Gareth Williams tries to shake off a Hampton defender on Saturday
Bromley 0-2 Hampton & Richmond Borough
BROMLEY'S play-off ambitions all but ended on Saturday when, following two fine wins over the Easter period, they slumped to a two-goal defeat to Hampton & Richmond Borough at Hayes Lane.
For the second successive Saturday, they finished the game with only 10 men as Mark De Bolla was dismissed again in the final few seconds for throwing the ball at the assistant referee having already been booked in the first half for a clumsy tackle.
But Bromley, not for the first time this season, only had themselves to blame for not getting something out of the game as they wasted chance after chance, particularly in the second half when they were virtually encamped in the visitors' half.
The damage was done in a two-minute period in the first half.
On 15 minutes, Bromley failed to learn the lesson of defending a corner when Ian Hodges rose unchallenged at the near post to send a glancing header into the opposite corner of the net from Elliott Godfrey's corner kick.
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And two minutes later, Stuart Lake was given the freedom of the park to pick his spot from 12 yards after Hodges had skipped past two lackadaisical tackles from Luke I'Anson and Sam Wood to pick the tall midfielder out with a pinpoint cross.
Bromley reacted strongly to the set back and Omari Coleman just failed to connect with Wood's cross and Gareth A Williams shot just wide with a fiercely struck free-kick.
But their poor play nearly gifted the visitors further goals moments later.
Mark Corneille cleared off the line from Alan Inn's header before a Simon Osborne mistake let in Hodges, who saw his effort saved by Gareth I Williams.
However, Bromley should have reduced the arrears twice on the stroke of half-time. Firstly an Osborn free-kick picked out G A Williams, whose full-blooded volley hit the chest of goalkeeper Matt Lovett.
Then Lovett reacted splendidly to De Bolla's drive from eight yards.
The home side's poor finishing let them down in the second period.
G A Williams set the tone in the 49th minute when his shot was deflected wide before De Bolla shot over from a good position.
I'Anson squandered three good chances to reduce the deficit as the visitors were pegged back for long periods.
On 90 minutes, Tutu Henriques' goalbound header was clearly punched off the line by Hodges, but the match official and his assistant both missed the incident.
And shortly afterwards De Bolla, still feeling sore about the decision, lost his cool, made comments and threw the ball towards the assistant for which he was dismissed.
As a result of his two sending offs, De Bolla will be suspended for five games and will therefore not play for Bromley again this season as the Hayes Lane Club only have four fixtures left to play.
Bromley: G I Williams, Corneille, Wood, Beckford (McDonnell 46), Sobers, Henriques, I'Anson, Osborn, Coleman (Hockton 60), G A Williams, De Bolla. Subs not used: Bowry, Haverson, Holloway. Att: 657
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