The Bognor Women’s won their first home league fixture of the season with a hat-trick by Millie Carter securing a comfortable victory for the Rockettes.

The Rockettes were home to Bexhill United in their first home league game of the season.  Last time out they managed a 1 – 1 draw away to SEFA to secure a point.

Early on Kerri Grant had a good run down the left but her cross was cut out.

Millie Carter scored Bognor’s opener as Grant put pressure on the goalkeeper and her clearance went straight to Carter who chipped it neatly into the net on 3 minutes.

Soon after, Lou Lou Robson was up for a corner but Carter didn’t find her with her high hanging cross on 10 minutes.

9 had a long range effort from distance but it only just flashed wide for the visitors on 12 minutes.

Then Nicole Robinson did well to confidently catch a corner by her near post.

Bexhill’s 15 spotted Robinson off her line before hooking the ball over her and it bounced agonisingly wide on 17 minutes.

Bognor got their second goal on 19 minutes as Carter spotted the goalkeeper off her line to fire it high and into the net to extend their lead.

9 hit another chance from just inside the Bognor half of the field but the ball flew over the bar on 23 minutes.

Jenny Forden had to receive treatment for a knock to the ankle which held up play, allowing the rest of the players to have a well earned drink in the heat.

Then 9 had a long distanced diagonal freekick fly narrowly wide of the right post on 33 minutes.

Then Robinson denied a long range effort from 8 by the visitors on 38 minutes.

Carter did well to find Rhiannon Hambleton who played a short pass inside to Robson.  She hit one from long distance only narrowly wide of the goal on 40 minutes.

Alice Gue did well to run down the right and get a cross in.  The ball bounced unkindly in front of Hambleton after a punched clearance by the goalkeeper.  Then Grant was offside in the aftermath.

Carter’s corner was searching for Robson but it was Gracie White who diverted her headed off the crossbar and out just before half time.

Then Forden’s low effort was deflected harmlessly into the goalkeeper’s arms after another good cross from Gue in first half stoppage time.

Just before half time Steph Madden replaced Robson for the Rockettes after she had received a knock.

HT 2-0

Amelia Atterbury came on for Robinson in the Bognor goal for the second half, a new player in between the goal posts for the Rockettes.

Carter got another corner in from the left and it was White who diverted it over the bar on the volley on 50 minutes.

Carter then had a right footed strike fly just wide of the goal shortly after, as she was in search of her hat-trick goal.

Then Carter’s in-swinging right sided corner was hacked clear by the Bexhill defence.

Then Grant worked hard before Carter received the ball again on the right but she hit the side netting with her effort.

On 62 minutes Kirsty Willett replaced Molly Thorn for the Rockettes.

Forden had another low effort bounce straight at the goalkeeper just before this.

Then Annabelle Gracey came off the bench to replace the impressive Gue on 69 minutes.

White was replaced by Robson in a roll on/off substitution on 71 minutes after Danielle Bradshaw hit a low effort wide of the left post.

Grant and Hambleton combined before the latter hit a chance from outside the box agonisingly wide.

9 cut out Macie Downs on the edge of the box but her strike was just wide.

After good build up play started by Robson, Carter found Gracey before she passed onto Grant who knocked it wide.

On 76 minutes Megan Thompson replaced Grant for the Rockettes.

Bognor netted their third on 79 minutes.  Carter burst forward and spotted the keeper of her line to smack it over her and into the net for her hat-trick.

Hambleton was replaced by Grant on 82 minutes.

Carter crashed her curling corner directly off the near post on 84 minutes looking for her fourth goal.

Atterbury made a great save to deny 9 a destined goal over the goalkeeper’s head.

A corner for the visitors ended with them finding the net in a goal scramble as Leah Hume diverted it in off a deflection on 86 minutes.

Gracey fired a low chance which was deflected out by the goalkeeper and then Grant had a shot denied from the edge of the box.

The Rockettes were strongest here though despite Bexhill United deserving their goal back in the second half.  Bognor welcome Havant & Waterlooville next in the Isthmian League Cup on Wednesday 18th September, with kick off at 7:45pm.

FT 3-1

Rockettes: Robinson, Bradshaw, Downs, Gue, Hambleton, Robson, Forden, White, Thorn, Carter, Grant

Subs: Thompson, Willett, Gracey, Atterbury (GK), Madden