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MATCH REPORT: Bromley FC 4 Aldershot Town 3 (FA Cup)

Aldershot Town have been knocked out of the FA Cup in the fourth qualifying round after losing 4-3 to Bromley in a seven-goal thriller at Hayes Lane on Saturday.

A first Shots goal for Mohamed Bettamer and second half goals from Shamir Mullings and Robbie Tinkler weren’t enough to win the game.

Goals from Joe Kizzi, Jack Holland and a Michael Cheek double ensured FA Cup progression to the first round proper for Bromley.

Manager Danny Searle named an unchanged line-up ahead of the match following last weekend’s defeat against Hartlepool United. Harrison Panayiotou returned to the bench after being away on international duty.

It wasn’t the best of starts for the Shots. Frankie Raymond sent a 30-yard free kick in, perfectly onto the head of Kizzi who directed his header back across goal into the bottom left corner, well out of the reach of Mitch Walker.

Robbie Tinker found a cross to Mohamed Bettamer a minute later, but the striker was denied his first Shots goal by the raising of the flag by the assistant.

The home side then extended their lead five minutes later, in a very similar fashion to their first.

Another Raymond delivery from a free kick was very well-executed, finding the head of a Bromley player in the area. This time the ball was headed across the box onto another head, that of Cheek, who couldn’t miss from close range.

Walker was called into action to prevent a third 21 minutes in. It was Kizzi who broke through on the right but the keeper parried his shot away.

However, within a minute, Aldershot got a goal back and it was Bettamer who was on hand to get his first for the club. Powell whipped a free-kick in from the right before the ball fell to the striker. He did well to turn before striking the ball into the bottom right corner.

Bromley continued to be a big threat from set pieces throughout the half as the away team worked hard to get on level terms.

Unfortunately, the next goal wasn’t a leveller, but was an extender. It was another set piece after Max Hunt gave a foul away in the corner. Walker punched away the initial delivery before the ball came back in and was forced just over the line by Bromley captain Holland.

Alefe Santos had a decent chance in stoppage time at the end of the half when played the ball back to him on the edge of the box but he couldn’t keep his effort down.

The home team converted another set piece 57 minutes in but the linesman had already put his flag up.

Adam Mekki had a golden opportunity for Bromley to increase their lead in a one-on-one chance but he dragged the shot wide.

The ball was worked down the other end within seconds of that chance and the scoreline was narrowed through Mullings. He set himself just outside the box before driving the ball into the bottom left corner to give the Shots hope of a comeback just before the hour.

Nonetheless, Bromley extended their lead again. A low cross was driven in from the left which Kodi Lyons-Foster didn’t fully clear. The ball fell to Cheek who converted his second of the match.

Ethan Chislett was on the end of a very heavy challenge from Raymond with 20 minutes to play, which the referee deemed to be only worthy of a yellow card.

Kinsella played in another cross with just over 10 minutes to go, something which he had done all game, but this time someone got their head on it to direct it into the back of the net. The cross avoided everyone to find Tinkler coming in at the back post to header it home and revive the hope for the Shots.

Despite a late flurry of pressure and trying everything they could to get the equaliser, it just wasn’t to be for the Shots.

Bromley FC: 23 R Huddart (G/K), 2 J Kizzi, 3 S Wood, 6 J Holland (C), 7 L Coulson (Clifton 74′), 8 F Raymond, 9 M Cheek, 11 A Mekki (Higgs 65′), 13 C Bush, 25 J Rees, 26 A Doughty.

Unused Subs: Okoye, Dunne, Tanner, Henry, Najia.

Aldershot Town: 1 M Walker (G/K), 2 R Tinkler (C), 3 L Kinsella, 6 K Lyons-Foster, 7 A Santos (Panayiotou 69′), 9 S Mullings, 19 M Bettamer, 20 E Chislett, 21 J Berkeley-Agyepong (Rance 45′), 25 M Hunt, 34 J Powell.

Unused Subs: Shields, Whittingham, Eyoma, Finney, Fowler.