Notts County were beaten 2-1 by undefeated Bromley in south-east London.

Kyle Wootton had cancelled out Alfie Doughty's early opener with a peach of a finish before the break.

But Shawn McCoulsky won the day for the hosts with a superb strike from the edge of the area.

Extra salt was rubbed into Notts' wounds late on when Jim O'Brien was forced off with what looked like a bad arm injury.

Neal Ardley made four changes to the side that beat FC Halifax Town seven days ago - three of them enforced. 

Injuries to Ben Turner and Sam Graham, who will miss the rest of the season, saw Connell Rawlinson and Zoumana Bakayogo come into the defence alongside former Bromley man Richard Brindley and Damien McCrory, who moved to centre back.

Regan Booty replaced the suspended Michael Doyle in a midfield four featuring O'Brien, Enzio Boldewijn and skipper Mitch Rose.

Kristian Dennis partnered Wootton up front with Wes Thomas taking a place on the bench, where he was joined by youngsters Sam Osborne, Pierce Bird and Declan Dunn, and player/goalkeeper coach Jake Kean.

It was the nightmare start for the Magpies as, within two minutes of kick-off, the hosts had the lead.

It came after Luke Coulson burst down the left wing and crossed the ball low into the box. It evaded Reeco Hackett-Fairchild in the middle but Doughty arrived in time at the back post to blast it high beyond Sam Slocombe.

And it should have been 2-0 to the hosts shortly afterwards when Bromley whipped the ball to the back stick from a short corner only for Joe Kizzi to head over unchallenged six yards out.

Notts' hearts were in their mouths once again moments later when Rawlinson was dispossessed in dangerous territory. The ball found its way to Hackett-Fairchild, who feigned a shot in the area to work the ball on to his left foot. He sent it low towards goal but Rawlinson was on hand to atone for his earlier error by blocking on the line.

The Magpies then began to grow into the game and had their first meaningful shot midway through the half when Notts played a corner along the ground for Dennis, whose first-time effort from a difficult angle flew off-target.

Another corner caused chaos shortly afterwards when O'Brien nearly found the far corner of the net, only for Bromley keeper Mark Cousins to make a last-ditch recovery.

And the Magpies' increasing pressure eventually told when Booty picked out Wootton with an incisive pass, allowing the forward to turn in space and curl the ball beautifully beyond Cousins to restore parity.

There were no changes for either side at half-time and the second period began in scrappy style with neither side able to gain control.

It wasn't until the 62nd minute that the next chance arose - and it was Dennis who came within inches of putting Notts ahead after Boldewijn supplied him just outside the area. The striker sent a first-time left-footed effort towards the top corner but Cousins did brilliantly to push the ball over the bar.

That was to be Dennis' final action of note as he made way for Thomas with 69 minutes on the clock.

But it was another substitute, Bromley's debutant loanee McCoulsky, who would next have the ball in the net.

It bounced out to him on the edge of the area after Notts had half-cleared a cross into the box and he demonstrated excellent technique to fire it into the corner of the net with 17 minutes remaining.

Bird replaced Bakayogo with 10 to play in a move which saw McCrory move to left back.

And another change was forced upon Ardley at the end of the 90 minutes when O'Brien had to leave the field breathing gas and air following a physicial challange. Osborne replaced him.

The match was already well into the previously-announced four minutes of added time and Notts were unable to find an equaliser in the dying moments.