Bromley’s first home league fixture of the season ended in victory over Kent rivals Ebbsfleet United.

Ebbsfleet’s Nathan Ashmore was called to action within a minute, following great footwork by Reeco Hackett-Fairchild, finding space and shooting. However, Ashmore was equal to it and able to make a smart save. Bromley had a lot of possession in the first ten minutes, the Ravens having clear set-piece tactics and using this create openings.

Billy Bingham had a fantastic chance to take the lead after the ball was fed through to him by Michael Cheek. Bingham won the race to the ball and took a first time shot in an attempt to catch Ashmore off guard. However, the ball fell inches wide, courtesy of a deflection. Minutes later Bromley’s first goal of the league campaign arrived, through some great link-up play. After good work from George Porter, Luke Coulson was able to square the ball from a tight angle in the box, and Cheek was on hand to tap the ball in at the back post for Bromley’s first goal of the season.

The Ravens’ chances came quick and fast, through a lobbed through ball cutting open the Fleet defence and put Porter one on one with Ashmore, but Porter’s volley was stopped by Ashmore who made another good save. Bromley doubled their lead after a superb passing move carved open the Ebbsfleet defence, giving Bingham the opportunity to control the ball in a tight space, before finishing in style, with an outside the boot finish into the bottom corner.

Fleet rarely threatened in truth, with John Goddard and Sean Shields having efforts which sailed wide.

Coulson had the first chance of the second half, through latching onto a pass and finding space to surge forward. He shot from outside of the box, but Ashmore was on hand again to make a save. Minutes later Ashmore made a fantastic save from point-blank distance. A header from Joe Kizzi set the ball into the path of Hackett-Fairchild, who half-volleyed the ball powerfully, but Ashmore was yet again able to get down low and made a great reaction save.

The Ravens then made it three in some style. Bingham struck a stunning effort from 30 yards, finding the top corner for his second goal of the game, leaving Ashmore no chance. Bromley came close again for their fourth just seconds after the restart, this time Bingham close to getting an assist. His cross curved inwards, meeting the head of Hackett-Fairchild, with his powerful header amazingly close to making it four goals to the good. However, Ashmore was once again there to make a spectacular save on the line and deny the Bromley player.

Ebbsfleet got on the scoresheet two minutes from time, with a goal-line scramble allowing Aswad Thomas to get a toe on the ball and send it trickling into the net, denying the Ravens a clean sheet in the dying embers of the game.

Bromley XI: Cousins, Kizzi, Wood, Holland (C), Coulson (Mekki), Raymond, Cheek (Klass), Bingham, Bush, Porter (Clifton), Hackett-Fairchild

Unused substitutes: Higgs, Dunne

Attendance: 1719 (269 away).