A Matthew Bateman hat trick ended Bromsgrove Sporting's 100% league record at home, as the two teams played out an entertaining 3-3 draw.

The Berkhamsted hotshot put the visitors one up 21 minutes in with a header from close range, before goals from Tom Rankin and John Pykett put Sporting ahead going into the break.

A Bateman penalty levelled proceedings on the 56th minute, with his hat trick completed 20 minutes from time, courtesy of an impressive, low drive.

The dramatic final few minutes saw Sporting clinch a point, as Richard Gregory emphatically fired home an injury time penalty.

The opener went the way of Berkhamsted, as a James Towell cross was headed home past Sporting stopper Jono Brown at the far post by Bateman.

Gregory had an effort from distance neatly saved just shy of the half hour mark, but Bromsgrove eventually levelled the scoreline 15 minutes after the first goal, as a Josh Quaynor corner came to Rankin, whose looping header flew over keeper Xavi Comas Leon and into the bottom corner.

Soon after, Towell had a one on one saved by Brown, before Nathan Hayward had a header cleared off the line with a last ditch effort.

Sporting took the advantage on the 41st minute, as a shot from Gregory eventually fell to the oncoming Pykett, who slotted home from a matter of yards.

The early stages of the second half saw Gregory and Quaynor have chances for the home side, but it would be Berkhamsted who would draw next blood, via Bateman striking a penalty down the middle of the goal, after Charlie Dowd brought down Towell in the area.

The Berkhamsted frontman completed his haul by pouncing on Bromsgrove's inability to clear the ball by slotting the ball into the bottom corner with deadly accuracy from 20 yards.

It looked as though Sporting were going to bag the equaliser 15 minutes from the end, but a low drive from Quaynor was palmed away by Leon to the feet of substitute Christ Mayuba, who could only find the side netting with his gilt edged opportunity.

As time ticked on thereafter, it certainly seemed as though Sporting were going to lose at home for the first time in the league this season - that was until Gregory smashed a penalty into the net, via the underside off the crossbar after Cameron Peters was felled in the box two minutes into additional time.

It was almost pandemonium for the home fans, as Sporting almost grabbed the win at the death, as Gregory teed up defender Tom Taylor, who pulled his golden chance narrowly wide of the goal.

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.<br><br>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.