BROMSGROVE SPORTING 3 BERKHAMSTED 3
Report by Dean Bradford/Grant Hastie
They became the first away team to avoid defeat there in the league this season, in front of an impressive 823 fans, where they were denied all 3 points by a disputable 93rd minute equaliser from the penalty spot.
Steve Bateman had to reshuffle his side with three defenders absent and James Towell was moved into midfield.
Leading scorer Matt Bateman scored an impressive hat-trick (his third of the season) against a side that had a 100% home record going into this game and he opened the scoring on 22 minutes with an excellent far post header from a James Towell cross, which was well deserved on the balance of play at the time.
The goal spurred Bromsgrove and their large crowd into life and they were on terms through Thomas Rankin on 36 minutes. With half time looming and Berkhamsted seemingly looking to bank a good half time score-line John Pykett scored from close range on 41 minutes.
Now going downhill, the 2nd half belonged largely to Berkhamsted as every player was giving 100% for the cause. Special praise to Max Farrelly and Connor Toomey who excelled in a rearranged centre half partnership. Berkhamsted were back in it on 56 minutes when Will Summerfield's mazy run into the box resulted in a foul and Matt Bateman made no mistake from 12 yards to make it 2-2.
Berkhamsted were not done there and on 70 minutes incredibly took the lead to stun the home crowd. Elliot Godfrey won possession in the middle of the park and after an initial block Matt Bateman curled in a superb strike from 20 yards to give the Comrades the lead. The last frantic 15 minutes were backs to the wall with the majority of the home fans behind Berko's goal being very much the 12th man.
Just when it looked like Berkhamsted would hold on for a famous win, Danny Murphy was adjudged to bring down the Bromsgrove winger with a foul that started outside the box but carried on inside it and leading scorer Richard Gregory made no mistake from the spot to share the points.
Despite the disappointment of conceding so late on, this performance more than proved Berkhamsted can hold their heads high in their debut season at this level.
Despite the equaliser, Corby moved above Bromsgrove into second spot in the league table. The crowd of 823 was the most to watch a Berko non-league game since the FA Vase final at Villa Park in 2001.
Berko: Comas; Stevenson (Adams), Murphy, D Jones (Plowright), Farrelly, Toomey, Towell, Godfrey, Bateman, Lacey (Austin), Summerfield. Sub not used – Weatherill. |