Already missing Tommy Block with a calf strain and Hayden Gale out inured too, Matt Burgess limped off late on throwing into doubt his availability for the crunch game at home to fellow strugglers Whitehawk next week. Dan Gifford looked in discomfort when he was withdrawn late on as well.
The Sussex Senior Cup tie at Eastbourne Borough comes first on Tuesday night with a fair amount of pack-shuffling expected.
Definitely missing for that crucial encounter against the Hawks, who didn’t play this weekend and who sit third from bottom in the table, is captain Calvin Davies, who saw a second yellow card in the second half and who was sent off and is now suspended.
Rocks went into the affair without a manager after Robbie Blake departed the club following the 7-1 defeat at home to Chatham Town last Saturday.
David Birmingham took charge of team affairs in Kent and played newly arrived defenders Jay Richardson and Tyler Field, on loan from Dorking Wanderers and Eastleigh respectively. Craig Robson was expected to be part of the interim management team but sickness meant he couldn’t travel.
Bognor performed well enough in the opening exchanges but confidence drained after the home side took the lead on 28 minutes through Denzelle Olopade. Three minutes later the lively Olly Box made it 2-0.
The Rocks rallied the best they could but fell further behind on 40 minutes when George Whitfield struck to make it 3-0 — and it was 4-0 four minutes later when Josh Hill scored.
Birmingham was disappointed to suffer the defeat in what looks likely to be his only league game in charge. He said: “I’m not here to make excuses… it has been a hard week for the football club. Losing Blakey last Saturday then trying to prep Tuesday and Thursday with Robbo the best we can… but we just can’t concede goals the way we do. We not lost Calvin to an act of stupidity really. He knows it, he has apologised in the dressing room. Hopefully we will have Burgess and Dan Gifford back for Saturday against Whitehawk which is a massive, massive game.
“Against Dartford, we set up the shape and brought Doug Tuck in there to sit alongside Calvin to give us a bit more protection. But you can’t let players run unopposed and a have a free strike at goal. We had this discussion in the changing room at Folkestone when the same thing happened (when Rocks lost 4-1). Players have to take responsibility.
“It is looking bleak but Jack is working tirelessly to bring in a new manager so hopefully he will come in with his own ideas, his own players to bring in because unfortunately some of the players have got to take a look at themselves and ask themselves, ‘am I good enough at this level? Am I really going to work hard for this club and for the badge on the shirt.’ It’s a great club. You should be privileged to play here. And some of these players… I don’t think they are if I am being brutally honest.”
Bognor Regis Town: 1 Ryan Hall, 2 Harvey Whyte, 3 Tyler Field, 4 Calvin Davies (C) 5 Spencer Spurway, 6 Jay Richardson, 7 Doug Tuck , 8 Matt Burgess, 9 Dan Gifford, Billie Clark (Tyler Edmondson 82′), Jasper Mather. Subs: 12 Preston Woolston, 14 Tyler Edmondson, 15 Amadou Jallow, 16 Tommy-Lee Higgs, 17 Ashton Horstead.
