Bromley fell to defeat at a wet and windy Edgeley Park on Saturday afternoon, with a second half Liam Hogan goal being the difference.

The first chance fell Bromley’s way early on, with Luke Coulson taking advantage of a poor Stockport County throw and surging into the box. His cross was on a plate for Josh Rees, but Ben Hinchliffe was there to parry the ball away before the Bromley man could get to it.

Minutes later, some excellent close control from Coulson, and an inch perfect crossfield pass towards Michael Cheek allowed the Ravens’ number 9 time and space, but after being fed the ball, Corey Whitely slipped at the vital moment.

A couple more half chances for Whitely came and went, before Joe Kizzi had the chance to put the Ravens ahead. After Dave Winfield had headed Frankie Raymond’s corner back across the face of goal, Kizzi was unable to apply the finishing touch, diverting wide at the back post.

Five minutes before the break, Elliott Osborne found Danny Lloyd with a neat backpass in the box, and he saw his driven effort tipped around the post by Mark Cousins.

However, seven minutes into the second half, the hosts would find themselves in front. A Sam Walker corner was flicked across the face of goal, where debutant Hogan was on hand to bundle into the net.

Three minutes later, Bromley would almost level things up in stunning fashion. Substitute Billy Bingham, who had barely been on the pitch a minute, let fly with a dipping volley from the corner of the box, which was acrobatically tipped over the bar by Hinchliffe.

Cousins had to be alert once more soon after, as Liam McAlinden took a shot through a crowd of players which left him unsighted but despite that, he got down well to his left to make the save.

Cheek would have a goalbound shot blocked moments later after more magical footwork from Coulson, before the latter had a 25 yard piledriver tipped over the bar by Hinchliffe.

It would be Cousins’ turn to deny a goal moments after, as Danny Lloyd was played through on goal after beating the offside trap and went one on one with Cousins, only for the Bromley stopper to slide in and make a superb block.

Hinchliffe was called into action three times more towards the end of the game, as he denied substitute Adrian Clifton twice, as well as just about holding onto a swerving shot from Coulson. It was the latter who would have the final chance of the afternoon, but after cutting in from the left and unleashing a curling, driven effort, he saw the ball miss the post by inches.

Bromley XI: Cousins, Kizzi, Wood, Higgs (Bingham), Winfield (C), Coulson, Raymond, Cheek (Clifton), Bush, Whitely, Rees (Williamson)

Unused substitutes: Holland, Huddart (GK)

Attendance: 4611 (97 away)