Bromley 4, Aldershot Town 3

ALDERSHOT Town’s brief foray into this year’s FA Cup is already over – and angry boss Danny Searle was left ‘fuming’ by his side’s failure to deal with set pieces.

The Shots had their backs to the wall within just 12 minutes as Bromley struck twice in almost identical fashion – Joe Kizzi and Michal Cheek netting unchallenged from free kicks.

And although the Shots fought back through a first goal for the club from new striker Mohamed Bettamer and second-half goals from Shamir Mullings and Robbie Tinkler, the early damage proved fatal.

Cheek added a second goal on 67 minutes to all but kill off the tie after Jack Holland had given his side a two-goal cushion at the break.

“If you had said to me before the game that we would score three goals and lose I would have said you must have been drinking the night before. I’m fuming,” said Searle after the final whistle.

“To defend set-pieces the way we did in the first half is just criminal, two of the players weren’t even marked. We got one back to make it 2-1 but we didn’t deserve it, it flattered us, but you’re thinking we’ve weathered a bit of a storm, we’re back in the game, and then we concede from another set piece.”

Searle, who hasn’t tasted much success in the FA Cup as a player or a manager, continued: “The talk in the dressing room was all about desire. If you’re not going to have that desire to go and compete in any game, but especially a game like this with the potential rewards on offer then I don’t want you in the building, it’s as simple as that.

“It was disgraceful the way we played first half, we were a disgrace and we needed to react. We got a reaction in the second half but they had a goal disallowed, from another set piece, so we got away with that one, and we talked about not messing about with the ball around our own penalty area, but we did that and they punished us.

“To be fair to the boys they had a real go in the second half but I’m gutted. If we had been beaten playing well, you’d think fair play to Bromley. They are a good side, they are at the top of the league for a reason, but I don’t think they had to be that great today because they ripped us to pieces on set pieces.”

Bromley’s reward for their 4-3 win against Aldershot was an away tie against League One side Bristol Rovers, but for the Shots the cup dream is over for another year and they must now turn their attention to trying to move up the National League table – starting with an away game in North Yorkshire against Harrogate Town on Saturday (kick-off 3pm) followed by a trip to Hertfordshire to play Boreham Wood next Tuesday (kick-off 7.45pm).