Bromley book EFL place for first time after sinking Solihull Moors in shootout

Many people believe that there is always a first time for everything, but this is not entirely true. However, for Bromley, August will mark a significant first time event. For the past 132 years, they have remained unnoticed, but now they will compete in the English Football League.

Sometimes, events occur multiple times. For instance, Grant Smith, the goalkeeper for Bromley, has experienced exiting the National League at the end of a season before. However, in the past, Smith had been relegated with Yeovil. This time around, though, Smith's two penalty shootout saves, one from Tyrese Shade and the other from Josh Labadie, helped elevate Bromley towards promotion instead of facing relegation.

After nine penalties, the only thing left to do was for the captain, Byron Webster, to achieve a personal goal. Webster had previously won twice at Wembley in playoff finals, and now he successfully scored his penalty kick. This brought great relief to Bromley.

Solihull had an unfortunate ending - as penalty kicks hardly ever are fair - even though they had a significant part in creating a thrilling three-act play that suited the occasion perfectly. The first act was a light appetizer, quite calm and careful, but not boring. The second act was intense, frenzied, and a bit chaotic. Lastly, the conclusion was incredibly tense.

Bromley was in the lead two times during the match, with Michael Cheek, who holds the record for most goals in the National League, scoring a goal on each side of the half. However, Moors managed to score twice and tie the game, first with Joe Sbarra's goal and then with their captain Jamey Osborne's goal.

Sometimes, Bromley's style of play may not be very attractive. However, their manager, Andy Woodman, is not bothered by this at all. He has developed a specific and effective formula over the past three years which includes being practical, avoiding losses, and delivering powerful attacks that leave opponents stunned.

They desire the power to regulate and manipulate situations. Initially, they achieved this to some extent, but did not significantly contribute through criticism or other means.

Soon after, the second part began, a bit earlier than planned. The Moors coach, Andy Whing, who previously worked at a sofa storage owned by his buddy, nervously walked back and forth in his designated area. One moment he crossed his arms, then he opened them again, before sitting and immediately getting up once more.

When James Durkin, whose father was a World Cup official, declared that Cheek's contact with the centre-half Alex Whitmore's foot was legal, Whing suddenly understood everything clearly. Despite his protests, Whing couldn't change the decision. As anticipated, Cheek scored with composure.

Woodman, sporting his trademark cap and with his hands buried in his pockets, had been standing motionless until that moment. He's no stranger to this place, having won the FA Trophy two years back. However, he has also suffered two heartbreaking losses in the post-season.

When Cheek scored and the ball went into the net, Woodman celebrated with nearly 20,000 happy Ravens fans. They were all dancing and having a great time.

During halftime, Whing hung around, waiting for Durkin. He continued to complain before storming into the Moors changing room with anger and passion. It appeared that some of his emotions rubbed off on his players, who soon equalized thanks to an impressive scorer.

Sbarra had to stop training for six months due to a heart issue that was detected during a routine scan last March. He wasn't sure if he would ever be able to play again. But against all odds, he found himself at Wembley and passed the ball to Tahvon Campbell. Although Smith stopped the first shot, Sbarra didn't give up and finished the play. He then ran towards the small but passionate group of Moors fans who were ecstatic.

The "cockney boys" were taunted for about 10 minutes. There didn't seem to be any threat, but Kyle Morrison's intended backward pass turned out to be a major mistake. Nick Hayes flailed his leg wildly, hitting and knocking down Cheek. The penalty kick that followed was an expected outcome.

Although they fell behind once more, the Moors stayed confident and composed. In no time at all, Osborne evened the score. Astonishingly, Bromley let him move forward without any opposition and take a shot from a distance of 20 yards. The consequences were significant.

As the seconds passed, the momentum dwindled. The players exchanged possession, often without much value. On two occasions during the additional period, the Bromley replacement, Alex Kirk, hit the post. In the end, it was their persistence, as depicted on the sign hanging above the door of Bromley's Hayes Lane locker room, that secured their victory.

The challenging part begins now. The Bromley team has to switch to playing on their synthetic turf. Will they have any objections? It doesn't appear so.

For those who criticize Wembley stadium for hosting events like these, don't bother smelling the air. Maybe the seats weren't all full, but the audiences' hearts certainly were.