A spirited Bognor were knocked out to full-time outfit Lewes at the Dripping Pan.  It finished 2 – 0 but the visitors managed to keep that score down with the way they defended.

The Rockettes were back in action after around a month without football they were on their travels to Lewes at the Dripping Pan in the Quarter Finals of the Sussex County Cup.

Bognor were without some key players in Alice Gue, Kate Delillis, Macie Downs, Kerri Grant and Nicole Robinson and could only name three players on the bench, which showed just how well they did despite the result.

The impressive Leah Lane inside the first minute got Lewes’s first attempt on goal running through the Bognor defence but being denied by Amelia Atterbury in the first minute.

Bognor were trying to clear their lines with Lewes playing a high line but Layla Proctor fired over in the 5th minute from outside the box.

Lois Roche fired over the bar in a similar incident as Lewes continued to pressurise the visitors in the opening moments.

Then Lane ran inside from the left before shooting high and wide of the right post from a tight angle.

Skye Bacon hit the left upright on 21 minutes as Atterbury dived, but it was out of her reach.  Again, this was a strike from distance.

Hannah Godfrey scored Lewes’s first goal on 24 minutes as she stabbed home from a corner, with Bognor under expected sustained pressure.

Maddie Brant then hit the outside of the right post on the volley direct from a right-sided cross for the hosts.

Bacon came off for Adekite Fatuga-Dada for Lewes on 29 minutes as both teams were permitted to roll subs on and off when required.

Millie Carter was fouled on the right and won a freekick. Gracie White took the freekick but it was headed away by the defence in a rare attack from the Rockettes.

Katie Gilligan replaced Olivia Carpenter on 39 minutes for the hosts.

Danielle Bradshaw thought that she had conceded a penalty on 43 minutes after a challenge and the referee pointing to the spot. However, the linesman had flagged to talk to the referee and he reversed his decision after their discussion and there was no penalty taken in the end.

Gilligan had her first chance, cutting inside from the left but the Atterburyk in goal, denied her just before the half-time whistle.

HT 1 – 0

Paula Howells did well to dig out a cross that smashed the upright of the near post on 47 minutes as Lewes continued their dominance on the balk in the second half.

Then Sydney Schreimaier hit a curling effort at goal from outside the box but Atterbury was there to save it on 50 minutes.

Muna Eze netted the Lewes second of the afternoon with a strike low into the net on 51 minutes following a rebounded loose ball.

Steph Madden was replaced by young Lola Bowditch on 56 minutes in Bognor’s first change of the game.

Eze bobbled another effort low at goal and Atterbury, despite spilling the ball, was able to gather it again.  She required treatment after injuring her hand in the process. 16 year old Leya Burchett came on to replace Atterbury on 58 minutes.

Howells had a chance fired wide on 64 minutes before Burchett made a good save pushing away Roche’s attempt.

Before that Mollie Thorns replaced Kirsty Willett for the Rockettes on 63 minutes.

Bacon and Lane returned to the field for Lewes as they were in search of their third goal of the game but Bognor were steadfast and difficult to break down.

Gracie White made an inspired block from close range as Roche tried to poke a chance into the net on 72 minutes.

Burchett did well again, pushing Roche’s bouncing strike from the edge of the box, around the post when she dived to her left.

A Lou Lou Robson freekick was struck into the box and it fell to Jade Widdowson who hit it low at goal but it was Emily Moore who watched it hit the side netting on 76 minutes.

Lane, soon after coming on, scuffed another chance wide for the Rooks as they were still held to their 2 – 0 lead on 86 minutes.

Bradshaw bravely blocked a powerful strike on the turn from Eze soon after.  She did return to play after being winded from the defensive work.

Burchett kept the Rockettes in the game with another diving save from Schreimaier’s low effort into stoppage time.

But Bognor were knocked out by higher placed Lewes in this game at Dripping Pan but will take heart in the resilience they showed against a full time outfit.  Positive signs were that young goalkeeper Burchett, who had earlier represented the youth team, also put in a performance to keep Bognor in this local derby.  With Bognor playing the counter attack formation, they did well to absorb so much pressure throughout.

The Rockettes next welcome Aylesford to Nyewood Lane as they return to their unbeaten form in the league on Sunday 26th January with kick off at 2pm.

Bognor: 1  Amelia Atterbury, 3  Kirsty Willett, 4  Gracie White, 5  Lou Lou Robson, 7  Millie Carter, 8  Danielle Bradshaw, 9  Megan Thompson, 10  Rhiannon Hambleton, 11  Annabelle Gracey, 13  Jade Widdowson, 15  Steph Madden. Subs: 24  Leya Burchett (GK), 6  Molly Thorns, 17  Lola Bowditch