Siyabonga Ligendza strayed offside early on after a cagey opening to the game. Calvin Davies had to head clear a long throw by Thomas Fagg for the visitors in the 4th minute as both sides were desperate for a win in their respective relegation battles.
A sixth minute freekick was won by Dan Gifford and Davies’s ball in was headed away.
Then Ryan Hall had to rush out of his goal to hack a through ball away again. Finley Chapman went to ground in the Bognor penalty area on 11 minutes but the referee waved any chance of a spot kick for the visitors.
Then a 14th minute corner by Matt Burgess spun high into the Hastings box but Matthew Kerbey was there to gather it high in the area.
Then Rodari shot wide under pressure from Hall but the referee pointed to the spot. Davies went into the book and then Rodari smashed the ball low off the left post on 19 minutes from the spot, leaving the game goalless.
Burgess played the ball out wide to Spencer Spurway and his cross was caught by the goalkeeper.
Another Spurway cross met the foot of Dion Jarvis who was first to it but was clattered in the box before the corner was awarded, when it looked like it actually was a goal kick. Burgess’s corner kick was straight at Kerbey in the air.
Spurway did well to receive a swift pass down the right before cutting inside and forcing a decent save from Kerbey on 28 minutes in Bognor’s best move.
Jasper Mather was causing problems on the left before squaring it to Burgess but he dug his chance over the bar with his left boot on 30 minutes. Spurway did well again to make his way again into a shooting position but fired it over the bar again.
Harvey Whyte went into the book on 42 minutes as the referee was trying to stamp his authority on the home side’s play.
Whyte found Burgess with a pass down the right flank before he swung in a cross for Ligendza but he didn’t get enough on his header on 44 minutes.
HT 0 – 0
Bognor conceded from a set piece on 50 minutes. The ball was swung in by Ben Wells, behind the Bognor defence and it was Thomas Fagg who converted it at the back post for the visitors.
Fagg went into the book for a clash with Ligendza on 54 minutes in another challenge where a card wasn’t necessary.
Spurway tried to find Ligendza with a short run but Kerbey got there first on 56 minutes.
Tommy-Lee Higgs replaced Whyte on 58 minutes for the Rocks and Higgs had a chance soon after coming on, firing it on the bounce high and wide.
Higgs fired another long range effort this time along the deck but this time it was saved by Kerbey on 62 minutes.
George Walker went into the book for time wasting on 67 minutes as Hastings were trying to wind down the clock.
Ligendza latched onto a long ball but instead of running on he tried his luck from distance but it was hit straight at the goalkeeper on 70 minutes.
Davies hit a long range freekick from the left to the back post but Jarvis headed it low at goal but it was a comfortable save by Kerbey that denied him on 72 minutes.
Jarvis went into the book for a late challenge before Preston Woolston replaced Mather on 75 minutes.
A late inswinging corner to the back post by Davies was searching for Ligendza and Jarvis but despite Kerbey falling over in pursuit of the ball, he ended up with it in his hands on the deck in a lucky moment.
Higgs’s corner kick found the boot of Woolston and his lowly driven effort was deflected off the line. Then another cross by Higgs was headed by Jarvis but it was well stopped by Kerbey.
Then another Spurway run and cross was denied by the goalkeeper at his near post.
Ligendza was fouled by Thomas Howard as he was pulled back when he was set through on goal and he rightly went into the book. But the ball into the box was headed away with Legendza threatening.
After five minutes of stoppage time it was Hastings who snatched all the points despite a late surge of attack from Bognor. The Rocks welcome Sussex rivals and in form Chichester City to Nyewood Lane on New Year’s Day with kick off at 3pm.
Rocks: Hall, Spurway, Jarvis, Davies (c), Richardson, Field, Whyte (Higgs 58), Burgess, Gifford, Ligendza, Mather (Woolston 75)
Subs not Used: Smith, Horstead, Long
