Bognor Regis Town, Bosham and East Dean win

Rocks 2 Herne Bay 1

Isthmian premier

Ten man Bognor ground out a 2-1 Isthmian premier victory at home to Herne Bay thanks to goals from James Crane and Nathan Odokonyero (penalty) to move up to eighth in the league.

Early on Crane hit the ball into Tushaun Walters who was on the floor and, rather harshly, after only two minutes was shown a yellow card.

Good play from Rocks saw Leon Baker-Neto turn and play it out wide to Josh McCormick who did well to round his man and get a cross in which bounced out for a corner. Sam De St Croix's corner was headed away.

Tom Chalaye was denied with his turn and low strike as Jordan Perrin used his leg to divert it away. Then De St Croix on the turn from the edge of the area hit a chance but it was well saved.

Isaac Olaniyan found Odokonyero with a neat pass inside and he ran on but was denied by Perrin who did well to block him with his legs with the striker choosing to shoot low.

Chalaye did well to win the ball back for Bognor and hooked the ball over to Luke Robinson on the right. The left winger crossed the ball in after beating his defender but it was cut out by Perrin at his near post.

Mason Saunders-Henry ran on the counter for Herne Bay and slipped in a neat pass beyond the defence. But thankfully for Bognor they were able to regain possession.

Bognor got the opening goal on 24 minutes. Chalaye hit the ball on the turn from a tight angle which was bouncing wide but with Crane waiting in the area and was able to divert it into an empty net.

But the lead didn't last long as the Rocks were hit by a piercing pass through defence and Kieron Campbell was able to burst into space unmarked and dispatch it low into the net on 27 minutes.

A one-two saw Chalaye pass to Odokonyero, who ran inside from the left. He hit it across the goal with venom, but it flew wide.

Olaniyan went into the book. Walters hit the direct free-kick over the wall but Toby Steward put the ball over the bar with both hands.

Walters sped inside on the byline and Crane was deemed to have tripped him. Crane was booked for the second time on 37 minutes and was sent off, leaving Bognor with ten men. The free-kick just outside the box failed to trouble Steward in the Bognor goal.

De St Croix hit the corner into Robinson who knocked the ball down for Tom Bragg who scissor kicked the ball wide from inside the box.

McCormick made a quick run down the right before running along the byline and getting tripped in the box.

Up stepped Odokonyero to send Perrin the wrong way and place it into the net from the spot on 47 minutes.

Steward punched at a corner that swung in and it came off a Herney Bay player and ricocheted back over the bar.

Campbell capitalised on Bognor being pushed back. He hit a chance from outside the box but it was straight at Steward.

Bode Anidugbe went into the book for a trip on Chalaye as Rocks rarely attacked after the second goal.

McCormick, now playing in left back position, burst down the flank to get a cross in but Perrin cut that out in the area by his near post.

Nick Dembele replaced Chalaye on 77 minutes as Rocks needed to freshen up the frontline.

Steward denied another strike from Campbell who used his quick feet to beat his man.

Jack Parter spun a shot wide with the ball on the edge of the box. And a late chance saw Che Krabbendam smash it only just wide of goal from over 25 yards out.

LIAM GOODLEY

1-0 is order of day for Chi City.

Rocks 5 Littlehampton 4

Friendly

Just Stop Oli protesters put paid to Bowers and Pitsea’s Isthmian League trip to Bognor with their action at the Dartford Crossing that caused traffic chaos.

But it didn’t stop the Rocks taking to the field. They hastily arranged a friendly at home to Littlehampton Town – and ended up winning it 5-4.

Bognor went behind on nine minutes. A neat forward pass by Scott Faber set up Joe Benn on the run and he composed himself to shoot low into the bottom corner to give the Golds the lead.

Littlehampton went further ahead as George Gaskin twisted and turned in the Bognor half before confidently shooting it low into the bottom corner on 16 minutes.

It got worse for Bognor as they went further behind on 21 minutes. Bognor's defence were out of position as Benn whipped the ball in low and Gaskin diverted it into the net.

Alfie Bridgman pounced on a loose back pass to slot into an empty net on 23 minutes to make it 3-1.

Then Golds keeper James Binfield's clearance fell directly to Brad Lethbridge who ran into the area before squaring directly to Harvey Whyte who placed it into the net on 27 minutes.

Littlehampton got another goal on 30 minutes to make it 4-2. Gaskin set Luke Donaldson through the middle and after outpacing Tom Bragg was able to slot low into the net.

Bognor got their third goal on 58 minutes. A swift move down the left ended with Bridgman running through and placing the ball along the deck for Tom Chalaye to divert in with his first touch.

Bognor got the equaliser on 84 minutes. Luke Robinson ran down the right before placing it into the path of Chalaye who curled it in from inside the area.

Another move down the left saw Bognor get the winning fifth goal right at the end.

A ball in found Robinson, who smashed into the net off a defender inside stoppage time to end a goal-filled game.

LIAM GOODLEY

Eastbourne Utd 2 Midhurst & Easebourne 0

SCFL premier

The Stags made the long trip to East Sussex – and boss Andy Ewen admitted later:Iit was a day we need to forget.

After a 2-0 reverse, Ewen told us: “It was a disaster from the moment I woke up with our physio breaking down in the morning and the players arriving at 2.45pm due to an accident on the main road into Eastbourne.

"We had to get lads to leave their cars and jog to the ground as it was quicker to run a few miles than sit in the traffic.

"Conditions were awful but Eastbourne adapted to them quicker, worked harder than us and deserved to win. We were disjointed and never managed to get going.

"Credit to Eastbourne they managed it very well.”

Before the defeat, Midhurst had enjoyed a good spell.

Ewen said: “We’ve bolstered the squad, lads are slowly returning, we progresse in the Sussex Senior Cup last week, beating Selsey, and that was pleasing as we got some minutes in lads that needed them.”

Midhurst visit AFC Varndeanians on Saturday.

Bosham 2 Copthorne 1

SCFL Div 2

Bosham made it back-to-back wins, this week, finally edging past a tough and workmanlike Copthorne side who were without a group of players as a consequence of a broken-down car which also resulted in manager, Simon Furnell, having to don the kit to make up the numbers.

Bosham made one change from last weeks’ outing with Pat Bulbeck returning to the starting line-up and Bosham were soon into their stride with the likes of Alex Barnes and Kieran Hartley looking dangerous every time they got the ball. Several good chances came and went with Mike Turvey unlucky to see a strike diverted past the pot by keeper Shayne Goldsmith on the quarter hour.

Eventually the pressure told and, approaching the half hour Bulbeck showed he still has the scoring pedigree to head Bosham into a deserved lead. Louis Bell provided a perfect, swinging, free-kick into the danger area and Bulbeck out jumped defenders to head past the static Goldsmith to edge the Robins ahead. Bosham continued to apply pressure and a short time later doubled their lead through the impressive Turvey. A sweeping move saw the ball eventually arrive at the feet of the striker, just outside the box, and his first-time slider wrongfooted Goldsmith, through a crowd, and nestled in the bottom corner to the huge adulation of the home support on the side lines.

The reds continued to push forward in the second half and created chances for Lewis Rustell who went narrowly wide on several occasions leaving the strike aghast at how he had not added to his seasons tally in this game. Copthorne then saw Furnell forced off with injury leaving the ten men to fight on for the last quarter of the game. To their credit they actually improved and finally tested Bosham keeper, Derek Harding with efforts from Stuart Cameron and the dangerous Ross Obazee.

Bosham were continually frustrated, as the final quarter of the match eased onward and how they failed to add to the tally was certainly bemusing to the home faithful as Bell went close with a couple of typically flamboyant drives from distance and Hartley continued to threaten from all angles. Fresh legs were called on by manager, Tony Hancock, but, even with the yellows going down to nine men with a player in the bin, Dan Sullivan notched a surprise late goal to make it a, surprisingly, nervy end to a game that should have put to bed by the Robins much earlier. Three points were the happy token at the final whistle and the knowledge that confidence is firmly in the right place for the challenges ahead. It’s a week off next weekend but the reds return to the lane on the 29th October for the visit of Rustington which has always tended to serve up a treat for fans so the hope will be for more of the same.

Bosham: Derek Harding, Harry Spicer, Pat Bulbeck, Louis Bell, Kieran Hartley, Alex Barnes, Mike Turvey, James Wilson, Lewis Rustell, Matt Docherty and Conor Crabb. Subs: Will Lintott, Joe Boschi, Ed Kennett, David Castanhiera and Harley Wain.

ALAN PRICE

East Dean 4 AFC Southbourne 3

West Sussex League Div 1

East Dean FC continued their winning run in division one of the West Sussex League with a narrow 4-3 victory over AFC Southbourne. Hayden Davies scoed two.

The Dean started positively from the get go and controlled the ball well and took the lead after around 15 minutes. Ben Pett squared the ball across to Haidon Davies on the edge of the box, which was cleverly dummied by Jason Houghton, for Davies to strike first time and bury the ball into the bottom corner.

Davies added his and East Deans second of the game shortly after, rounding a number of players before unleashing a shot on the edge of the area which found its way again into the bottom corner. Southbourne pressed to half the scoreline and eventually did so when the home side failed to clear, giving the unmarked strike to score from close range.

Pett should have extended the lead to two goals again when he was put through on goal from a perfect through ball from Zach Dray, but his attempt was saved. Dray almost did add a third for East Dean after his darting run from the halfway line ended up with his shot smashing the post.

Shortly after the second half starting The Dean grabbed a third. A corner fell to Dray who unselfishly passed the ball to Houghton to smash home from six yards out.

Midway through the half a fourth was added. Davies free kick rattled the post, Harry Raymond's rebound also clattered against the woodwork until it fell to Pett who tapped home from close range.

Southbourne tried to claw a goal back and eventually did so after the attacker was left unmarked in the area to slot home. Raymond could have sealed the victory with a fifth after being sent through one on one but his effort was blazed over the crossbar.

Down the other end Southbourne did add a third after a quick free kick was played into the box and chipped over a stranded John Burnett in goal. East Dean battled to keep the scoreline in their favour and eventually came out 4-3 victors.