Bromley suffered a third successive defeat last night by gifting Braintree Town their first victory of the season with two elementary defensive mistakes.

In a quiet opening, Moses Emmanuel’s cross landed on top of the net before the visitors enjoyed the majority of the play.

Simeon Akinola failed to test Alan Julian in the Bromley goal when he fastened onto a cross-field defence-splitting pass, while Julian saved Akinola’s curling shot moments later.

Julian did extremely well to parry Daniel Sparkes’ fierce shot, but with everyone expecting the ball to run out of play Jordan Chiedozie retrieved the situation to chip the back across goal.

Sparkes rose highest to head home from close range and Braintree were in front midway through the half. 

Bromley’s keeper kept his side in the game with another great block from Kenny Davies two minutes later.

The hosts were finding it difficult to break through a compact defence, but Bradley Goldberg was unlucky not to level matters in the 33rd minute when his firmly-struck 25-yard shot came back off the upright.

Braintree doubled their score three minutes into the second half.

Sloppy defending allowed the ball to bobble about the six-yard box before Chiedozie hooked home from close range.

And the Essex visitors might have increased their lead five minutes later when Mark Phillips’ long shot was brilliantly tipped around by Julian.

Bromley finally came into the game and a penetrating run by Anthony Cook around the hour mark produced a good cross.

However, Braintree’s keeper Will Norris saved as Emmanuel closed in before Alex Wall shot over the bar.

The home side reduced the arrears on 67 minutes.

Cook broke clear before crossing into the danger zone, where Emmanuel came in on the blind side to side-step the keeper and convert into an empty net.

Two minutes later Cook was brought down in full flight as he closed in on goal, and his resultant free-kick from the edge of the area flew narrowly over the bar. 

Bromley should have levelled the scores with nine minutes remaining.

Wall and Goldberg combined to put Cook in the clear, only for Norris to narrow the angle and block Cook’s effort.

If Bromley had played for the whole 90 minutes as they did in the final half hour then the result may well have been different.

Next up is Halifax away on Saturday. 

Bromley: Julian, Udoji (Dennis 57), Anderson, Fuseini, Francis, Holland, Emmanuel, Prestedge (Porter 57), Wall (Joseph-Dubois 84), Goldberg, Cook. Subs not used: May, Davis. Att: 775