BROMLEY reached their first London Senior Cup Final for six years last night with a 4-3 penalty shootout victory at Wingate & Finchley.

The win, which came after the tie had finished 1-1 after extra-time, also ended a five-match losing run for the Hayes Lane club.

There were plenty of chances at both ends, with Andrew Scarlett and Spencer Bellotti going close for the hosts, while Helge Orome, Louie Theophanous (twice) and Elliott Buchanan did likewise for the visitors.

The Isthmian Premier relegation-threatened home side always looked dangerous on the break.

Bromley’s keeper George Howard did well on 29 minutes when he advanced from goal to deflect Leon Smith’s effort wide of the post after the striker had broken through and four minutes later Jon Christian shot wide from a good position.

Orome’s cross-cum-shot went narrowly over the bar with Wingate’s keeper backpeddling, while Carlos Talbot’s shot lacked power following good approach play.

Wingate were twice denied as half-time approached.then Howard did well to block Leon Smith’s shot after the centre forward had wriggled his way into the danger zone.

The home side had the better of the exchanges in the opening period of the second half, with most of the danger coming from former Bromley player, and substitute, Anthony Thomas.

His free-kicks in the 53rd, 55th and 60th minutes all went dangerously close to opening the scorin, before Howard brilliantly tipped over a close range header from Leon Smith.

Bromley, however, survived the pressure and Buchanan shot wide before a Danny Waldren free-kick was headed against the upright on the blind side by Swaibu.

The miss of the game came with seven minutes remaining when Talbot’s pinpoint cross was put over the bar by Theophanous from just three yards, and on 87 minutes Mike Jones hit the bar from a Theophanous cross.

In time added on, Wingate could have snatched victory as poor defending allowed the ball to drop to Scarlett in front of goal just five yards out, but Howard somehow got in the way of the full-back’s volley to deflect the ball away and take the tie into extra-time.

Waldren and Theophanous (twice) wasted chances in extra-time before Wingate opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 98th minute. Howard had a rush of blood to his head to race from goal to inexplicitly bring down Thomas, with. O’Sullivan duly converting the spot-kick.

Bromley levelled the scores two minutes into the second period when Buchanan’s free-kick came back off the post and Jack Holland was first to react to crash the ball home from close range.

Another Buchanan free-kick was brilliantly tipped over by Win & Fin keeper Bobby Smith and Theophanous was denied in the last minute by the custodian’s fingertips at the foot of the post.

And so to penalty kicks, where Wingate missed their second and third kicks, while Bromley failed with their fourth kick to eventually come through by 4-3.

They now meet the winners of the Kingstonian vs Cray Wanderers semi-fnal on April 30 at Metropolitan Police’s Imber Court Ground, Kick (7.30 pm).

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Bromley: Howard, Orome, Patterson, Waldren, Holland, Swaibu, Noble (Jones 55), Talbot (Rhule 90), Theophanous, Buchanan, Welsh (O’Connor 82). Subs not used: K Campbell, Spencer. Att: 75.