Jude Arthurs’ volley proved to be the difference as Bromley beat Gillingham 2-1 at Hayes Lane on Wednesday night.
Mark Bonner made three changes to the side that lost at home to Harrogate, with Jayden Clarke returning to the starting in place of Max Clark, who missed out. Robbie McKenzie made his first start since the defeat at Crewe, while Jack Nolan was named in the starting XI.
Euan Williams was named among the substitutes. Harry Webster and Jacob Wakeling were both on the bench, but Tim Dieng was not involved.
Michael Cheek forced Jake Turner into a second-minute save. Danny Imray won possession near the Gills penalty area before feeding it into Cheek, who had his back to the goal. He spun, making his way into the box before shooting towards the near post. However, Turner was equal to it, palming behind the goal for a corner that came to nothing.
Imray came close after a good build-up by the hosts. Cameron Congreve dispossessed Remeao Hutton on halfway before being played through down the left wing. He floated a cross into the box that dropped to Imray at the back post. He controlled the ball before striking a half-volley towards the far corner. Fortunately, it fizzed over the crossbar.
Gills had a half-chance of their own moments later through Clarke. The wide man received the ball from Elliott Nevitt before going on a twisting and turning run before cutting onto his right foot and shooting. However, his attempt went over the Bromley goal.
Nolan was denied by the head of a Bromley defender after 19 minutes. Clarke continued to be involved down the left-hand side as he carried it forward before cutting it back to Nolan on the edge of the penalty area. He struck a sweeping first-time left-footed shot goalward, which was flicked wide of the target for a corner that again came to nothing.
In the 23rd minute, Nevitt had a glorious opportunity. The striker capitalised on a misplaced backwards header, allowing him to go through on goal. He was one-on-one with Grant Smith in the Bromley goal, but as he went to shoot, he was denied by an excellent recovery sliding challenge by Omar Sowunmi.
Turner did incredibly to deny the hosts the lead shortly before half-time. Congreve won possession before playing it centrally to former Gills academy player Jude Arthurs. He then played it to his right, with Bromley having three players over. It came to Carl Jenkinson, who struck goalward. However, he was denied by extremely brave goalkeeping from Turner, who had sprinted off his line to close the angle before saving with his face.
Jenkinson’s shot left Turner needing treatment for what appeared to be a bloodied nose, but he was cleared to continue for the final moments of the half.
HALF-TIME: Bromley 0-0 Gillingham
Gills made one change at the break, as Glenn Morris replaced Turner, who could not play on following the strike to the face.
Clarke came close to giving Gillingham the lead six minutes into the second period. Nolan curled a cross from the right, which was headed up into the air by a Bromley defender. It dropped to an unmarked Clarke, who tried an acrobatic effort. It forced Smith to react quickly in palming clear.
Congreve gave Bromley the lead in the 54th minute. The hosts won the ball on halfway before breaking towards the Gillingham penalty area. Arthurs’ shot from the edge of the box was blocked by Conor Masterson, but the loose ball came to Congreve, who slid his effort beyond Morris at his near post.
The Bromley lead lasted three minutes. After a game of head tennis, Nevitt controlled the ball before laying it off for the oncoming McKenzie to take on. He shot first time from the edge of the penalty area, finding the far bottom corner and beating the outstretched glove of Smith.
In the 71st minute, Arthurs restored the hosts' advantage. A low-drilled cross into the box was cleared as far as Arthurs. The ball initially bounced off the midfielder before he fired a looping volley over the diving Morris and into the bottom left corner from around 18 yards out.
Gillingham made a triple substitution as they tried to find a way back into the game. Jacob Wakeling, Josh Andrews and Euan Williams replaced McKenzie, Nevitt and Nolan.
The visitors failed to muster another opportunity to truly test the Bromley goal as the hosts held on for all three points.
FULL-TIME: Bromley 2-1 Gillingham
Bromley: Smith, Jenkinson (Reynolds 67’), Sowunmi, Grant, Odutayo, Imray, Arthurs, Thompson, Congreve (Olomola 68’), Whitely, Cheek
Unused Substitutes: Long, Charles, Dennis, Webster, Thomas
Gillingham: Turner (Morris 46’), Hutton, Masterson, Ehmer, Ogie, Clarke, Coleman, McKenzie (Wakeling 76’), Nolan (E. Williams 76’), Wyllie (Lapslie 57’), Nevitt (Andrews 76’)
Unused Substitutes: Webster, J. Williams
Referee: Alex Chilowicz
Attendance: 3438 (476 Gillingham supporters)
