Bromley 0-0 Barrow

Bromley welcomed Barrow to the H2T Group Stadium on Tuesday night, in what was a vital game for both sides but for very different reasons, with the Ravens still very much in the hunt for a playoff place, and the Bluebirds fighting it out at the bottom of the table to avoid relegation.

In a first half which saw both sides cancel each other out in a physical affair, it was the away side who would have the first chance twenty minutes in, with former Sutton United man Bedsente Gomis finding the impressive Luke James in space on the edge of the box, and the on-loan Forest Green man struck a low shot at goal, forcing David Gregory into a smart save down to his right.

After a lengthy quiet period for both sides, Jordan Higgs went close to putting Bromley ahead just four minutes before the break. Brandon Hanlan showed strength and pace to cut in from the left and beat his man, before shooting goalwards from an angle. His low drive was blocked by the legs of Steve Arnold, and looped towards Higgs at the back post, but his acrobatic volley was well wide of goal in the end.

After the break, the match improved slightly as a spectacle, with Omar Bugiel forcing Arnold into a diving save down to his left on 49 minutes, with the former Gillingham goalkeeper tipping the stinging drive around the post.

Bromley were at it again not long after the hour mark, where Frankie Sutherland’s free kick delivery was met by the head of the imposing Roger Johnson, forcing Arnold into an awkward save. The ball then worked its way back out to Johnson on the edge of the box after Barrow failed to clear their lines, and he teed up substitute Louis Dennis, who saw his low shot tipped around the post by Arnold, diving down to his right.

Dennis certainly made an impact on the game, as five minutes later, he latched onto a pass on the corner of the box, beat his man for pace and narrowed his angle on goal, only to play a pass across the face of goal, beating Arnold, but just ahead of the onrushing Hanlan, who couldn’t reach the ball in time, in what would have been the most simple of finishes.

At the other end, with 11 minutes left on the clock, Luke James again went close, this time sending a dipping drive just over the crossbar, with the visitors mainly threatening on the break, seemingly happy to sit back and settle for a point.

The best chance of the game fell Bromley’s way in the dying moments of five minutes’ injury time, and to an unlikely source, in Johnson. After Barrow failed to clear their lines once again, the ball fell to Johnson just to the right of the penalty spot, and with Barrow hearts in mouths, he saw a first time effort go inches wide of Arnold’s left hand post.

Bromley XI: Gregory, Dunne (Woolfenden), Holland ©, Raymond, Hanlan, Higgs, Sterling (Dennis), Porter (Mekki), R.Johnson, Sutherland, Bugiel

Unused substitutes: Rees, D.Johnson

Attendance: 1331

Report by Matt Hall / @hally_matt