Will Wright’s own-goal gifted Bromley a 1-0 away win at Swindon to keep their League Two play-off dreams alive.
Wright diverted Danny Imray’s 88th-minute low cross into his own net via his left foot to settle a tightly-fought contest, in which Swindon’s Kabongo Tshimanga saw his 45th-minute penalty saved by Grant Smith after a foul on Paul Glatzel from Adam Mayor.
The result meant that Bromley moved above Swindon into 12th position in the table and kept their faint play-off dreams alive.
Separated by a single point plus with an outside chance at the final play-off spot coming into this game, Swindon and Bromley unsurprisingly both made cagey starts as Omar Sowunmi nodded wide from a corner for the Ravens in the second minute.
Swindon’s Harry Smith then put his own header wide five minutes later as the hosts – unbeaten in their last four games – began to turn the screws as Gavin Kilkenny saw a 11th-minute shot saved by Grant Smith.
Bromley’s Idris Odutayo found himself lucky not to be red carded in the 19th minute after George Cox swung a low cross into the box, which was met by Glatzel who went to ground under an accidental clipping from Odutayo but the offside flag had been waved.
Andy Woodman’s Ravens soon received another huge scare as Smith got shoved into his own goalmouth by Tshimanga in the 26th minute, but recovered to deny the 27 year-old just before the half-hour mark.
Swindon’s Connor Ripley then made a crucial block to deny Imray at the right post in a stop-start middle-phase of the first half due to fouls and injury treatment.
The match looked destined to go into half-time without any goals until Mayor shoved Glatzel to ground inside the box in the 43rd minute, only for Smith to save Tshimanga’s tame penalty to his right two minutes later to keep parity at the break.
Both teams made one change apiece at half-time but Bromley almost snatched the opening goal moments after the restart as Jude Arthurs flicked over the bar from Imray’s throw-in.
Bromley continued to look lively and forced a 54th-minute save from Ripley as the Middlesbrough-born goalkeeper blocked Imray’s shot from substitute, Cameron Congreve’s cross, before Sowunmi headed the corner-kick onto the top-right corner of the crossbar and Michael Cheek was denied on the rebound.
Ripley again frustrated Imray as he saved the Bromley loanee’s shot from a cleverly looped overhead 61st-minute pass by Corey Whitely.
Swindon soon took control of the game but Smith was alert to make several saves including a low header from Harry Smith, whilst Joel Cotterill curled wide of the bottom-left corner in the 80th minute before Joe Westley smashed his shot onto the post moments later.
The game looked destined to finish goalless until Imray struck in the 88th minute with a low cross, which Wright could only poke into his own net to lift Bromley above Swindon into 12th in the table and prolong the Ravens’ faint play-off hopes as they now sit five points adrift of seventh-placed Grimsby.
What’s Next?
Swindon head to Gillingham on Saturday 26 April at 3pm BST in their penultimate game of the season, before they play host to MK Dons on the final day on 3 May (3pm).
Bromley will too be in action at the same time on both dates as they visit Barrow on 26 April, before their first season in the EFL concludes with a home fixture against Cheltenham.
Teams
Swindon: Connor Ripley, Ryan Delaney (Clarke 58′), Will Wright, Miguel Freckleton, Joel Cotterill, Gavin Kilkenny (Nichols 58′), Nnamdi Ofoborh (Ameen 72′), George Cox (Butterworth 46′), Paul Glatzel (Westley 72′), Kabongo Tshimanga, Harry Smith
Substitutes: Botan Ameen, Danny Butterworth, Jack Bycroft, Jake Cain, Ollie Clarke, Tom Nichols, Joe Westley
Bromley: Grant Smith, Adam Mayor (Congreve 46′), Omar Sowunmi, Byron Webster, Idris Odutayo, Danny Imray, Jude Arthurs (Thompson 63′), Ashley Charles, Corey Whitely (Ifill 83′), Nicke Kabamba (McKirdy 63′), Michael Cheek
Substitutes: Cameron Congreve, Kamarl Grant, Marcus Ifill, Brooklyn Ilunga, Sam Long, Harry McKirdy, Ben Thompson
Referee – William Davis
