that either side had, as Bromley lost their unbeaten home league record and Ebbsfleet’s nine-game winning run also came to an end.

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Bromley: Welch, Pooley, Anderson, Waldren, Swaine, Holland, Kiernan, Nicholls, Reid (McDonnell 78), Goldberg, Hall (Swallow 73). Subs not used: Parmenter, Jarrett, Buchanan.

Ebbsfleet: Edwards, Sessegnon, Palmer, McMahon (Corcoran 70), Lorraine, Sankofa, Osborn, Rance, May, Bricknell (Phipp 87), Cook. Subs not used: Howe, Hall, Long. Att: 1,344