Bromley threw away a two goal first half lead to draw with Dagenham & Redbridge at Hayes Lane on Tuesday night, conceding an equaliser in the last minute of stoppage time scored by former Raven Josh Rees. 

Andy Woodman brought in Jude Arthurs at right wing back to replace Josh Passley in the only change from Saturday’s impressive win over Chesterfield and kept the usual 5-3-2 formation.  

The match got off to an open start with Frank Vincent going close for the visitors, but soon after he was involved in a collision with Ben Krauhaus and appeared to break his arm, which saw the game halted for a long spell as he received treatment before going off.

Once the action got going again, Ryan Hill hit the post with a curling effort just inside the area and from the rebound Keenan Appiah-Forson had a shot blocked and Jake Hessenthaler fired over.

The Daggers moved the ball around nicely and looked to open up the Bromley defence, but the home side dug in and managed to keep them at bay.

The Ravens went close when Michael Cheek flicked a long ball on to Corey Whitely, but he drove his shot just wide. Dagenham pressed again as the half went on, Grant Smith denying Freddie Sears when one on one, Hill going close again with another curling effort and Hessenthaler having a shot saved by Smith at the near post.

Then on a break from the pressure Bromley took the lead on 43 minutes, Krauhaus playing a superb defence splitting pass to Topalloj who coolly slotted the ball home for 1-0.

Sam Woods had a shot saved soon after, while at the other end Tom Eastman headed wide at a corner.

Then deep into first half added on time Bromley made it 2-0 when Arthurs played in Cheek to side foot home and extend The Ravens lead. 

The second half started in subdued fashion and took a while to get going. Once it did there were chances at either end, Sears had a shot saved by Smith, while Elliot Justham saved at the feet of Louis Dennis after a poor clearance.

Olufela Olomla had a shot tipped over by Justham from a tight angle, but from there Dagenham pressed again. Sam Ling crossed for Josh Rees who headed over and then they pulled a goal back on 70 minutes when Hill crossed for Ling who headed home unmarked at the far post.

Olomola headed wide on a rare attack for Bromley, but it was Ben Strevens’ side who finished the stronger. As the Daggers pressed, Hill blazed wide when well placed and was just off target soon after, but they kept pushing with Justham coming up for corners.

Then just as Bromley seemed to have seen the game out a deep free kick by Hill from the right saw a massive goal mouth scramble that eventually saw Rees bundle the ball over the line against his old side to make it two all and give the visitors the point they really deserved.                        

With other teams just below Bromley dropping points, the draw proved to be a point gained for The Ravens maintaining second place ahead of their trip to Eastleigh on Saturday lunchtime, but Woodman will need to instill some more resilience in his side mentality if they are to keep ahead of the play off chasing pack.      

Bromley: Smith, Arthurs (Taylor-Hart 83), Kirk, Reynolds, Grant, Topalloj, Woods, Whitely, Krauhaus (Charles 57), Dennis (Olomola 55), Cheek.

Subs Not Used: Orlowski, Webster. 

Dagenham – Justham, Tavares, Eastman, Vincent (Johnson 17), Appiah-Forson (Kedwell 64), Ling (Phipps 89), Hessenthaler, Rees, Hill, Pereira, Sears.

Subs Not Used: Remy, Lawless. 

Referee: Matthew Russell. 

Goals: BFC – Topalloj 43, Cheek 45+5mins. DRFC – Ling 70, Rees 94mins. 

HT 2-0 FT 2-2