Bromley’s quest for a first league title since 1961 took a huge step forward when they overcame a more than capable Eastbourne Borough side 2-1 on Saturday at Hayes Lane.

But it might have been a different story had Ravens keeper Alan Julian not excelled to deny substitute, Nathanial Pinney in a one-on-one with ten minutes remaining as the visitors finished strongly.

The game started at a rather slow pace, with not much happening at either end.  Jamie Slabber had the ball in the net on 12 minutes but was clearly offside, although Bromley should have opened the scoring seven minutes later.

A defence splitting pass put Moses Ademola in on goal, but he was denied by a good block from former Bromley keeper Lewis Carey, with the ball looping across goal but too high for the incoming Bradley Goldberg.

Ademola intercepted a clearance, skipped around two defenders and the keeper, only for his cross to the unmarked Anthony Cook to be too heavy.

Ali Fuseini shot wide before the home side opened the scoring on 28 minutes. 

Slabber ran wide onto Ademola’s pass to chip the advancing Carey into the far corner for his 12th goal of the season.

Cook saw his curling shot evade the keeper to eventually go wide of the far post, while at the other end Julian parried a deep free-kick and then saved the follow-up from Darren Lok.

The visitors levelled the scores two minutes before the break when the home defence failed to deal with an attack down the right and Ryan Worrell drove home through a crowded penalty area.

But Bromley restored their advantage six minutes into the second period.

Reece Prestedge’s clever pass was collected by Goldberg, who cut in from the left before curling a shot which seemed to be going wide before taking a wicked deflection off of Eastbourne’s Ian Simpemba to nestle in the far corner of the net.

It looked as if Bromley immediately decided to settle for the three points by adopting a defensive approach, although the visitors had some good chances to level once again.

Substitute Kane Haysman outpaced his marker so Julian had to race from his goal to bravely make a block.

The keeper was in tiptop form once again to thwart substitute Pinney when he was through on goal in a one-on-one situation.

With five minutes remaining, Worrell should have had his second goal of the afternoon but his header from a deep cross was straight at Julian.

However, Bromley held on for the three points and with results elsewhere going their way, they need just two points from their remaining two games to lift the Conference South crown.

Follow us on Twitter @NewsShopperSprt

Bromley: Julian, Rodgers, Anderson, Fuseini, McNaughton, Holland, Ademola (Joseph-Dubois 66), Prestedge, Slabber (May 71), Goldberg (Waldren 80), Cook. Subs not used: Birchall, Dennis. Att: 1,343.