Bromley suffered their third consecutive National League defeat on Saturday against in-form Salford after being reduced to ten men early in the second half.

Backed by over 2,000 fans the Ravens looked to play direct quick football, aiming to cause problems with long throws and free kicks, and they started well with George Porter having an early shot saved by Chris Neal.

Jake Goodman went close with a header from a free kick and Adam Mekki fired over from the edge of the box soon after.

Another Mekki corner was scrambled away after scramble in the six-yard box and then Omar Bugeil shot wide after a good passing move down the left involving Sam Wood and Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe.

Up to that point Salford had offered very little going forward, but with their first dangerous looking attack they took the lead on 36minutes when a deep cross from the right was headed back across goal by Adam Rooney for Rory Gaffney to score with his head from close range.

The second half had just got going when Bromley were reduced to ten men after Mekki was judged to have made a dangerous tackle on Nathan Pond 35yards from the Salford goal. Referee Quelch was surrounded by almost the entire Salford team including the keeper and then showed the Bromley winger a straight red card, booking Porter in the arguments that followed.

From that point The Ravens seemed to lose belief for a while and they nearly fell further behind when Gaffney crossed for Daniel Lloyd who fired just wide.

City were two up soon after though when Bromley were opened up down the left and Tom Walker converted from close range with the home defence static.

Bromley rallied from there with Ogedi-Uzokwe heading a Porter cross wide when well placed and they pressed again late on when debutant Kyle Da Silva crossed for Odegi-Uzokwe whose header was turned round the post by the impressive City stopper Neal.

Bromley slipped to eighteenth after this loss and Neil Smith with have to rally his squad for next Saturday’s trip to Solihull.                     

Bromley: Gregory, Adebyayo-Rowling (Sutherland 63), Wood, Goodman, Holland, Mekki, Raymond, Higgs, Porter (Goddard 75), Bugeil (Da Silva 86), Ogedi-Uzokwe. Subs Not Used: D Johnson, Taylor.

Salford: Neal, Wiseman, Touray, Piergianni, Rooney, Lloyd (Hogan 83), Whitehead, Shelton, Pond, Walker (Maynard 83), Gaffney. Subs Not Used: Crocombe, Haughton, Rodney.

Goal: Gaffney 36mins, Walker 61mins.