Bromley extended their unbeaten run at home to four games at Hayes Lane on Saturday afternoon with a professional 2-1 win against a well-organised Eastleigh.

Bromley and Eastleigh started the match on equal on points after six games with both teams looking to return to winning ways after defeats on bank holiday Monday.  

While supporters were still filing into the stadium, the crowd was left stunned in the second minute as Eastleigh took the lead. Sowunmi attempted to flick the ball backwards to the keeper, Charles-Cook raced out, but the alert Abrahams nipped in and just pipped the keeper to send the ball looping into the empty net. 

Woodman made four changes from the defeat at Dagenham bringing back the dependable Webster, Sowunmi, Bingham and giving Marriott his first league start. The defensive changes made a huge difference and despite the early setback, Webster in particular, gave an assured performance and managed to pick out several excellent passes. 

Bromley started to dominate possession prompted by the industrious Vennings but came up against a well drilled Eastleigh defence. Bromley came close in the 24^th minute when Hannam raced down the left and sent in a lovely out swinging delivery that was prodded over by Painter who just managed to hold off Marriott. 

Two minutes later Hannam was floored by a robust aerial challenge from Camp and needed treatment. He only managed another six minutes before being replaced by Dennis in the 33^rd minute. The introduction of Dennis gave Bromley a little more attacking threat and they made the breakthrough in the 42^nd minute.  

Bingham slid in Forster who got behind his man on the right and pulled the ball back to Marriott from the by-line. Marriott instantly pulled the trigger rifling in a low shot across goal from 10 yards out. He didn’t make the best connection, but the shot was struck firmly enough to beat the despairing defender on the goal line to nestle into the back of the net. 

Bromley started the second half on the front foot, but it was a cagey affair until a decisive moment of quality from Dennis in the 59^th minute. Dennis dinked in a perfectly judged cross from the left finding Cheek unmarked at the back post. Cheek looked sure to score but somehow his header was blocked on the line only to ricochet into the path of the deadly Marriot who slammed the ball into the roof of the net.  

Forster continued to trouble the defence and in the 64^th minute there was a loud appeal for a penalty when he went down in the box. Forster’s rivalry with Eastleigh’s Harper was proving to be one of the highlights of the match. A minute later Reynolds struck a 20-yard strike that poleaxed one of his teammates. The ball fell back to him, and he fired in a second effort that sailed narrowly over the bar.  

Eastleigh brought on Hill and Ebanks in the 75^th minute and Ebanks brought physicality while Hill brought an injection of pace and trickery as Eastleigh started to hit Bromley on the counterattack. Bromley, however, seem to have developed the knack of protecting slender one goal advantages and held on to secure the well-deserved victory.  

Bromley FC line up: Charles-Cook, Hannam (Dennis 33), Reynolds, Webster, Sowunmi, Forster, Bingham, Jennings (Coleman 78), Whitely, Cheek, Marriott (Arthurs 90+2). 

Unused subs: Alexander and Bradshaw 

Eastleigh FC line up: McDonnell, Camp, Langston (Oyenuga 82), Martin, Panter, Harper, Cisse, Carter, McKiernan (Hill 75), Whitehall (Ebanks 75), Abrahams 

Unused subs: Kelly and Rutherford 

Match Referee: Alan Dale 

Attendance: 1,969 with 74 traveling Eastleigh fans