A five minute hat trick from JJ Hooper helped Bromley come from behind to see off Charlton Athletic and progress to the Semi-Finals of the Kent Senior Cup.
A young Charlton outfit impressed for large spells of the first half, and played some neat football, providing a stiff challenge for Neil Smith’s side.
The first chance of note fell the way of the visitors on 14 minutes, as skipper Taylor Maloney found Reeco Hackett-Fairchild in space in the box, but the former Boreham Wood man could only send an angled, left footed effort into the arms of David Gregory.
The Addicks had an even better chance just shy of the half hour mark, as Maloney pounced on an error from Riphi Kalala out wide on the right, before sending a low delivery across the six yard box, but Wassih Aouachria couldn’t get to the ball in time for what would have been the most simple of finishes.
As the visitors appeared to be in control, right back Jo Cummings would go close again a matter of moments later, as he got to a deep corner at the back post, but could only head over the crossbar.
Alfie Doughty could and should have given Charlton the lead on 37 minutes, but after being the first to reach a low delivery into the box from the left wing, his first time shot from close range was well over the crossbar.
Bromley would soon respond with two chances of their own. Aiden Enver did well to retain possession amongst challenges as he made his way towards the box, before finding Bugiel, who played a neat through ball into the feet of the onrushing Reece Meekums in the box, but after taking a touch, he dragged a low shot wide of goal.
A minute before the break came Bromley’s best chance of the half. After Enver’s persistence earned the Ravens a free kick on the edge of the box, Frankie Sutherland stepped up to the plate and sent a dipping effort at goal, only for Ashley Maynard-Brewer to intervene with a good save, tipping the ball out for a corner. From the resulting set piece, Jake Goodman glanced a header harmlessly wide as Bromley began to take control.
After the break, Bromley would find themselves behind just three minutes in. Brandon Sarpong-Wiredu was played through on goal, and confidently slipped an effort across the face of goal and beyond Gregory into the bottom corner.
That would see Bromley spark into life a little more, and substitute Frankie Raymond went close with a shot from the centre of the box, which was cleared off the line. After almost twenty minutes of the two teams cancelling each other out, Meekums had a 20 yard shot deflected over for a corner, not long before Bromley equalised.
Substitute Kyle De Silva exquisitely took a ball down with an excellent touch and threaded a neat ball through to JJ Hooper, who took a touch and coolly slotted past the advancing Maynard-Brewer.
In what was to become a mad five minute spell, the Ravens were awarded a penalty just two minutes later. Maynard-Brewer could only parry Hooper’s stinging drive towards Omar Bugiel, and as the Bromley man stretched to poke the ball home, he was hauled down by the Charlton stopper. Hooper stepped up to take the spot kick and made no mistake, finding the bottom right corner despite Maynard-Brewer getting a hand to the ball.
Bromley weren’t done there though, and neither was Hooper. After Raymond played an excellent, incisive ball into the penalty area, Hooper latched onto it and smashed an outside of the boot effort into the roof of the net to seal a remarkable turnaround and a five minute hat trick.
The Ravens saw the remaining minutes out to progress to the semi-finals, with Neil Smith awaiting news of who the Ravens will face next.
Bromley XI: Gregory, Sutherland (Raymond), Johnson (C), Bugiel, Mekki (Craske), Dunne, Goodman, Meekums, Enver (De Silva), Kalala, Hooper
Unused substitutes: Thomas, Krasniqi
Attendance: 371