Bromley had to come from behind to snatch a 1-1 draw at Eastbourne Borough on Saturday.

The Lillywhites squandered several first half opportunities and then fell behind to Tom Derry’s 70th minute header.

However, the visitors were back on terms seven minutes later thanks to Louis Dennis and returned home with a share of the spoils.

Bromley will certainly be glad to see the back of March, with only two victories and two draws out of their nine fixtures played.

The slump has seen nearest challengers for the title and automatic promotion Eastleigh claw back an 11-point gap to move two points ahead of the Hayes Lane club with two games in hand.

After a quiet opening it was the hosts who threatened first after 11 minutes when the ball was fired across the face of Bromley’s goal before Joe Anderson eventually cleared off the line.

Bromley responded two minutes later Brendan Kiernan shot over from a good position following Bradley Goldberg’s cross.

Goldberg the grazed the crossbar from an acute angle and Kiernan’s goal-bound shot was palmed away by Eastbourne keeper Craig Ross after Jay May had headed back across from Albert Jarrett’s pinpoint centre.

The Lillywhites continued to have the better of the exchanges, restricting the home side to occasional long range efforts.

Rob Swaine found himself in space in the area but shot wide from Anderson’s free-kick, while Jarrett headed another chance wide from a narrow angle.

Eastbourne’s Frankie Raymond sent a curling shot just wide of the upright and Elvis Hammond fired behind from a central positional shortly afterwards.

Bromley should have gone in at the break in front as Jack Holland mis-kicked from six yards just before the whistle blew after Swaine had headed down Kiernan’s cross.

The second half saw play swing back towards the home side, who forced several corner kicks which they were unable to capitalise on.

Joe Welch did well to palm away a stinging volley from Chris Shephard in the 56th minute, while James Stinson and Simon Johnson both fired wide moments later before Welch saved from Stacey Long.

The introduction of Dennis and Jake Reid for May and Jarrett on 65 minutes gave Bromley a lift.

With his first touch of the ball, Dennis put Kiernan in on goal but Ross brilliantly tipped the winger’s effort around the post.

Goldberg wastefully skied a free-kick high and wide before Eastbourne went ahead on 70 minutes. The visitors failed to deal with Raymond’s corner from the right and substitute Derry put a free header from close range into the roof of the net.

But the lead lasted just seven minutes as Kiernan’s cross was headed home by the impressive Dennis.

And the Lillywhites might have gone ahead two minutes later as Goldberg’s effort was blocked by a defender in the six-yard box.

Dennis could have had a second near the end when he showed superb skills in the area by beating two defenders only to screw his shot narrowly wide of the post.

Bromley visit Havant & Waterlooville on Saturday (3pm).

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Bromley: Welch, McKain, Anderson, Waldren, Swaine, Holland, Kiernan, Nicholls, May (Reid 65), Goldberg, Jarrett (Dennis 65). Subs not used: Bailey-Dennis, Fuseini, Buchanan. Att: 682