BROMLEY’S final game of the season ended in a 1-1 draw at Dorchester Town on Saturday.
There was not much to choose between the two teams and there was little at stake with Bromley having already secured their Conference South status and Dorchester Town held a comfortable mid-table position.
On a very heavy pitch there was a chance at each end in the opening six minutes.
Firstly, Ashley Nicholls flashed a header across Bromley’s goal from a left wing cross before Hakeem Araba turned his marker to shoot over the bar from Michael Malcolm’s pass.
Bromley might have gone ahead on 11 minutes when Araba’s effort was blocked by a defender, only for the ball to drop nicely for Ali Fuseini.
The Bromley captain’s rising volley was brilliantly tipped over by Dorchester’s reserve keeper Dan Floyd and from the resultant corner, Pierre Joseph-Dubois’s angled drive went wide of the upright.
Kyle Critchell’s shot on the turn was parried by Bromley keeper Joe Welch on 22 minutes but three minutes later the visitors went ahead.
Albert Jarrett’s deep free-kick caught the young keeper in two minds and among the players who went for the ball, Tutu Henriques was adjudged to have applied the final touch as it went over the line.
Bromley should have increased their lead when Malcolm broke clear and, with only Floyd to beat, the striker dragged his effort wide of the post.
Welch preserved Bromley’s advantage by parrying Sam Malsom’s shot on the turn, while Harrison Bell’s follow up effort went wide.
The half closed as it had begun with both teams creating a chance before the whistle.
Araba, under pressure from Nathan Walker, sent his header from Malcolm’s cross agonisingly past the post before Critchell’s header shaved the bar with Welch struggling.
Dorchester started the second half strongly and quickly levelled the scores in the 48th minute as Bromley failed to clear their lines and Malsom fired home from around 12 yards.
Five minutes later the visitors were reduced to 10 men when Jarrett was shown red for a kick at Dorchester’s Mark Jermyn after the two players had tangled with each other.
Bromley regrouped and Fuseini saw his shot blocked for a corner by Jermyn, from which Marlon Patterson’s delivery scraped the bar.
Aaron Rhule should have scored when he was set up by good approach play by Fuseini and Araba, but the substitute shot wildly over when well placed just two minutes after replacing Joseph-Dubois.
The home side went in search of a winner in the closing stages but Bromley held firm.
Liam Harwood cleared off the line from Nick Crittenden, Malsom found the side netting before Welch tipped Critchell’s effort around the post, while Jamie Gleeson’s shot was deflected wide.
But the last chance fell to Bromley in injury time when Araba’s volley shaved the bar.
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Bromley: Welch, Henriques, Patterson, Fuseini, Swaibu, Harwood, Joseph-Dubois (Rhule 70), Waldren, Araba, Malcolm, Jarrett. Subs not used: Jones, Ibrahima, Williams, Thomas. Att: 500
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