Jamie Slabber’s 88th minute equaliser rescued Bromley a share of the spoils in Saturday’s home meeting with Hayes & Yeading.

But with most of the Lillywhites’ title rivals also drawing, they remain second two points behind leaders Boreham Wood but with three games in hand.

On a very heavy and uneven pitch, it was the visitors who adapted to the conditions better in the first half and they could have been two goals to the good in the opening exchanges.

Firstly, Elliot Benyon saw his fierce volley blocked in the six-yard box by Rob Swaine in the opening minute before Jack Holland cleared off the line at the back post two minutes later from Hayes debutant Kadell Daniels.

Bromley found the going hard and struggled to string together any passing movements, continually delivering the ball short or over hitting their passes.

As a result, goalmouth incident was virtually non-existent. 

Hayes & Yeading also offered little, although Benyon fired wide when well-placed and Wes Daly shot wildly over from the edge of the area midway through the half.

Bromley were extremely unlucky not to open the scoring on 42 minutes.

Ugo Udoji dispossessed a defender in the corner before swinging in a deep cross, which was met on the volley by Reece Prestedge, only for the effort to come crashing back off the bar.

Ali Fuseini saw his 25 yard effort saved by England C keeper Callum Kitscha on the stroke of half-time.

Bromley showed more determination after the break, as Moses Ademola’s header from Louis Dennis’ cross was saved at full stretch by Kitscha before Ben May headed wide from another Dennis cross.

Hayes took the lead on 54 minutes when Bromley failed to deal with a left-wing corner and Dean Inman’s downward header squeezed into the net. 

The home side might have levelled on 66 minutes when Swain slid Dennis’ corner back across goal, but Kitscha just beat Slabber to the ball as the substitute closed in.

Kitscha came to his side’s rescue again five minutes later, brilliantly rising high to tip Slabber’s well-placed header away from underneath the junction of the post and bar.

Swaine nearly gave an own goal away with a wayward back pass and home keeper Alan Julian kept the scoreline intact with a brave save at the feet of Daniels.

Slabber wasted a good chance by heading over from a Dennis corner, but made no mistake with two minutes remaining when his back header from yet another Dennis corner settled sweetly into the top corner of the net.

However, with seven minutes of added time indicated, Bromley failed to mount another attack.

Indeed, they seemed to lose their way as Prestedge was yellow carded for a blatant obstruction and Swaine was shown red for a cynical foul on Tom Derry near the halfway line.

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Bromley: Julian, Udoji (Waldren 72), Anderson, Fuseini, Swaine, Holland, Ademola, Prestedge, May (Slabber 61), Goldberg, Cook (Dennis 32). Subs not used:  McNaughton, Rodgers. Att: 935.