Despite going behind early on Bromley go into next Saturday’s FA Trophy Semi Final second leg away at Gateshead with a one goal advantage thanks to two sublime Louis Dennis second half strikes in a fiercely contested first leg at Hayes Lane.

The Ravens got off to the worst start possible when inside the first minute they went one down to a massively deflected long range strike from Richard Penikett, which completely wrong footed David Gregory.

Bromley looked visibly nervous, struggling to clear their lines and were lucky not to go two down when Danny Johnson hit the foot of the post soon after.

Then on 12 minutes The Ravens were handed a lifeline when Neil Byrne was harshly judged to have brought down Brandon Hanlan in the box and Referee Whitestone pointed to the spot.

After a long hold following mass protests from the visitors, Hanlan eventually converted the penalty despite Heed keeper James Montgomery getting a hand to the kick.

Gateshead still had the better of things for a while with Peniket going close when he blocked Gregory’s kick, but the ball bounced just wide off the number 8.

Bromley did rally for a spell when Hanlan combined with Dennis playing a one two in the box, but the on-loan Charlton striker just filed to connect with the return pass at the far post.

Adam Mekki had an effort saved by Montgomery at the near post after a strong run soon after, but it was the visitors who went ahead once more six minutes before the break.

Byrne had a header saved from a corner, before Heed then made it 1-2 when Johnson weaved his way through a static home defence and slipped the ball past Gregory.

Just before the whistle Peniket went close again with a header for a Gateshead while Frankie Raymond sent a shot over the bar for The Ravens.

The second half was played in increasingly heavy snow fall and it was Bromley who started the brightest when Roger Johnson fired over from a corner.

The Ravens continued to press and they drew level on 50 minutes when Dennis received the ball 25 yards out from goal and curled a superb effort over Montgomery and just inside the far post to make it 2-2.

Hanlan nearly put Bromley in front just after when he ran into the box before crashing the ball against the bar sending the settled snow flying in the air.

Wes York went close for Gateshead with a well struck volley and Jordan Burrow had a shot saved by Gregory, but Bromley still did most of the pressing.

With the game becoming more stretched and direct, Mekki had a shot deflected wide for a corner, but it was Dennis who again found the vital touch with ten minutes to go.

The top scoring number ten received the ball on the edge of the box and after taking a touch blasted an unstoppable effort past Montgomery and into the corner of the net to make it 3-2.

Gateshead had one final spell of pressure late on looking to equalise, but the closest they came was when Jamal Fyfield fired over from the edge of the box under pressure from Luke Woolfenden and Bromley held to to the win at the cup tie’s half way stage.

Neil Smith’s side travel up to Solihull Moors on Tuesday night in the National League, before they then head up to Tyneside for the second leg next Saturday with a place in the final at Wembley Stadium up for grabs.

Bromley: Gregory, Woolfenden, Sterling, Holland, R Johnson, Mekki (Wanadio 74), Raymond (Rees 68), Sutherland, Higgs, Dennis (Bugeil 85), Hanlan.

Subs Not Used: D Johnson, Chorley.

Gateshead: Montgomery, Barrow, Kerr, Byrne, Fyfield, York, Peniket, Johnson, Preston (Burrow 72), McLaughlin, Penn.

Subs Not Used: Hanford, Vassell, O’Donnell, McNall.

Goals: Bromley – Hanlan 12Pen, Dennis 50& 80mins. Gateshead – Peniket 1, Johnson 39mins

HT 1-2 FT 3-2

Referee: Mr D Whitestone

Att: 1,254

Pictures supplied by Ed Boyden.