Ebbsfleet United 0 Bromley 1 match report
21:30, 22 August 2017
Ebbsfleet are out of the Kent Senior Cup after conceding in the 90th minute at home to Bromley.
The second-round tie looked destined for penalties at Stonebridge Road after an evening which produced few clear-cut opportunities.
But a goal from former Aldershot and Torquay striker Brett William sent Bromley into the quarter-finals.
With a Bank Holiday double-header looming at the weekend, it was no surprise to see the teams make a combined 21 changes from their National League fixtures three days earlier.
Summer signing Bagasan Graham made his debut in an Ebbsfleet side which also included manager Daryl McMahon and coach Stacy Long.
Trialist Jean-Yves Niate started in defence, the former Oxford City man having played here on the final day of last season. Dean Rance made the bench as he continues his recovery from knee surgery.
Goalkeeper David Gregory was the only player to keep his place in Bromley's team. Neil Smith handed a start to former academy scholar Michael Stanic-Stewart and took the chance to have a look a two trialists, Marlon Peter-Brown and Makhosini Khanye.
Fleet, playing in their change strip of yellow and navy, were captained for the night by young right-back Ollie Boulding. With McMahon on the pitch and assistant manager Steve Gritt watching from the stand, David Jupp took charge in the technical area.
Sean Shields dragged a low shot wide from 20 yards and McMahon's right-footed cross from the left dropped just wide as Fleet made a bright start.
A shot from Frankie Raymond was well wide at the other end and Jordan Higgs and Brett Williams also failed to hit the target for Bromley when space opened up in front of them.
Karn Miller-Neave and Anthony Cook both had a swing when the ball was crossed from the left but neither connected properly and Gregory was able to gather.
Lone striker Danny Mills had a shot blocked when played in by McMahon and when Shields wriggled free from his man wide on the left, his low shot skidded just past the far post.
McMahon and Long combined well in midfield to create another opening for Mills but the big man couldn't quite evade the last man in Bromley's penalty area.
Jon Miles was out quickly to prevent Williams running onto a through-ball and the Fleet keeper then saved from Christian Campbell before Williams saw a shot deflect behind for a corner.
The second half was 15 minutes old before either side created a noteworthy opening. Bromley substitute Tahjae Anderson ran into space but fired his long shot wide.
Williams went close twice in a minute, shooting wide and then forcing a save from Miles with Jordan Higgs lofting the rebound just over.
At the other end, Mills ran clear and must have thought he was in for his first Ebbsfleet goal but Gregory was out quickly to save at his feet and concede a corner. From the set-piece, academy defender Harvie Gardiner saw his header blocked behind.
Fleet started to put some decent moves together and Mills had a header saved when Graham got forward down the left and stood up a good cross.
The lively Shields was then fouled and Cook curled the free-kick wide of the near post.
A quiet night for Miles suddenly got busier when he dived low to push Raymond's powerful shot out before getting up to gather Stanic-Stewart's follow-up cross.
But Miles was beaten in stoppage-time when Williams converted an Iffy Allen cross to send Bromley through.
Ebbsfleet: Miles, Boulding, Gardiner, Niate, Graham, Miller-Neave, Cook, Long (Omar 87mins), McMahon (Ali 89mins), Shields, Mills. Subs not used: Nourse, Sears, Rance.
Bromley: Gregory, Dunne, Johnson, Campbell, Stanic-Stewart, Raymond, Peter-Brown (Lovely 77mins), Allen, Williams, Higgs (Baskerville 90mins), Khanye (T Anderson 57mins). Subs not used: Burba, D Anderson.
Attendance: 372.
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