Bromley bowed out of the Kent Senior Cup at the first time of asking as their young side were beaten on penalties by a strong Ebbsfleet United side at Hayes Lane on Wednesday night.
The match got off to a pacey start, but it was broken up by lots of petty fouls, becoming more scrappy and physical. Ben Krauhaus had a shot blocked by Fleet defender Alex Finney, while at the other end Elliott Romain headed wide after good work from Will Wood & Lee Martin.
Marcus Sablier was at the heart of all the more promising Bromley play and he set up Rhys Wyborn whose shot was gathered by Chris Haigh at the second attempt.
It was at the midway point of the half that the visitors took the lead when Shaq Coulthirst made a strong run into the box and finished in off the far post to put Ebbsfleet in front.
Just after going behind Sablier was on the end of an awful late tackle by former Raven Adam Mekki, which left the young midfielder with nasty cut on the back of his ankle.
Krauhaus had a shot saved by Haigh as Bromley pressed and Sablier was also denied by the Fleet keeper from long range. Sablier continued to be targeted for heavy treatment from the opposition, with Referee Aji Ajibola being very lenient, not showing a card throughout the game.
Late in the half Martin had a shot deflected wide and Fleet went in 1-0 up.
Bromley started the second half well, Kellen Fisher crossed for Soul Kader who put his chance just wide on the volley, while at the other end Martin saw a powerful drive from 30y ards tipped over by Ravens keeper Ellery Balcombe.
Kader headed a Palace Francis cross wide as Bromley pressed again and Francis was also denied by Haigh after showing great footwork to work a way into the area.
Ben Margetson headed a chance wide for The Ravens before Fleet went down to ten men on 76 minutes when Alfie Egan limped off after they had already made three substitutions.
Martin was denied by Balcombe, before Bromley pressed again late on. Francis crossed for Margetson who fired over from 20 yards and then with eight minutes to go Sablier was fouled on the edge of the area by Martin and Cawley stepped up to curl a superb free kick into the bottom left hand corner to make it 1-1.
There was a frantic finish to the game with Fisher, Cawley & Krauhaus all going close for Bromley, then Kader had a goal ruled out for a foul on the keeper.
On the break Fleet sub Michael West forced a save from Balcombe at the near post and then right on the whistle Francis pounced on a defensive mix up by Ebbsfleet, but it was eventually cleared to safety.
The tie went straight to penalties and after sixteen kicks Fleet won out 6-7, with Haigh saving from Balcombe to book a place in the quarter final away to Folkestone Invicta.
Bromley: Balcombe, Fisher, Wyborn, Reid-Newth (Adaja 76), Margetson, Cawley, Krauhaus, Sablier, Kader, Obembe (Missoum 82), Francis.
Subs Not Used: German, Tofan, Ajose.
Fleet: Haigh, Kahraman, Jombati, Mekki, Martin, Wood (Nathaniel-George 45), Romain, Paxman, Monlouis, Finney (Egan 66), Coulthirst (West 45).
Subs Not Used: Firth, Poleon.
HT 0-1 FT 1-1 Pens 6-7
Goals: Bromley – Cawley 83mins. Fleet – Coulthirst 23mins
Penalties: BFC – Cawley – scored, Francis – Scored (retake), Sablier – post, Kader – scored, Margetson – scored, Fisher – scored, Whyborn – scored, Balcombe – saved.EUFC – Martin – over, Mekki – scored, Paxman- scored, Nathaniel-George – scored, Monlouis – scored, Kahraman – scored (retake), Jombati – scored, West – scored.