The Rockettes were delighted with a 3-0 win at Nyewood Lane against Herne Bay as Millie Carter, Rhiannon Hambleton and Lou Lou Robson got on the scoresheet.

Bognor took the lead after just 2 minutes as Millie Carter was set through, and despite looking offside, she ran on behind the defence and fired it low into the bottom corner beyond Jessica Richards.

Annabelle Gracey went close with a similar chance moments later as the Rockettes started well.

Lou Lou Robson had a freekick from almost the halfway line forcing Richards into a save.

Then Macie Downs won a corner with her long throw.  The ball in by Carter was searching for Robson but it was cleared by the Herne Bay defence.

Another Carter corner was headed out by Hannah Styles straight to Alice Gue but on the rise she skied her chance high and wide on 15 minutes.

The visitors did have a handful of chances in the first half though and Abbie Potter had a freekick flash wide from outside the left corner of the box on 19 minutes.

The Rockettes extended their lead on 22 minutes.  A long throw by Downs bounced into the path of Rhiannon Hambleton who hit it sweetly on her right foot into the net.

Gracey went close again after cutting inside from the right but fired it wide on the turn, before Erin MaClennan hit a long range freekick denied by Robinson.

Robson had another long range effort along the deck denied by a good save from Richards following good play on the left by Kirsty Willett and Hambleton.

Then Hambleton combined with Carter before she fired over the bar from outside the box on 34 minutes.

Ysobele Demomne had to stop after taking a knock near the touchline on 40 minutes. A freekick was awarded and taken by MaClennoan but well gathered in the air by Robinson.

On 44 minutes Carter’s left sided corner found the head of Robson unmarked in the box, but she glanced her header wide.

Demomne had to replaced by Daisy Marsh just before halftime after her knock.

Robson’s second long range freekick but bounced just wide of the left post on 45 minutes.

A nice long throw down the line by Downs saw Carter set up on the right and she got a nice cross in.  Though the visiting goalkeeper, Richards gathered it.  In response, Potter scuffed her chance at goal from outside the box after Downs tried to clear the danger.

HT 2-0

Potter’s early second half freekick had to be headed out by Robson.

A nice diagonal ball by Robson saw Hambleton win a corner on the left.  Carter’s corner fell to Hambleton who smashed it early at goal but Richards did well to tip the ball onto the crossbar and away on 48 minutes.

MaClennan made a good run on the right to dig out a cross soon after but it was easily gathered by Robinson.

Downs was replaced by Steph Madden on 53 minutes.

Robson combined with Carter halfway into the Herne Bay half before Robson fired it from at least 25 yards out with her left boot high into the top left corner to extend Bognor’s lead in the 56th minute.

Then Molly Thorns replaced Gracey on 59 minutes for the Rockettes.

Paige Hovey had a chance for the visitors as she turned Thorns on the edge of the box before hitting it straight at Robinson.

Herne Bay won a freekick right on the edge of the box but Hovey fired it just over on 64 minutes as they tried to get back into the game.

Madden put a nice ball through to Megan Thompson but after getting her boot to it, she was unbalanced and directed her effort wide of the goal on 69 minutes.

Aurelia Golds spotted Robinson off her goal-line but her high effort was gathered by the goalkeeper.

Then Hambleton got a rare second half attack cutting inside from the left but her strike was pushed around the post by Richards on 74 minutes. The corner swung in the wind and hit the top netting.

Georgia Selby replaced Thompson on 75 minutes with fresh legs needed for Bognor.

Shortly after this, the Herne Bay manager got a yellow card and his assistant got sent to the dressing room with a straight red card obviously for talking back to the referee during their discussion.

Golds hit one from distance on the bounce but wide of the left post as Herne Bay were enjoying a better second half.

Demomne came back on for Hovey in another change for the visitors on 85 minutes.

A long range freekick was fired in diagonally into the area by Robson and it was too much for Richards to gather and under pressure from Hambleton, the goalkeeper raced out of her goal to hack it clear.

Jade Widdowson got a late cross into the area which bounced awkwardly in front of Richards and Selby was there but it bounced out behind her though, so she couldn’t capitalise.

Gracey came back on right at the end to replace Gue on 90+3 minutes.

But Bognor held on as tired legs showed in the second half to get the clean sheet and another 3 points in the league. The Bognor team are next in home action on Sunday 27th October with kick off at the earlier planned time of 1.30pm due to the Fireworks Extravaganza happening that same night.

FT 3-0

Rockettes: 1.  Nicole Robinson, 2  Alice Gue, 3 Kirsty Willett, 4.  Macie Downs, 5  Lou Lou Robson, 7  Millie Carter, 8  Danielle Bradshaw, 9  Megan Thompson, 10  Rhiannon Hambleton, 11  Annabele Gracey, 13  Jade Widdowson (c)

Subs:  6 Molly Thorns, 17  Steph Madden, 14  Georgia Selby, 16  Amelia Atterbury (GK)

Pic: Millie Carter