The Rockettes won their second game on the bounce as they beat Hassocks 4-1 at a sunny MKM Arena this weekend.
After falling behind early on after a penalty kick was dispatched by a starting 10-woman Hassocks side on 7 minutes, Bognor stormed back to net four times with Lou Lou Robson and Millie Carter both getting two goals each.
Rockettes were back at home against Hassocks after they were winners away to Montpelier Villa in midweek, coming from 3-1 down to win 4-3 to pick up a crucial three points.
Kirsty Willett won an early corner on the left. Millie Carter fired the cross in but it was headed out to Bognor where Annabelle Gracey was denied her low strike.
Another corner by Carter found the head of Robson, and her low attempt was pushed back out by the Hassocks goalkeeper, Sarah Chappell.
Another chance saw Georgia Selby have a go from distance but it was well saved by the goalkeeper as Selby tried to spot her off her line.
Then Robson played the ball back to Nicole Robinson who slipped up and allowed Milly Dalgleish to win a penalty after the goalkeeper tripped her up. Katherine Chappell fired low into the bottom corner from the penalty on just 7 minutes.
Gracey swung in a dipping cross but it was stubbed out by the defence as Bognor were behind against the run of play early on.
Jade Widdowson did well to cross the ball again from the right and it fell to Willett who fired it over the bar on 16 minutes.
Robinson did well to deny Dalgleish’s run into the box, kicking the ball back out again.
Laura Barton did well to cross the ball from the corner but S. Chappell got a glove to the ball to divert it away.
Bognor got their equaliser on 23 minutes. Robson was the taker of a long range effort with her right boot, wide on the right and she fired it high over the goalkeeper and into the net.
Bognor deservedly took the lead on 28 minutes. Carter’s left sided corner met the head of Robson who looped her header into the net.
Then Carter drove in another corner which found Macie Downs but she diverted it wide on her first touch.
Then Kerri Grant got another chance and she tried hitting it from outside the box but it flew agonisingly over the bar on 38 minutes for Bognor.
Hassocks forward, Kirstin Mair did well to play her left sided corner onto the head of Claire Stevens who diverted it towards goal. Widdowson was there to hack it away off the back post.
To end the half, Jemma Lindfield got the ball chipped into the path of Carter who passed the ball back to Laura Barton, but she struck it wide of the left post from the edge of the box on 44 minutes.
HT 2-1
Jess Cromey replaced Georgia Selby at half time for the Rockettes.
A great move saw Widdowson receive the pass by Carter. Then she found Willett with a through ball but her forward pass to Carter broke down after she strayed offside.
K. Chappell pulled up with an injury which help up play on 50 minutes as she received treatment. She did not return to action, meaning Hassocks were now down to 9 women.
Barton drove in another corner from the right but Robson couldn’t divert it in for her hat-trick.
A ball was then played through to Carter who squared a pass to Grant but after running through she fired her low effort at goal. The goalkeeper got a deflection on the ball to steer it onto the right post and out on 55 minutes.
Then Cromey got the cross in from the right. Carter got to it but had to turn back inside before curling a strike over the goalkeeper and into the top right corner on 58 minutes, extending Bognor’s lead.
Gracey did well to dig out a cross before it bounced out to Cromey who had a shot pushed out by S. Chappell on 60 minutes.
Gracey clashed with the goalkeeper head on as both tried to get there first in the box on 63 minutes with S. Chappell requiring long treatment.
Gracey combined with Barton to get a cross in but it was well caught by S. Chappell who did return to play despite a nasty knock to the head.
In a rare attack for the visitors, Lola Moon did well to pick up the ball and drag the ball back to Mair who hit it early from 25 yards out but it was hit high over the bar.
Grant got a cleared ball straight in the face and had to receive treatment on 74 minutes as the game slowed down considerably after the injury to the visiting goalkeeper.
Downs missed the clearance and this allowed Moon in but her strike was comfortably saved by Robinson.
Barton got in a late cross as 10 minutes were added on. Selby met this cross on the volley but it sailed high over the bar.
Rockettes were also down to 10 women as Grant went down injured off the ball but no subs were left to bring on to replace her.
Following the freekick by Robson it was played square to Selby who had a go from 25 yards out but it dipped just over the bar.
Cromey had another shot saved by the goalkeeper after a good cross from the right hand side.
On 90+9 minutes Bognor extended their lead as a well-weighted through pass by Gracey was latched onto by Carter and she ran through to divert it low beyond the goalkeeper.
Rockettes travel to Portchester next on Wednesday 10th April with kick off at 7.45pm.
FT 4-1