Woking 1-2 Bromley: Cheek and Elerewe fire Ravens through to playoff semi-finals
Michael Cheek leveled from the spot for the Ravens after an hour played (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Bromley are now ninety minutes away from the Vanarama National League playoff final after coming from behind to defeat fourth-place Woking 2-1.

It was the visitors who dominated the early stages of the game and probably will have been regretting not taking their chances as the Cards punished them with their first attack, thirteen minutes in.

A ball pulled back across the penalty area fell to Rohan Ince on the edge of the box, and he set the arena alight with a stunning first-time strike into the back of the net, taking everyone by surprise.

Bromley continued to pummel Will Jaaskelainen's 18-yard box with countless other chances, and eventually, they got their golden opportunity for a leveler, after a foul saw them awarded a penalty with half an hour to go.

Michael Cheek dispatched into the corner with coolness and confidence, and it was only a matter of sixteen minutes later when Deji Elerewe sent a looping header over  Jaaskelainen to complete the comeback and see the Ravens through after a breathless display in the playoff eliminator.

  • Story of the match

As anticipated, there were changes made by Darren Sarll from the final day of the season which saw multiple players rested, however, there was no return at all for top scorer Rhys Browne, whose injury was a huge blow for the Cards, while the goalscoring task for this playoff eliminator was handed over to Padraig Amond.

It was looking a bit more positive for in-form Bromley, as Ryan Stirk was reinstated into the lineup, alongside key men Corey Whitely and Michael Cheek.

Most of the early pressure was applied by the visitors, and they came close to taking the lead after just six minutes, as a long throw found the head of a lurking Cheek, but his hopeful nodded effort was tipped onto the side-netting.

The resulting corner gave Bromley an even better chance to open the scoring, Deji Elerewe finding himself directly in front of goal - Cards' 'keeper Will Jaaskelainen will have been thanking his lucky stars that the header was straight down the middle and a fairly simple catch for the stopper.

The Woking 'keeper had an outstanding first half display  (Photo by Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The Woking 'keeper had an outstanding first half display (Photo by Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

It continued to be one-way traffic for the remainder of the first ten minutes, and having been unable to convert the initial corner, the Ravens' second of the game took a different approach, going short to Louis Dennis, whose low first-time strike travelled straight into the grasps of the 'keeper.

However, the tables were soon turned as the visitors fell asleep to a James Daly low ball in from the left, causing confusion in the box and missed by everyone, rolling to Rohan Ince, who was the coolest man in the stadium as he magnificently belted home from the edge of the area.

Andy Woodman's side went in search of a response and weren't far off finding it five minutes later - Dennis did well to outrun opposing defenders to latch onto a perfect through ball into the box, only to find himself denied by a brilliant close-range save from Jaaskelainen.

The frustration carried on longer for Bromley, and it almost got doubly worse, but an askew volley from Jim Kellermann was never going to trouble anyone apart from the ballboys.

Approaching the end of first-half regulation time, another onslaught of Ravens chances commenced when a loose ball was hopefully hit across goal, his powerful cross-cum-shot looping into the path of a completely unmarked Cheek, but his reaction was slow, kneeing it back to the 'keeper.

Another couple of promising passes in and around the penalty area came to nothing, and there was time for one last chance before the break, Cheek's touch was too heavy in front of the target and the rebound from Kellen Fisher well-blocked to close off the half, with Woking somehow still leading.

A seemingly inspiring team talk from Sarll saw the hosts return to the field and begin the second phase with a bit more attacking intent, forcing a stunning save out of Reice Charles-Cook to turn wide a mesmerizing curling effort from Padraig Amond eight minutes in.

It all appeared to be going slightly better in terms of performance for the Cards in the opening stages of the half; that was until Dan Moss caught his leg tangled with a man in green, the latter not hesitating to collapse into the box, demanding no other than a spot-kick to be awarded by the referee.

There would be no complaints, with the man in the middle, Lewis Smith, positioned right in front of the incident, which was a penalty all day long.

There was strictly no one on the pitch other than Cheek who would have the coolness and composure to step up for Bromley at such a vital time, and he made no mistake in dispatching into the corner, sending the 'keeper the wrong way and lifting his side back onto level terms with half an hour left to play.

Michael Cheek made up for earlier missed chances with a perfectly placed penalty kick (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Michael Cheek made up for earlier missed chances with a perfectly placed penalty kick (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

The striker had another chance twelve minutes later, showing his unselfish side and pulling it back to Fisher to hit it into the arms of Jaaskelainen.

It was somewhat clear that the penalty decision had changed the game in Bromley's favour once more, and they sure made their domination count, regaining the lead with fourteen minutes remaining.

And would you believe it, the goal which completed the Ravens' comeback came from an unlikely hero in defender Elerewe.

The centre-half made sure of his presence from a long throw, watching a flick-on bounce over the crowd of bodies and towards the back post where he was looming, waiting to send a looping header over a motionless Jaaskelainen and into the far corner, putting the non-league veterans on the brink of a playoff semi-final.

Woking attempted a late fightback but it was beginning to look like it wasn't going to be their day, or season, as virtually everything turned to powderpuff from their point of view.

Having entered five minutes of stoppage time, there was a firm penalty shout for the Cards however waved away due to a close offside in the buildup.

The home side used long balls as a last resort although that too came to zilch, and the final whistle couldn't come sooner for the Ravens.

When it did, it was no surprise to see glorious celebrations with the packed-out away end, as Bromley now gear up for a trip to Chesterfield which could see them reach Wembley for a second consecutive season, having lifted the FA Trophy last term.

  • Player of the match

Deji Elerewe (Bromley)

Deji Elerewe was the unlikely hero for Bromley, netting the winner to cap off a marvelous performance Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)
Deji Elerewe was the unlikely hero for Bromley, netting the winner to cap off a marvelous performance Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)

Man of the match has to go to the 19-year-old defender, simply for popping up as the unlikely hero with that header at the back stick, and his defensive display was immaculate too, keeping Padraig Amond quiet throughout the game.