A HAT-TRICK from Star Man Connor Cairaschi saw fourth-placed Bromley Heath United come from behind to convincingly beat lowly Bradley Stoke Youth.

Bromley Heath almost fell behind in the fifth minute after Matty Weymouth was penalised for handball. Ben Worsley's well-struck free-kick looked on course for the top corner of the net, but Ross Baker dived to his right to tip the ball on to the bar where it bounced back into the box and was put behind for a corner.

Bradley Stoke's early pressure was rewarded with a goal two minutes later. Worsley met Will Barber's corner at the back post and he nodded the ball back across goal for Matt Barrett to tap home.

Less than two minutes later, the home side doubled their lead. Jack Boulton threaded the ball through for Nathan Redmore to chase but, just before the striker could get his shot away, back came Marcus Lambert with a fantastic sliding tackle.

The ball bobbled free and it was Redmore who was first to react, beating Baker to the ball and poking it beyond the keeper, only to see it strike the post.

Bromley Heath thought they had got away with it, but the rebound fell straight to Barrett, who stroked the ball into the empty net.

Bromley Heath responded well to going two goals down and gradually began to dominate. Bradley Stoke keeper Jack Midwinter was forced to turn Josh Williams' 40-yard free-kick against a post, while Joe O'Connor fired narrowly over the bar from the penalty spot.

The visitors continued on the front foot and captain Scott Connell wasted a great chance, heading wide of the far post when O'Connor's deep corner found him unmarked.

A minute later, Williams struck the woodwork for the second time in the game with a vicious 25-yard right-foot shot. Midwinter was as much a spectator as the parents on the sidelines as the ball rocketed over his head and thumped the crossbar, before bouncing back into the grateful keeper's arms.

Midwinter pushed over a long-range effort from Cairaschi before, right on the stroke of half-time, Bromley Heath finally made the breakthrough they had been pushing for.

Will Price was robbed by Williams, who charged into the box, avoiding one challenge, before squaring the ball past the onrushing keeper to Cairaschi, who turned it in at the back post.

The home side had defended stoutly as they looked to protect their lead, but the longer the game went on the more likely the visitors looked to score.

Heath came flying out of the blocks in the second half, netting an equaliser inside the first minute. Baker's long punt upfield found O'Connor, who drove between two defenders before delightfully curling the ball over a rather stranded Midwinter from 20 yards.

The visitors continued to pile forward, with Midwinter saving from Weymouth after he was released by Cairaschi, before the same player teed up Sam Ashby, whose shot bobbled just wide.

Bromley Heath threatened again when they were then awarded a free- kick 25 yards from goal after Worsley's under-hit back pass fell straight into the path of Cairaschi, who was bundled over by Oliver Glossop.

Williams struck the free kick superbly, getting the ball up and over the wall, but the ball curled a little too much and shaved the outside of a post on its way behind.

Bradley Stoke did carve out a couple of chances, notably when Barber's clipped effort sailed over Baker but just over the crossbar, before Bromley Heath finally took a deserved lead.

Midwinter's goal kick was won unchallenged by Weymouth, nodding the ball down to O'Connor, who poked it through for Cairaschi to slide home and make it 3-2.

Part of Bromley Heath's success in going forward was down to the fact that their back line of Alex Stiddard, Josh Davies, Lambert and Connell had held their shape much better as the game progressed and they appeared much more organised and solid in the second half.

Connor Boydell came close to getting on the scoresheet for Bromley Heath when a long-range snap shot out of the blue caught Bradley Stoke a little off guard, but fortunately the ball ran just wide of the target

Bradley Stoke managed to carve out a good chance with less than 10 minutes to go when Redmore was released by the head of Barber, but, after seeing his first shot blocked by Baker, Redmore fired wide at the second attempt.

Bromley Heath continued to dominate, however, with Cairaschi completing his hat-trick four minutes from time when his fierce 35-yard effort took a deflection off a defender and beat Midwinter.

4-2 soon became 5-2 as the ball was threaded through for James Malby who, with Jake Alderman in support, chose to go alone and fired the ball in at the near post past Midwinter from 10 yards.

The final whistle blew shortly afterwards to give the visitors a deserved victory. They had dominated play for long spells, controlling possession and causing the home side defence plenty of problems.

Bradley Stoke Youth: Tom Bell, Nathan Redmore, Jack Boulton, Will Barber, Lewis Perry, Henry Vanderhoest, Ben Worsley, Will Price, Oliver Glossop, Matt Barrett, Geordie Stewart, Jack Midwinter, Sam Robertson.

Bromley Heath United: Ross Baker, Jake Alderman, Connor Boydell, Sam Ashby, Matty Weymouth, Connor Cairaschi, Scott Connell, Josh Williams, Marcus Lambert, James Malby, Joe O'Connor, Josh Davies, Alex Stiddard.