Bromley FC's new signings Ethon Archer and Mathis Servais starred as the team played out a hard-fought draw against Millwall FC at Hayes Lane. The Ravens' pre-season schedule had included a trip to Portugal featuring games against Sporting Lisbon B and West Bromwich Albion. Their opponents Millwall had been busy themselves, with games against La Liga 2 sides FC Andorra and Eldense before facing Gillingham and Stevenage. New signings Shamal George, Ethon Archer, and Deon Woodman made it into the starting eleven along with 18-year-old Freddie Cowin, who hasn't yet made his senior debut for Bromley. Millwall themselves were handing out a first start for young winger Kyrell Lisbie, the 22-year-old having signed from Peterborough United after a very strong first season in the EFL. Bromley were always going to frustrate, especially with a number of their experienced pros starting, but it was Millwall who nearly struck first through Mathis Servais, a loose shot in the first ten minutes barely finding its way over the bar, before new signing Lisbie was sent through on goal and would have scored but for heroics from Bromley 'keeper George. The two Millwall wingers nearly managed to open the scoring on 18 minutes, Azeez finding himself free down the right and putting in a teasing cross for Lisbie that had George beat but the ball ended up on the wrong side of the post before the flag was raised for offside. The Lions had the upper hand with ball possession, as most teams tend to against Bromley, but the physically strong Ravens were able to frustrate their opposition. Bromley's chances were coming from set pieces, never truly clear-cut but never to be underestimated. They were playing a Millwall side with a few more of their star men than Crystal Palace had, a squad that could just as easily have managed their own promotion last season if not for Ipswich and Coventry’s strong seasons. The gulf in technical quality was there to be seen, but that's never stopped Andy Woodman from dreaming. Lisbie continued to light up the night half an hour in, being sent through out wide but again unable to beat the heroics of Shamal George, almost burying it into the bottom right corner but a strong hand managed to keep the debutant yet again. Mazou-Sacko minutes later nearly managed to fashion a goal from nothing, keeping a near hopeless pass in, outmuscling Deon Woodman but causing the Bromley defender a potential injury in the process. He had to be replaced by another new signing in Richard Taylor, who featured for the first time on loan from Bolton Wanderers. Despite all that, Bromley were surprisingly the ones to take the lead, Ethon Archer taking a shot after a well-defended corner, fortunate with a deflection that took it past goalkeeper Lukas Jensen to give the Ravens a surprise lead right on the stroke of half-time. Next fixture: vs Stockport County (at home, 2027-01-16).