A lively start for the visitors saw Becky McCready have a corner deflected at goal of which somehow was hacked away by Millie Carter.

Zoe Stubbs had to dash out of her goal to pass out ahead of the onrushing Paige Kersey but her pass went straight to Amelie Howard. Her strike flew straight to Millie Carter who got a decent ball across the box but it was out of the reach of Annabelle Gracey on 7 minutes.

Then Gracey found Howard with a diagonal pass but on the run into the area she lost possession with her left foot and it rolled out of play on 10 minutes.

Kersey was trying to pick out Gracey on the right but the Hackney goalkeeper got to it first as the Rockettes were growing into the game after a nervy start.

Sasha Pendleton’s corner kick from the right had to be booted clear by Georgia Selby on 20 minutes as Hackney looked very dangerous when the ball was played square across the box.

Hackney had a goal chalked off for offside as Amy Nicholson put the ball in following Lizzie Tucker’s right sided cross which found Nicholson in lots of space.  She tapped it in but the goal didn’t count as she was flagged off for offside.  The referee decided to not award the goal despite heated discussions arguing against the decision.

Hackney’s Tucker teed up another chance with a flick on in the 28th minute.  But Rockettes keeper Nicole Robinson was quick out of her goal to stub it away for a throw in.

In a quiet spell for the Rockettes it was the visitors who had the next chance on 37 minutes.  Ellen Salter received a bouncing square pass before smashing it high over the crossbar as Hackney looked the likelier to score the first goal.

Lou Lou Robson did well to get a shot away from over 30 yards out.  It was going wide but Stubbs inadvertently got a touch to it for a Rockettes corner.  Molly Thorn’s left sided corner kick failed to trouble Hackney though, as the ball hit the side netting directly.

A nice move on the right saw saw a good cross from Gracey met by Barton who got their first ahead of Stubbs.  There was contact as the player came across the goalkeeper but despite the claims from the Rockettes dugout, no penalty was given by the referee on 42 minutes.

Pendleton picked out another corner and crossed it into the middle. Kate Meehan was there to head high over the crossbar to end the half after 2 minutes of stoppage time.

HT 0-0

At the restart, Carter got an early ball out wide to the left with Howard running down the wing.  She cut a low ball into the area but it was cut out by Pendleton.

Barton tried to find Kersey with a forward pass down the middle but she had strayed offside on 50 minutes.

Then Carter did well to close down a lost cause and win a corner but Barton’s ball in was headed away and then the follow up chance saw a ball out wide fly out for a goal kick.

Shannon Nolan replaced Howard in Rockettes’s first substitution on 52 minutes.

But Hackney took the lead on 53 minutes as Tucker burst through beyond the Rockettes defence after a long forward ball through the middle.  She ran on and knocked it beyond Robinson despite the goalkeeper doing her best to close her down.

A failed clearance saw Tucker receive the ball on the right wing but her cross, destined for Nicholson, was cut out by Jade Widdowson and a freekick was rightly awarded to the Rockettes on 57 minutes.

Gracey had a great chance straight after this and found herself in acres of space on the right.  But after a short run into the area, her bouncing strike was well stopped by Stubbs at her near post.

Faye Trinidad replaced Thorn on 61 minutes for the Rockettes as they needed a way back into the game.

Tucker was sent through again on goal soon after, but this time, she was cut out by Robinson, who was quick out of her goal to deny her on 64 minutes.

Lucy Branning slid in late on Nolan and after she went to ground she had a bad nose bleed and apparent broken nose on 67 minutes after landing flat onto her face.  The referee decided not to issue a yellow card. Thorn had to come back onto replace her on 68 minutes as Nolan was advised further medical assistance.

Tucker had another cross fly into the box but hit the side of the goal on 71 minutes.

Then a direct freekick by Robson saw Carter almost reach the ball on the edge of the box.

On 81 minutes Tucker, who was a real problem for the Rockettes all game, forward down the right and forced Robinson into a save.  But Hackney extended their lead on 82 minutes as Meehan was set through to get a foot in ahead of Robinson to roll the ball into the net.

Robinson denied another Tucker chance as she ran through and hit it low off the left leg of the goalkeeper who used her good reactions to stop the visitors extend their lead.

Then Nat White did well to turn with the ball but her strike from distance flew high and wide on 86 minutes for Hackney.

A long ball down the right saw Kersey pick out Howard but on her first touch she diverted it agonisingly wide of the far post on the volley in a rare attack for Bognor.

But Hackney were deserved winners at the MKM Arena and go through into the next round.  The Rockettes are next on the road as they travel to Bromley in league action on Sunday 21st January with kick off at 3pm.

FT 0-2

Rockettes: 1. Nicole Robinson, 6  Georgia Selby, 4  Macie Downs, 13  Jade Widdowson, 2  Molly Thorn (Trinidad 61), 5  Lou Lou Robson, 7. Millie Carter, 9  Paige Kersey, 8  Annabelle Gracey, 10  Laura Barton, 11  Amelie Howard (Nolan 52 (Thorn 68). Subs: 16  Faye Trinidad, 17  Shannon Nolan, 3  Kayleigh Akmenkalns

Hackney: 1.  Zoe Stubbs, 8  Becky McCready, 4  Lucy Browning, 6  Sasha Pendleton, 10  Taleen Taylor, 13 Helen King, 7  Kate Meehan (c), 15  Lizzie Tucker, 3  Louise Nolan, 11  Amy Nicholson, 12  Ellen Salter. Sub: 9. Nat White