Late drama in the capital, as Dan Adu-Adjei wins United a point at the death against Bromley.
Mike Williamson made eight changes to his side that made it back-to-back away wins at Morecambe on Tuesday night- Cameron Harper, Ben Barclay and Kadeem Harris the only players remaining in the line-up.
The first chance of the game came to the hosts when Louis Dennis found space in the United box, but Jon Mellish was on hand to expertly block the forward’s shot on goal.
United then settled into a period of dominance and looked dangerous without causing any real threat on the Bromley goal.
Carlisle’s first chance of the game came on 23 minutes, when a brilliantly threaded through ball from Callum Guy found its way to Dan Adu-Adjei in the Bromley box, but his shot was straight into the palms of Grant Smith.
United then started to assert themselves on the tie and cause the Bromley backline problems.
A sublime ball from Guy found its way to Cameron Harper on 27 minutes, his ball found Ben Barclay at the back post, but his shot was blocked by Omar Sowunmi.
Sowunmi was in the action again on 32 minutes, when his header from a Bromley corner resulted in a huge save from Gabe Breeze to keep the score level.
Kadeem Harris and Dom Sadi were both bright sparks of a promising United first-half display and the pair combined on 42 minutes, when a mazy run from Harris found space in the Bromley penalty area, his cut-back found Sadi, whose shot was saved well by Smith.
The last five minutes of the first-half proved to be a barrage from United on the Bromley goal. Multiple efforts from Sadi, Barclay and Sam Lavelle all caused Smith and the hosts' defence problems, but the ball didn’t find its way into the back of the Ravens’ net.
HALF-TIME: Bromley 0-0 United
It was Bromley who struck first in the second-half. Ben Williams’ trip on Danny Imray resulted in James Durkin pointing to the spot and Michael Cheek made no mistake, dispatching his penalty into the bottom right corner to give the home side the lead.
United responded well through Adu-Adjei, who skipped past Byron Webster on 62 minutes, but his shot crept just over Smith’s bar.
Williamson then made a triple change on 67 minutes, Harris, Tyler Burey and Williams were replaced by Taylor Charters, Jack Ellis and Josh Vela.
On 82 minutes, the Bromley substitute, Lewis Leigh, fired a stray elbow at Lavelle and left the referee with no option but to send him off and leave the hosts down to ten men.
United then pushed for an equaliser, Sadi’s neat through ball found Adu-Adjei on 88 minutes but his cross could only find the hands of Smith.
Barclay’s long throw then found Adu-Adjei in the box on 92 minutes, who swerved the Bromley defender to find space and fire the ball into the bottom left corner to pull United level.
The Blues then went close to snatching it on 93 minutes, when Sadi found space on the edge of the Bromley box, but his shot was heroically blocked by Sowunmi.
The game looked like it had thrown up everything that it could, but Charters broke free on 96 minutes, his ball across to Ellis was cut out at the back and United had to settle for a point.
FULL-TIME: Bromley 1-1 United
Teams:
Bromley- Smith, Sowunmi, Cheek, Dennis (76’ Olomola), Grant, Webster ©, Arthurs, Congreve (69’ Leigh), Imray, Odutayo, Thompson
Unused subs- Long, Reynolds, Amantchi, Topallaj, Thomas
United- Breeze, Harper (84’ Armstrong), Lavelle ©, Guy, Adu-Adjei, Williams (66’ Charters), Mellish, Sadi, Barclay, Burey (66’ Ellis), Harris (66’ Vela)
Unused subs- Lewis, Robinson, McGeouch
Goals:
Bromley- (54’ Cheek)
United- (90+2’ Adu-Adjei)
Yellow Cards:
Bromley- (57’ Thompson)
United- (38’ Guy), (43’ Mellish), (51’ Burey), (67’ Charters), (82’ Lavelle), (89’ Sadi), (90+6 Barclay).
Red Cards:
Bromley- (82’ Leigh)
United- N/A
Match Officials:
Referee- James Durkin
Assistant Referee 1- Garry Maskell
Assistant Referee 2- David Harrison
Fourth Official- Andy Bennett
Attendance:
3,741 (482 away)
