Bromley kept up their unbeaten home record in League Two on Tuesday night with an uninspiring performance that saw them draw against a hard working Cheltenham Town at a chilly Hayes Lane.
Andy Woodman made two changes to his starting line up from Saturday’s draw with Notts County, with Ben Krauhaus coming in for Jude Arthurs and Will Hondermarck for Corey Whitely, keeping the 4-5-1 formation.
The game got off to an open start, Isaac Hutchinson going close for the visitors, before Bromley then took an early lead. Mitchell Pinnock saw a cross from the left wing come back to him and with Cheltenham appealing for a hand ball he broke into the box before curling a superb effort past Joe Day to put The Ravens in front on 3 minutes.
The Ravens pressed on from there with Michael Cheek crossing for Ben Thompson whose diving header was saved by Day. Cheltenham then came back into things, Hutchinson and Jake Bickerstaff went close, before George Miller had a volley saved by Grant Smith.
The Robins eventually drew level on 24 minutes when a low cross from Jordan Thomas was turned home by Hutchinson slipping the ball through Smith’s legs from just inside the box.
With the scores level Pinnock put a great cross in for Ben Krauhaus who flicked a header just wide of the far post. Late in the half Thompson put a chance wide from a Cheek flick on and Hutchinson had an effort saved by Smith at the other end.
The second half saw a terrible challenge by James Wilson on Thompson who had to go off shortly after, but Referee Mr Swallow only saw fit to show him The Robins’ defender a yellow card.
Cheltenham had the better of things from there, with Woodman deciding to go with two up front for the home side on the hour mark, which did see a brief positive response from Bromley.
Going into the hour mark, The Robins pressed again, Thomas fired narrowly over and then put in a dangerous free kick from the left, which saw the ball turned over by Robbie Cundy.
Brooklyn Ilunga and Idris Odutayo put chances wide for The Ravens, before another tactical switch saw Bromley go to a back three for the final ten minutes.
Bromley pressed with a series of set pieces late on with Cheek and Nicke Kabamba both having headers brilliantly saved by Day. Cheltenham did have the last chance when Bickerstaff forced a good save from Smith in injury time.
A draw was a fair result over the piece, with both teams having their keepers to thank for vital saves.
The Ravens remain top of League Two and now prepare for their trip to Harrogate Town on Saturday, who have picked up their form recently.
Bromley: Smith, Ifill, Debrah, Medley, Odutayo (Sowunmi 80), Charles (Arthurs 45), Pinnock, Thompson (Kabamba 60), Krauhaus (Ilunga 60), Hondermarck, Cheek.
Subs Not Used: Ajayi, Long, Samuel.
Cheltenham: Day, Tompkinson, Wilson, Cundy, Sherring, Stevenson, Bickerstaff, Young, Thomas (Broom 83), Miller (Davison 64).
Subs Not Used: Ashfield, Deeming, Diallo, Martin, Nurse.
HT 1-1 FT 1-1
Att:
Goals: Pinnock 3mins, Hutchinson 24mins .
Referee: Elliott Swallow