Bromley 1 : Basingstoke Town 3
Basingstoke Town got back to winning ways after beating Bromley away on Saturday.
The 3-1 victory saw the Dragons bag their first league win since November 19.
Town started the match without keeper Ashley Bayes, top scorer Shaun McAuley, striker Delano Sam-York and Adam Mekki.
A nervous opening 10 minutes kept the ball in the midfield with little chances on goal for both sides.
The deadlock was broken after 12 minutes when a long ball forward from Rob Rice found Tim Sills. His attempt resulted in a botched clearance which came back to Sills, who found Warner at the far post to fire home.
With the floodgates open, Town upped the ante.
Nathan Smart’s run forward saw his effort go begging. Later Jidi Ogunnote set up Matt Warner to cross into a waiting Sills, the resulting header drifted wide.
After 25 minutes, a defensive lapse from the home side saw the Dragons double their lead.
From a Warner cross, Bromley’s Liam Harwood put the ball into his own net under pressure from Bubb.
A moment of panic for the visitors came 10 minutes before the break. With Nathan Smart taken off the field for medical treatment, the hosts took advantage of the extra man with Hakeem Araba getting in behind the defence. As keeper Chay Morris advanced, Araba slipped and struck wide.
As the half drew to a close, the Dragons lifted their foot off the pedal and gave the home side a host of chances.
Rice was forced to make a well timed block from an Araba strike, and Morris was called to action to save a Lewis Taylor effort that went unchallenged down the right of the pitch.
After the break, the dominant Dragons kept driving for a third goal.
Bubb came close to banking his first after Bromley struggled to clear from the box. A last-minute challenge denied the striker.
On 67 minutes, the Dragons made their first substitution with Bubb making way for David Pratt, whose first touch saw him blast the ball over the bar.
Bromley came close to getting their first when substitute Bradley Goldberg cut inside, but Smart did well to see the ball out for a corner.
The corner beat Morris, but he was spared when Freddie Warren fired over the bar.
Straight after, a flurry of action saw Pratt denied after a strong cross from Warner.
At the other end, Rice put in a last-ditch challenge to cut out Goldberg’s run on goal.
But Town remained on top and shortly after netted their third when former Bromley player Wes Daly converted a penalty after Pratt was brought down in the box.
The home side took a late consolation goal in injury time. Danny Waldren struck a free kick from almost 30 yards that came back off the post, gifting substitute Aaron Rhule the rebound.
On Saturday, Town travel to Bath City in the last 32 of the FA Trophy.
