Despite Bognor’s hardworking performance, they came up against a strong Dartford side who left with all three points after a goal in each half. Inside the first minute it was Ryan Hall who miss-kicked the ball and then Bognor managed to scramble it away for a corner.  Samir Caruthers’ ball into the area was gathered though from the left sided kick.

Chad Field fouled Olly Box after his bursting run through the middle. The freekick was ran over by Sam Odaudu and he received the short freekick into the area from Caruthers.  He only had to control the ball before firing it in with a slight deflection on 6 minutes.

Bailey Smith won Bognor’s first corner but after the ball was driven in it was Doug Tuck who was blocked off.

Box then had a strike across goal when he had beaten the defence with his pace soon after in response.

Odaudu did well to run down the left before kicking it into the area and onto the boot of Callum Jones who, on the volley, met it well but it was hit straight at Hall.

Then Sam Okoye went into the book for a dangerous challenge on Matt Burgess after just 14 minutes.

A handball decision saw Bognor awarded a freekick.  Burgess curled the ball into the box but it flew out of the reach of Dion Jarvis in the area.

Rocks had to clear off the line following a Caruthers corner.  First Jarvis headed it out and then Tuck was there on the line in the follow up on 27 minutes.

Michael Olarewaju went into the book for fouling Bailey Smith on 29 minutes.  After the referee had first impeded Smith for battling for the ball.

Burgess took another knock and after treatment he won a freekick for his side.  After the referee tried recounting the wall distance, Tommy-Lee Higgs fired it low and wide on 36 minutes.

Luther Williams pushed over Smith on another Bognor right sided attack and another freekick was awarded.  However, Tuck curled the freekick high and wide on 40 minutes.

Harvey Whyte received the ball from Smith before cutting in and passing through to Higgs but the goalkeeper was there first.

HT 0 – 1

Dartford saw yellow again on 49 minutes as Denzelle Olopade was cautioned for his late challenge on Burgess after his short run.

A rare attack from Bognor saw Jasper Mather run well with the ball on the left before cutting inside and shooting from a tight angle. However, this forced a good save from Jacob Marsden at his near post on 58 minutes.

A ball through the middle saw Higgs make chase but Marsden dashed out of his goal to hack it clear but Higgs caught him and he went into the book.

Caruthers had a twist and turn before firing it powerfully wide of the right post on 62 minutes.

Another freekick saw Odaudu curl a freekick direct at goal and Hall had to tip the ball onto the crossbar and out on 64 minutes.  Hall gathered the resulting freekick.

Burgess had to come off for his injury on 70 minutes and he was replaced by Lennie Smith.

Box made a late run into the area but Whyte was equal to him to kick the ball away.  The following corner kick by Caruthers saw Hall gather it but he was fouled.

Eddie D’Sane played it out wide to Caruthers who curled into the area but Chad Field headed it over the crossbar.  But the resulting corner saw Callum Jones pounce on the loose ball with Hall stranded, to steer into the net from close range on 85 minutes.

But after 5 minutes of stoppage time Bognor didn’t have enough energy left in the final third to get the equaliser, as the visitors went back to the top of the league.  The Rocks are on the road next as they travel to Whitehawk on Saturday 29th March with kick off at 3pm.

FT 0 – 2

Rocks: Hall, Whyte, Jarvis, Woolston, Gifford (Chester 51), Field, Smith (Horstead 86), Tuck, Higgs, Burgess (c) (L Smith 70), Mather

Subs not used: Rew, Horstead