Late Woking winner bewilders Bromley (From News Shopper)

Woking 3-2 Bromley

11:21am Monday 16th January 2012 in Bromley

BATTLING Bromley returned home from Surrey on Saturday feeling robbed of a point at leaders Woking.

After recovering from going 2-0 down to level the scores with three minutes of normal time remaining, the Lillywhites were undone by a highly controversial decision by the referee deep into stoppage time.

The official had initially indicated there would only be four additional minutes added on, so there was understandable fury from the Bromley camp when substitute Joe McNerney grabbed Woking’s winner in the 97th minute.

With the clock running down, referee Ian Rathbone awarded a dubious free-kick on the edge of the Bromley penalty area.

It looked as if Luke Medley jumped two-footed at a Bromley defender, but to widespread surprise, a free-kick was awarded to Woking.

Kieran Murtagh curled it in to the far post, where McNerney got the slightest of touches to head home.

There were a trio of newcomers in the starting line-up and three further changes to the team which were beaten 3-1 by Basingstoke the previous week.

The visitors started the game brightly enough with newcomer Antonio German being denied by defenders blocks twice in the opening 10 minutes.

But gradually Woking came more into the game and after debutant keeper Joe Welch saved well from Murtagh, the home side opened the scoring on 20 minutes.

Tutu Henriques’ back pass was adjudged to have crossed the line for a corner and from the flag kick two efforts were charged down before Wayne Gray crashed a shot home from close range.

It might have been two moments later after Murtagh missed a simple header with only Welch to beat.

The Bromley keeper found himself in the referee’s notebook 10 minutes later when he raced out of his area to clatter Paris Cowan-Hall to the ground.

From the 25-yard free-kick, Welch redeemed himself by brilliantly tipping Murtagh’s rasping effort over the bar.

Bromley might have levelled on 41 minutes when Rory Hill combined with Henriques to send a pass to Pierre Joseph-Dubois, whose header was just wide of the post.

Woking increased their lead two minutes after the restart when the unmarked Cowan-Hall slid a shot home from 10 yards following a good through ball by Moses Ademola.

However, Bromley responded with a good run and shot from Orlando Smith and two substitutions, which tightened up play in the midfield, but not before Welch had saved well from Adam Doyle and Ademola.

Bromley reduced the arrears on 74 minutes from the penalty spot after Moses Swaibu was upended by keeper, Aaron Howe at the near post following a determined run into the area.

Danny Waldren stepped up to sent Howe the wrong way with the spot kick.

Smith was denied by a good block from Howe at the expense of a corner as Bromley sensed an equaliser before he combined with Williams to sent Joseph-Dubois away down the right.

His cross was met by German, who flicked the cross narrowly over the bar.

Smith exchanged another one-two with Williams before going onto place a low drive wide of the advancing keeper and into the net for a thoroughly deserved 87th minute equaliser.

But then came the late, late drama to break the hearts of all concerned with the Hayes Lane club, although there were plenty of positives to take from a much improved performance.

Bromley are at home to Truro City on Saturday at 3pm.

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Bromley: Welch, Henriques, Patterson, Warren (Jones 59), Swaibu, Harwood, Taylor (Smith 36), Waldren, German, Joseph-Dubois, Hill (Williams 61). Subs not used: Araba, Rhule. Att: 1,612.