Bromley manager Mark Goldberg admits he faces a tough job picking up his players after Saturday’s narrow 4-3 defeat to Dartford in the FA Cup.

The Ravens lost out in a dramatic afternoon at Hayes Lane in front of a bumper crowd of 4,105, the fifth consecutive time the Bromley boss has failed to make it into the second round of the competition.

And while Goldberg was desperate to make history to see his side reach that stage for the first time since 1946, he could not hide his bitter disappointment.

“It was a good opportunity for us to make a bit of history here,” the Lillywhites chief said.

“But again I can’t believe it - it’s the fifth time in eight years that we’ve failed at this hurdle.

“I’m trying to put a brave face on, but it’s a massive disappointment for me.

“In the past when we’ve come out of the FA Cup in the first round, it’s been difficult to pick the lads up because it means so much to all of us.

“So I’ve got extra work to do in the next few days to make sure that doesn’t happen this year.

“We concentrate on the league now.”

Bromley made a barnstorming start to the cup clash against their local rivals as Louis Dennis put the hosts in front with just two minutes on the clock.

But with the score only 1-0 at the break, Dartford emerged in the second half to score four times as the Ravens continued to fight back, drawing level at 2-2 and then 3-3 before finally succumbing to Tom Bradbrook’s winner nine minutes from time.

With three of the Darts’ goals coming from crosses into the box, Goldberg spoke of his frustration at his side’s inability to capitalise on their fine first-half showing.

He explained: “I thought we were in control and we had the chances to go 2-0 up.

“I don’t know why we came out as sloppy as we did, it certainly wasn’t the direction that we gave.

“We said if we win the second ball then we win the game.

“Unfortunately, what we didn’t compensate for was picking up our men from set-pieces.

“When certain players don’t pick up their man, then that’s what happens – you concede.”

Goldberg added: “I was so disappointed with how we defended the set-pieces.

“It was too easy.

“Having gone in 1-0 up at half-time, and feeling that we really commanded that first-half, we felt we should have tried to seal it.”

“I suppose Tony Burman will say that it was a justified scoreline in the end.

“But we had 21 crosses and I don’t remember them really troubling us in open play.

 “They do what they do best - get the ball into dangerous areas from set-pieces and they punished us.

“I can’t understand how we could allow ourselves to let in four goals in the second-half, but we just have to dust ourselves off and see how we can bounce back.”

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