Bromley slipped to their third League Two defeat of the season away at Cambridge United on Saturday lunchtime after conceding two goals in the first half at The Abbey Stadium and giving themselves too much of a mountain to climb.  

The game got off to the worst start possibly for The Ravens when a free kick into the box came out to Kouassi and his goal bound shot deflected off Lavery, wrong footing Sam Long and bouncing into the far corner of the net.

Ben Thompson had Bromley’s only shot of the half soon after, but it was comfortably saved by Eastwood in the home goal.

Kouassi then set up Lavery who saw his shot well saved by Long, Mpanzu then went on a strong run and shot narrowly over, before Andy Woodman’s side slowly started to get some kind of foothold in the game, but it was still United who did the majority of the pressing with a series of set pieces and long throws.

Another free kick into the box saw Lavery have a shot saved by Long from point blank range and Jude Arthurs made a vital block from the rebound.

Cambridge’s pressure finally paid off on 41 minutes when a quick throw from the right caught The Ravens defence flat footed and Kouassi turned Kyle Cameron in the box and drove the ball his into the top right hand corner of the net for 2-0.

Late in the half Referee Decan Bourne missed Gibbons catching Cameron with an arm to the back of the head at a corner, which saw the Bromley centre back taken off at half time. 

The second half saw Andy Woodman make four changes and switch to a back three and they pulled a goal back almost immediately when a long ball from the right by Deji Elerewe found Michael Cheek, who coolly dinked the ball over Eastwood and into the net to make it 2-1 on 50 minutes.

With Bromley looking far more positive, play was broken up with a series of stoppages for treatment giving evidence to the physical nature of the game.

Referee Bourne then had to go off injured with play stopped for nearly 10 minutes and The Ravens momentum was halted. Arthurs put an effort over from a Mitchel Pinnock long throw, while at the other end Kouassi hit the post with a low driven effort.

In the 15 minutes of injury time Thompson had a shot deflected over by Jobe and Cheek headed a Marcus Ifill cross wide, but they couldn’t find a way to that vital second goal. 

Bromley are now thirteenth in the table as they prepare for a home game with high flying MK Dons next Saturday.                                        

Cambridge – Eastwood, Purrington, Watts, Morrison, Gibbons, Mayor (Jobe 91), Ball, Mpanzu, Kaikai (Smith 82), Kouassi (Kachunga 91), Lavery.

Subs Not Used: Bennett, Brophy, Hughes, Knight. 

Bromley: Long, Samuel (Kabamba 45), Sowunmi, Cameron (Elerewe 45), Odutayo, Charles (Hondermarck 45), Arthurs, Thompson, Krauhaus (Ifill 45), Pinnock, Cheek.

Subs Not Used: Smith, Ilunga.     

Goals: CUFC – Lavery 2, Kouassi 41mins. BFC – Cheek 50mins 

Referee: Declan Bourne 

HT 2-0 FT 2-1 

Att: 5,839