Michael Cheek netted against Chesterfield again as Bromley rescued a point against early playoff rivals after a late own goal to finish 2-2.
The home side went in front through their talisman, who has now scored 12 in 16 against todays opposition, before the Spireites turned the game around through an Armando Dobra brace, with Chey Dunkley finding the back of his own net 10 minutes from full time to ensure honors even.
This result leaves Bromley eighth in League Two, outside of the playoff spots by goal difference, while the visitors remain in a playoff position in sixth .
The two sides battling for playoffs is nothing new, with Chesterfield famously defeating the Lillywhites 3-2 after extra time in a National League playoff semi-final in May 2023, which Cheek bagged in too.
The clubs were promoted together to the Football League at the end of the 2023/24 season, Chesterfield were champions, while the Ravens beat Solihull Moors in a dramatic penalty shootout in the playoff final.
A truly unique fixture, meeting 15 times across seven seasons, sharing the same division each time, yet having never met before the 2018/19 season.
Across the past five years, Chesterfield have ended up champions or in the playoffs every single time, with Bromley involved three times in the same window, just four and seven points off such positions on the failed occasions.
Despite the home team wielding six victories in this tie, Chesterfield have lost just one of the last six matches against the Lillywhites.
Todays result sees the visitors go four games winless after a rocketing start to the season, while Bromley show that Oldham was a blip, losing only to them, unbeaten across their other eight league games.
The Ravens flew out of the traps, enjoying some early success with top scorer Nicke Kabamba rifling a volley on the half-turn, swiveling from 30-yards out, not testing the keeper, yet showing early intent.
Ben Krahaus, Marcus Ifill and Ashley Charles combined down the right hand side around the fourth minute, creating problems in the final third, with former Cray Wanderers loanee Krahaus providing the magic, weaving in and out of several Spireites players, creeping towards the penalty area.
Despite their lack of possession, Chesterfield found themselves launching counter attacks through former Ravens loanee Ryan Stirk, receiving the ball from the defence and playing long balls over the top, looking for the pace of Dobra and Dilan Markanday.
The Spireites were under fire as Hemming produced an excellent save, stopping a close range effort from Ifill on the right side of the 6-yard box after a deep searching cross form Mitchell Pinnock
A hopeful Lillywhites free-kick was headed upwards by Kyle Cameron and not dealt with, leaving poacher Cheek lurking at the back-post, looping a header from a tight angle, the keeper left stunned, Bromley were 1-0 up after 16-minutes.
Leapfrogging their opponents in League Two for the time being into a playoff position, the home support were animated, roaring out a 'freed from desire' rendition for their clinical forward.
It was Krahaus again who summed up the home sides spirit, fighting to press high up the pitch and throwing himself at every header, whilst linking up play and dictating his teams spell of holding the ball.
The away side grew into the game, gaining the share of possession, with Dobra, Ronan Darcy and Stirk crafting a series of threating moves.
Stirk looked the key for the visitors, the man who received two player of the month awards in his three months at Bromley, picking up the ball in deep areas and finding players in dangerous pockets, while his midfield duet received a yellow card for a cynical pull back on Ravens winger Pinnock.
Their playoff rivals would not remain quiet for long, as 39-minutes in Albanian under 21 International Armando Dobra equalised, producing a venomous strike from just inside the box, burying it in the bottom left corner after a ghosting late run that the opposition failed to pick up, from a composed cut back from Will Grigg.
The tide turned in the second half as the Spireites came out all guns blazing in the opening exchanges, with attacking midfielder Darcy shadowing into unoccupied pockets, and Stirk pulling the strings.
No love was lost as the match played on, with Krahaus dragging Darcy to the floor as the Chesterfield fans roared and hostility arose under the beaming sunshine in South East London.
On the hour mark, Bromley got a hold on the tie, Kyle Cameron driving a close range attempt over the crossbar, before the prolific Cheek struck a half volley, but no luck.
Hemming produced a superb stop after Pinnock delivered a low cross, with the experienced League Two Player of the Season Cheek showing his genius, letting the ball roll across himself, opening up his body and poking it towards the corner.
Just as the Ravens seemed in charge, Dobra laced the ball into the bottom left corner, out of smith’s reach to make it 2-1, with winger Liam Mandeville patiently cutting it back into his team-mates path.
The 2023/24 Chesterfield Player of the Year almost doubled the advantage 77-minutes in, pile-driving an effort from 8 yards out, Smith remained on guard.
The home fans were filled with jubilation after equalising in the 80th minute, with a Pinnock corner finding Idris Odutayo wrestling with Dunkley, with the ball coming off the later to make it 2-2.
As the referee blew his whistle, a rainbow appeared over the stadium, glowing as Bromley completed the comeback and continue their impressive start to the season.
Chesterfield will search for a first win this month at home to Newport County on Saturday 27th September, while Bromley march on to Swindon Town on the same day.
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