Rockettes remain unbeaten as they overcame their strongest test yet to beat 1st placed Saltdean United Development at Nyewood Lane.  Millie Carter got a brace of goals and Macie Downs added to the tally late on despite a cagey first half.

Early on Amelia Atterbury did well to get down to stop a ball through by Maya Pritchard towards Annie Worcester at the edge of her box in the 4th minute.

Kirsty Willett was beaten to the ball on the right before Amy White set up Beckie Stray with a run.  Stray went into the box before shooting wide of the near post with her right boot.

Megan Thompson closed down a lost cause to win a freekick after a swift break near the main stand touchline.  Lou Lou Robson fired the freekick high into the box but it was headed away on 13 minutes.

Annie Gracey did well to cross it into the area but it was well gathered by Rose Townsend as Bognor put on some good pressure.

Then Jenna Forden did well to dig out another cross from the right but it flashed through the box.

On 22 minutes a corner by Millie Carter fell to the feet of Robson but as she slid in it was blocked by the defence from yards out.

Carter managed another right sided cross trying to find Rhiannon Hambleton but the goalkeeper caught it.

Hambleton then tried to tee up Thompson but the ball flew over her head and came off Carter before it rolled out of play from the cross.

Danielle Bradshaw had to block a cross by Amy White as Beckie Stray set up her up down the right.

Another corner from Carter, this time from the left, was searching for Jade Widdowson at the near post, but she couldn’t keep it in on 36 minutes.

The Rockettes took the lead on 37 minutes.  Megan Thompson did well to hold the ball up before passing into the area for Carter to run through.  She striked it low and it was a mistake by Townsend which saw the ball roll into the net, as it rolled under her foot.

But the lead didnt last long as in the 42nd minute the equaliser saw White fire it in from the right wing from a tight angle.  It floated high over Amelia Atterbury and into the top left corner of the net.

To end the half, Hambleton did well to cross it with her left boot which was nodded down in the area by Carter before Willett tried her luck from outside the box, but she scuffed her chance wide.

HT 1 – 1

A change of goalkeeper at half time saw Nicole Robinson replace Atterbury and an early cross was only just wide of her left post on 50 minutes as the floodlights were now on due to failing light.

Alice Gue came on for Thompson on 53 minutes for the Rockettes as the game was cagey once again in the early parts of the second half.

Bognor were building into the game though and scored another goal on 59 minutes.  A swift cross by Robson bounced into the path of Carter who hit it low with her left boot with Townsend stranded.

Jenna Forden took a knock after tracking down a loose pass and this held up play for some minutes.

Forden had to come off helped off the pitch by Billy Bromley on 68 minutes and was replaced by Macie Downs.

Hambleton did well to beat her marker before crossing it low into the box.  It was knocked back by Gue to Carter but, looking for her hat-trick, she was blocked on 71 minutes.

Bognor got their third of the afternoon on 72 minutes.  A swift low cross from the left was well taken by Downs who slid in, in the heart of the area, to net it.

Willett was then replaced on 77 minutes by Molly Thorns for the Rockettes.

Then Widdowson had a long range effort wide before Robson’s effort from a similar range was gathered by Townsend.

Bognor had Saltdean pinned in their own half for much of the closing stages.

Nicole Robinson saved a penalty on 87 minutes.  It was a foul by Bradshaw who went into the book after her complaint to the referee.  Grace Welcome was the spot kick taker but was denied by the Bognod stopper.

Carter had to be carried off the field in a worrying moment with another injury and Thompson came back on in the 91st minute.

The visitors had a chance to fet a goal back as Welcome hit another strike following a corner into the side netting from just inside the area.

But after over 7 minutes of stoppage time it was the Rockettes who finished the winners here as the 2nd placed Bognor secured their victory with a fine second half performance at Nyewood Lane to beat the current league leaders.

They welcome Selsey next in the Sussex County Cup competition to Nyewood Lane on Sunday 17th November with kick off at 2pm.

FT 3 – 1

1  Amelia Atterbury, 11 Annie Gracey, 3 Kirsty Willett, 8  Danielle Bradshaw, 15  Steph Madden, 13  Jade Widdowson, 5  Lou Lou Robinson, 10  Rhiannon Hambleton, 7  Millie Carter, 14  Jenna Forden, 9  Megan Thompson

Subs: 4  Macie Downs, 2  Alice Gue, 6  Molly Thorns, 16  Lydia Forden, 24  Nicole Robinson (GK)