Hardworking Bognor were outdone by a late 85th minute goal by their Sussex rivals, Lewes under the lights at Nyewood Lane.  Chances came and went particularly in the first half but Bognor were left to pay for this in the closing moments.

Bognor started well.  Harvey Whyte and Lucas Pattenden put pressure on the defence before a cross bounced out to Tommy-Lee Higgs who turned to shoot low but straight at Toby Ball inside the opening 2 minutes.

Doug Tuck should have got a shot away earlier soon after but was blocked on the edge of the box as Bognor applied good pressure well against their Sussex rivals.

Young Hayden Gale did well to run down the left but his cross was hit straight out of touch on 12 minutes.

Then Gale did well to play in Tuck who found Higgs.  Then he ran across defence before firing a curling effort dipping at goal but it was pushed around the post by Ball on 13 minutes.

Ball went into the book on 16 minutes for moving the ball ahead for the freekick.

Tommy Block did well to pick out Higgs again and his turn and quick strike forced Ball into another parried save on 26 minutes.

Pattenden hurt his right leg and had to receive treatment off the field. Harvey Whyte teed Higgs up again who made a short dash but he hit it wide with the outside of his boot on 37 minutes.

Then Joe Besant made a confident save from Alfie Allen in a rare first half attempt for the Rooks.

Danny Bassett did well to dig out a cross from the left.  Eddy Allsopp was put under pressure in the air as it came off a defender’s shoulder and just over the bar.  Marcus Sablier on the following corner had a shot fizz off a defender and agonisingly wide.

Lewes hit the frame of goal as Parish Muirhead fired it from distance off Besant onto the bar off the goalkeeper’s head and onto the post and out on 42 minutes before he gathered it finally.

Then Matt Burgess hit a rare short corner to Calvin Davies but his curling cross was spun wide by the head of Block just before half time.

Pattenden sped onto his left foot before firing it at goal and forcing Ball into a save just after this. Ball gathered Burgess’s corner kick.

Higgs went into the book for retaliating on Muirhead’s push in the Lewes area.  Despite this, the referee decided against issuing a booking for the visiting substitute, to end an exciting first half.

HT 0-0

Bassett did well to get the first chance of the second half, shooting narrowly over the crossbar soon after the kick off.

Burgess drilled a corner low into the area but Whyte smashed his effort along the deck but well wide.

Tuck was replaced on 58 minutes for Jasper Mather.  Then Ethan Kaiser went into the book for a late challenge on Higgs.

Block went to ground on the touchline and had to be replaced by Tyler Edmondson on 70 minutes.  It was a calf injury for Block and fans hoped it was going to be a speedy recovery for him as the games continue to come in the early months of the season.

Whyte was fouled on the touchline.  Burgess curled the ball to the back post but it was punched away by Ball on 80 minutes.

Jamal Enkh clearly fouled Evans on the run down the right.  Burgess took it and it fell to Edmondson who hit it low but straight at Ball on 82 minutes.

But Bognor conceded late on 85 minutes. A swift cross was headed by Edmondson into the path of Eddy Allsopp, who hit it early and low beyond the diving Joe Besant.

Late drama saw Bognor try to bounce in a cross high from the right towarcs the imposing Callum Barlow but it didnt fall for him.  Also, Allsopp got booked for time wasting when he was substituted right at the end.

Time ran out for Bognor as they could not find an equaliser.  A game in which Bognor deserved more from their efforts and chances they created.  They will expect to be more clinical when they travel to Hastings United next Saturday 17th August with kick off at 3pm.

FT 0-1

Rocks: Besant, Whyte, Gale, Davies (c), Spurway, Block (Edmondson 70), Pattenden (Evans 78), Burgess, Gifford (Barlow 65), Higgs, Tuck (Mather 58). Sub not Used: Gamblin.