Dorchester 2-1 Bromley

Playing against a very strong wind in the first half, Bromley got off the perfect start by taking the lead from the penalty spot in only the second minute. Warren McBean was clean through on goal when he had his legs whipped from under him by Jake Smeeton.

McBean got up, dusted himself down and put a firm shot out of the reach of goalkeeper Gareth Stewart.

Smeeton was fortunate to only receive a yellow card for his troubles.

Bromley might have increased that lead three minutes later when Ryan Hall was just wide of the post with a swerving drive from the edge of the penalty area.

After this, the home side had the better of the exchanges and deservedly drew level on 20 minutes.

Left winger Ivan Forbes rounded Aaron Dalhouse before pushing a pass into the six-yard box, where Tom Mitchell nudged it onto Jamie Gleeson to pick his spot.

Hall curled another effort into the arms of Stewart before a quick break out of defence nearly restored Bromley’s advantage, but McBean just failed to get on the end of Ali Chaaban’s cross to the far post.

It was a goalkeeping blunder which led to the home side’s winning goal in the 27th minute. A free-kick was awarded on the corner spot and the unchallenged Gareth Williams allowed the shot to squirm through his hands to allow Mitchell a simple header at the far post, which the midfielder accepted with grateful thanks.

Rob Gillman sustained a knock in the build up to the goal and was replaced by Ryan Dolby.

Dolby had to be replaced in the second half when he received an injury from some over robust tackling from the Dorchester players, with assistant player-manager Ashley Vickers being the main offender.

Gleeson hit a free-kick straight at Williams and Gary Bowles failed to find the target with another, firing high and wide as the hosts ended the first 45 minutes in control.

The visitors came more into the game in the second half, although Williams struggled to push Darren Watts’ 46th minute cross to the near post around for a corner.

In a purple 10 minutes for Bromley either side of the hour mark, Chaaban sent in a teasing cross which the home defence struggled to clear and Vickers cleared off the line from McBean, after the striker had steered Harry Harding’s fine pass past the goalkeeper.

Hall’s long cross field pass then picked out Chaaban, who beat his marker only to see his shot crash back off the crossbar.

Dorchester somehow weathered the storm and Bromley, who once again failed to defend a free-kick, were lucky to survive when Phil Walsh’s effort took a deflection off his own player for a goal kick.

Williams did well to touch onto the woodwork another free-kick from Mitchell on 71 minutes.

But Bromley ended the game with two efforts from Hall, whose 30-yard volley did not cause any concern to Stewart, and McBean, who was through on goal only to be denied by a timely tackle from Smeeton.

While the home side had everything to play for, it was a case of Bromley just going through the motions to complete the season’s fixtures.

It showed for long periods when there seemed a certain amount of complacency about their game and a decided lack of interest from several players.

Bromley: Williams, Dalhouse, Corneille, Beaney (Robinson 53), Sobers, Gillman (Dolby 39 (Pakasa 76)), Chaaban, Harding, McBean, Hall, Stone. Subs not used: Davis, Norval. Att: 558.