Bognor made two changes to the starting line up as Dan Gifford and Jasper Mather got starts ahead of Alfie Bridgman and Tommy-Lee Higgs, who were moved to the bench.

A downpour just before kick off saw the pace of the ball run quicker along the part-3G surface at the Dripping Pan as things started.

On ten minutes some neat work at the back by Spencer Spurway got Bognor on the attack.  He found Joe Rabbetts on the left.  His cross was good for Dan Smith in the box unmarked but he smashed it over the bar when it seemed easier to get it on target.

Calvin Davies and Arthur Penney both got booked on 13 minutes for a challenge in the middle as both players went to ground and tempers flared.

A long ball by Ryan Hall saw Lucas Pattenden cut it back for Harvey Whyte to win a corner.  Nothing came of the opportunity though as Whyte won another corner minutes later.  The cross by Davies was played deep onto the back post but that was easily headed out again.

Chris Whelpdale won a corner as Davies had to put the ball out on 21 minutes, but he failed to get a chance at goal as Rocks pounced on the counter.  Davies sped forward to square it inside to Smith, who composed himself before shooting low at goal but Nathan Harvey was equal to it to push the ball around the right post.

Davies swung in a corner kick from the left and the ball was partially cleared to Rabbetts on the edge of the box but he diverted the ball over the crossbar on 24 minutes.

Then Pattenden did well to set Whyte up on the overlap on the right. His cross bounced out to Ben Anderson who hit it first time high and wide with his first touch.

Mather was set through on the left.  Archie Tamplin tripped him up on the run and rightly went into the book.  The low freekick into the area was somehow bundled away by the Lewes defence on 28 minutes.

Kelvin Lumbombo-Kalala did well to latch onto a through ball but his shot was hit low and straight at Hall.

Bognor responded with a chance of their own as Whyte’s cross picked out Smith unmarked again but he headed it directly over the bar on 31 minutes.

Tamplin slipped up allowing Mather in on goal but he decided to pass it and was blocked, when shooting was the better option on 33 minutes.

Whelpdale did well to curl a corner into the box on 39 minutes that Hall had to punch away.

Soon after, Luke Dreher had to come off for Lewes due to an injury and he was replaced by Bradley Pritchard on 42 minutes.

Whelpdale’s corner saw Smith underneath it but he steered it back across goal.  Will Slamon followed it up but headed the ball over the bar inside first half stoppage time.

Following a swift short corner it was Pattenden who struck it early from a tight angle and the ball ricocheted off the underside of the crossbar and out. The referee blew up for the half time straight after.  Bognor were hoping they weren’t going to rue their missed chances in the second half.

HT 0-0

An early corner on the right was headed out by a defender before Rabbetts hit a chance over the goal from outside the box.

Rabbetts’s cross was headed out only as far as Gifford and with his back to goal he turned quickly to shoot along the deck and wide of the right post on 50 minutes.

Ola Ogunwamide came on for Deon Moore on 53 minutes for the hosts.

Pattenden smashed the bar this time with a cross on 60 minutes as Rocks were looking the better of the sides in the second half as well.

Rabbetts had a chance as he hit a low effort from outside the box off a defender and into Harvey’s arms soon after.

A low ball into the box found Anderson and he kept it low but it was somehow deflected over the bar.

Davies was deemed to have tripped Lumbombo-Kalala by the referee when he looked to have won the ball.  The chipped ball in by Whelpdale was headed out again.  Though Anderson’s long ball on the counter was too much for Mather on the run in response.

Craig Robson was beaten to the ball as Whelpdale had a long range effort fly over the bar.

Mather squared the ball to Gifford but he couldn’t keep his shot down as it sailed over the bar.

On 72 minutes Higgs came on for a tired Smith as Rocks needed to get something from the game in which in large parts, they were dominant.

Bognor went behind on 75 minutes.  A direct freekick on the right was swung in onto the head of Jake Elliott who nodded it down and into the net from close range.

Whyte was scythed down in the middle of the park and Elliott went into the book.

Bridgman replaced Davies on 80 minutes for Bognor as they were in search of the equaliser.

Isaac Olaniyan came on for Gifford on 84 minutes as he had to be helped off the field injured.

Harvey went into the book for Lewes for wasting time soon after as they tried to wind down the clock.

Olaniyan made a bursting run from the halfway line and helped to win Bognor a corner.  The ball in was cleared away though as Bognor were going direct with corners from Bridgman.

Spurway was on the line to boot the ball clear after Hall was stranded way outside his box and then on the rebound it was Ayo Olukoga who missed it from outside the box, in a big chance to extend the hosts lead going begging.

Tamplin hit a chance along the deck at goal from outside the box but thankfully Hall was well placed to save it.

Bognor were poor though and failed to take the best of their opportunities as they lost this game at the Dripping Pan.  They welcome Chatham Town to the MKM Arena on Saturday 6th January with kick off at 3pm.

FT 1-0

Rocks: Hall, Whyte, Rabbetts, Davies (Bridgman 80), Spurway, Robson, Pattenden, Anderson, Smith (Higgs 72), Gifford (Olaniyan 84), Mather. Subs not Used: Howick, Briffa.

Pictured is MOM Spencer Spurway, pictured getting bubbly — sponsored by Holidays in Selsey — from the club’s Len Killpartrick