BROMSGROVE Sporting were left frustrated as an equaliser deep into second-half added-time saw them drop two valuable points at home against Berkhamsted in a 1-1 draw, writes Max Banner.
Nathan Blissett had a first-half penalty saved for the 16th-placed Rouslers at the Victoria Ground before captain Luke Rowe gave them the lead with 15 minutes remaining.
However, there was a final twist in the tale in Saturday's Southern League Premier Division Central clash as Raul Fernandes da Silva scored for the bottom-of-the-table Comrades in the 94th minute.
The match started on a positive note with Sporting goalkeeper Ollie Taylor getting a round of applause from the crowd as he came on the pitch to make his 100th appearance for the Rouslers.
Debutant Ben Richards-Everton, the former Bradford City defender signed from Gloucester City, almost gave Tim Flower's Bromsgrove the lead 22 minutes in but his shot was saved.
Up the other end, Olumayowa Lawal's curled effort drew a fine save from Taylor three minutes later.
The penalty came in the 38th minute for a handball offence.
Up stepped Blissett who saw his spot-kick kept out by Joshua Bowler.
The 41st minute saw Finn Howell test Bowler with a menacing ball towards goal and the Berkhamsted keeper had to be alert to tip it wide.
Richards-Everton had another chance to break the deadlock seven minutes into the second half and it looked as if his shot was going into the left-hand side of the net but his effort from close range was spectacularly cleared off the line.
The opener came after Rowe found himself with space in the area after picking up a weak clearance and his strike hit Bowler before finding the bottom corner.
Sporting looked as though they were going to claim all three points until da Silva capitalised on a calamitous defensive error in the fourth minute of added time when a back header came off the post and he slotted home the rebound with ease from mere yards out.
Two other new Sporting signings defender Oluwatoba Obitayo and forward Abdulrasaq Alamu-Tajudeen, who joined from Walsall Wood, stayed on the bench.
Defender Ayo Lekuti has left the club to pursue more minutes on the pitch.
Sporting have extended the loans of Howell and Tyler Bruck from Solihull Moors until the end of the season along with defender Mark Derricott from Hereford.
Bromsgrove made the return trip to Berkhamsted on Saturday (3pm).
Sporting: Taylor, Derricott (Shaw 60 mins), Howell, Richards-Everton, Roberts, Soladami, Rowe (capt), Abimbola, Cooper (Newell 86), Bruck (Leachman-Whittingham 63), Blissett. Unused substitutes: Obitayo, Alamu.
Referee: Mr S Kavanagh.
Sporting player of the match: Rowe.
Attendance: 606.
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