BOLD BEN BRINGS IT HOME FOR BROMLEY
BRILLIANT Bromley completed the festive double over Kent neighbours Ebbsfleet United with a fivestar show at Hayes Lane.
Victory ensured Andy Woodman’s charges kept up their chase of league leaders Chesterfield with the Ravens now just four points behind the leaders.
Ebbsfleet take an early lead through Luke O’Neil’s header but Michael Cheek led a firsthalf with a header before Ben Krauhaus’ low finish put them in front.
The Ravens then put the game to bed in the second half with further strikes from Alex Kirk, Olufela Olomola and Krauhaus’ second sending the majority of the 4,000+ crowd home happy.
“I was buzzing about the size of the crowd that turned out today,” Woodman said. “They got to see a fantastic performance and a team that goes out every match, doesn’t know when its beaten, never gives up and gives every ounce of what they can. “The boys have been brilliant and deserve every plaudit coming their way at the moment.”
Fleet actually started the better and they took the lead on eight minutes when an unmarked O’Neil headed beyond Grant Smith from Craig Tanner’s corner.
However, the lead was to only last 20 minutes as a flowing move from back to front ended with Josh Passley’s cross being headed home by Bromley’s top scorer Cheek.
That partnership linked up again moments later but this time Cheek’s bullet header was turned over the bar by Mark Cousins.
Bromley were not to be denied, however, and took the lead three minutes before the interval. Cheek’s clever flick on freed an onrushing Corey Whitely and he
was able to feed Krauhaus who finished low past Cousins.
Ebbsfleet were still game and in first-half added-on time Tanner crashed a free-kick against the crossbar to bring a breathless first half to a close.
Any thoughts of a comeback, however, were extinguished within seconds of the restart when Ebbsfleet failed to deal with a set-piece leaving Kirk with two bites of the cherry to smash a fierce effort beyond Cousins.
Three soon became four but Ebbsfleet were to be the architects of their own downfall – Cheek outmuscling Myles Kenlock before squaring for Olomola to slot home.
Fleet’s Dominic Poleon tested Bromley keeer Grant Smith with a fierce effort from just inside the box but it was the Ravens who added the final gloss to proceedings with 19-year-old midfield sensation Krauhaus providing it with an expertly dinked finish over Cousins from Olomola’s through ball.
Fleet manager, Dennis Kutrieb did not hold back on his side’s performance afterwards, commenting: “We were good in the opening 25 minutes but everything after that was poor. Our defending was shocking.
“It simply wasn’t good enough individually and we cant afford to keep making those kind of mistakes.”