Bromley make their debut in the FA Cup for this season on Saturday afternoon when they take on fellow National League side Aldershot Town in the Fourth Qualifying Round at Hayes Lane. 

The sides met at this stage of the competition back in 2005 with The Shots winning 1-0 in front of 1,500 at Hayes Lane. The Ravens, then in the Ryman League Premier Division, had played four matches to reach that stage of the competition. 

Fourteen years on both teams play in the National League with Bromley sitting second on 32 points from 17 games, while Aldershot are eighteenth with 18 points from 17 played.

Last Saturday Bromley lost 2-1 away at Solihull Moors, their third loss in four games, Charlton loanee Alfie Doughty scoring The Ravens injury time consolation goal, while Aldershot also lost 3-0 at home to Hartlepool Utd. When the sides met at The Recreation Ground back in August, Bromley won 1-0 with a first half goal from Jack Holland and they drew 2-2 in the meeting at Hayes Lane in April towards the end of last season.

The result in April would have relegated The Shots, but Gateshead’s demotion in the summer saved them for another National League campaign. Aldershot parted company with manager Gary Waddock in May. The former Republic of Ireland international being replaced at the helm by Danny Searle for the new season.

Bromley manager Neil Smith is hoping to make progress in the cup this season along with maintaining a challenge at the top of the table, he was critical of his forwards at the weekend only scoring once from eighteen chances created and emphasised the need for his team to be more ruthless in front of goal. 

This cup tie looks set to be another close fought encounter with both teams hoping to make it through to a lucrative fixture in the First Round come November.