LUKE Benbow’s injury-time penalty rescued a point for Bromsgrove Sporting in a 1-1 draw at bottom club Royston Town.
Benbow levelled the game five minutes into injury time after Ollie Stephenson’s early strike put the home side ahead at Garden Walk.
And Royston had Harvey Beckett sent off for an elbow on Shay Willock in the box which led to the late penalty.
The result means Sporting sit 17th in the Southern League Premier Central table, two points above the relegation zone, with the Rouslers winless in their last five matches.
Bromsgrove went close early on as Kian Ryley curled a shot narrowly wide of the target from the left edge of the penalty area.
However, Royston stunned the Rouslers on 12 minutes when Stephenson fired a low effort into the bottom left corner from 15-yards out.
The Rouslers spurned a golden chance to equalise when the ball dropped to Luke Softley in the box as Royston goalkeeper Reuben Rabstein tipped the defender’s effort from eight-yards over the crossbar.
Sporting went close again as Billy Shaw headed narrowly wide before James Brighton curled a free-kick inches past the post from 20-yards out at the other end.
The visitors continued to search for an equaliser as Isaac Godwin lashed a shot narrowly over the top from just inside the penalty area.
However, Sporting’s pressure eventually told deep into injury time as Beckett caught Willock in the face with a raised arm off the ball in the box and the referee pointed to the spot.
Beckett received a straight red card as Benbow kept his cool from the penalty spot to fire the ball into the bottom left corner and earn the Rouslers a point.
Bromsgrove are next in action against Spalding United on Saturday, March 28 with kick-off at 3pm at the Sir Halley Stewart Field.
