Bognor battle back ... Chi City leave it late ... Dean Downed ... Hashtag heartbreak

We have all the week's local football reports on one page - featuring the Rocks, Chi City, Pagham, East Dean, Chi and Selsey Ladies, Chichester City Women and Unicorn. Read on for all the action...
Nathan Odokonyero levels for Bognor at Haringey / Picture: Tommy McMillanNathan Odokonyero levels for Bognor at Haringey / Picture: Tommy McMillan
Nathan Odokonyero levels for Bognor at Haringey / Picture: Tommy McMillan

Haringey 3 Rock Rocks 3

Isthmian premier

Battling Bognor fought back from 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 down to draw 3-3 in the Isthmian premier at Haringey.

Nathan Odokonyero scored twice and James Crane saved a point with an 88th-minute goal as the Rocks refused to be beaten in north London.

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Kayne Diedrick-Roberts was in the starting XI while Harrison Brook dropped to the bench at a chilly Coles Park. Bognor fielded just four substitutes as Joe Cook was still recovering from injury and Gavin McCallum is scheduled to return in the New Year.

Bognor started brightly as Harvey Whyte received the ball from a pinpoint Ashton Leigh cross. The ball fell on to Whyte’s right boot but it rebounded off a defender and off him as it rolled out for a goal kick.

Jordy Mongoy passed to Jake Flannigan on the right but he was blocked. Flannigan had another cross cut out as Lamar Joseph-Johnson caught his looping ball into the box. Then Georgios Aresti spotted Amadou Tangara off his line and chipped a curling strike from the edge of the box. The Bognor goalkeeper had to tip the ball over his crossbar.

Whyte played a hopeful ball towards Odokonyero which was cut out by the defender but Leigh pounced on the loose ball before hitting a chance along the deck that was comfortably saved.

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Alfred Bawling beat the offside trap on the counter. He rounded his man before running along the byline before shooting from a tight angle and forcing a parried save from Tangara for a corner. Rakim Richards couldn’t put away a chance from the cornner.

Craig Robson diverted a corner wide of the post with his right leg. Tangara had to rush out of his goal to head the ball out on the edge of his box.

Ethan Robb made a mistake, letting Bawling through on goal after losing possession easily. Bawling punished the Rocks and confidently dispatched it high into the top corner beyond a diving Tangara on 25 minutes. Bognor got the equaliser on 32 minutes. Robb had a shot on goal which bounced awkwardly in front of the goalkeeper. Mongoy tried to scramble it in and Odokonyero smashed it high into the roof of the net.

Bawling teed up Andronicos Georgiou who prodded the ball square to Georgios Aresti - but he bounced his fierce attempt wide of the post. Flannigan’s ball in was headed out by a Haringey defender before Diedrick-Roberts pounced to hit it on the volley and agonisingly wide of the post from the edge of the box in the 45th minute. A late first half corner was awarded to the hosts but Michael O’Donoghue’s corner kick was well gathered by Tangara. HT 1-1

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Davies picked out a great run from Diedrick-Roberts who sped inside before curling a shot well wide from a tight angle. Georgiou hit a chance from outside the box that Tangara gathered at the second attempt. Diedrick-Roberts went down under a challenge and had to receive treatment from Bognor’s physio.

Adeyinka Cole cut inside before curling it high at goal in Haringey’s first attack of the half. Tangara tipped it over the bar with one hand. Scott Mitchell hooked a loose ball over his head straight at Tangara.

Georgiou made Bognor pay for their missed chances. His shot was only partially pushed up by a diving Tangara, who failed to get back to his feet in time as an onrushing Bawling headed in from close range on the rebound on 58 minutes.

Charlie Bell replaced Leigh on 64 minutes for Bognor before Mitchell went into the book for the hosts as Bell was fouled. Davies hit the free-kick straight into the wall. Bawling was fouled and Robb went into the book. Diedrick-Roberts was replaced by Yasseir Nazor on 71 minutes.

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Rocks got their second equaliser on 72 minutes. Mongoy’s long range effort was pushed on to the crossbar and spun up into the air and Odokonyero knocked it in at the back post. But the scores weren’t level for long. A cross went across the Bognor penalty area and the ball was cut back by Aresti for Jorge Djassi-Sambu to divert the ball low into the net on 74 minutes.

Cole got a yellow card for a late sliding challenge on Nazor. Sami Bessadi replaced the booked Cole for the hosts.

Harrison Brook came on for the remaining minutes for Mongoy on 86 minutes. And Bognor found their third equaliser right at the end. Bawling deflected the ball out seemingly from a throw-in. But the referee instead awarded a free-kick. Davies’s kick was brilliantly placed and the ball curled right on to the head of an unmarked Crane, who powered it in on 88 minutes.

Nazor was fouled running in from the wing. Davies dipped a cross in from the free-kick and with Whyte in pursuit it was nodded out over the bar by a defender, but a corner was not awarded to Bognor.

LIAM GOODLEY

Chichester City 3 Ashford United 2

Isthmian south east

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Scott Jones came off the bench to grab a late Chichester City winner in a five-goal thriller at home to Ashford United.

Ben Mendoza and Callum Overton had given Chichester a 2-0 lead at the break but a second half double by Roberto Ratti made it all square before Jones squeezed the ball over the line with three minutes of normal time to go.

The Kent side came into the match top of the table following seven league wins in eight games.

Miles Rutherford & Co went with the same starting XI that faced Hastings last week with Jones in the dugout alongside Lewis Hyde and U23 players Charlie Oakwell-Boulton and Morgan Mockford-Allott.

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The home side, as was the case against Hastings, had long throw-ins to contest and two minutes in Bradley Simms launched one into the box which nicked off a teammate and out for a goal kick,

Mendoza played in Ethan Prichard whose shot was turned on to the post.

Mendoza and Tyrone Madhani got Chi into the opposition’s penalty area only for keeper Tyler McCarthy to cover.

Madhani whipped a great delivery towards Davidson at the far post but he couldn’t get a connection under pressure.

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Chi skipper Jamie Horncastle did well to intercept the final ball following neat link-up play between Tash Kwayie and Fagg.

Mendoza broke the deadlock after half an hour of pulsating football when a Rob Hutchings ball was controlled superbly by Prichard who teed up Mendoza for a telling finish with his first goal since joining from Bognor.

It was 2-0 four minutes later when Prichard found Overton with a delicious cross that the Chi striker headed beyond McCarthy.

The second period was full of drama, if lacking in the tempo and intensity of the first one.

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In a Chi raid Davidson fed Callum Overton who moved the ball on to Mendoza whose cross-shot failed to trouble McCarthy.

Nice defending by Hutchings and a good block from Horncastle denied Fagg before Magee was out commandingly to claim a cross.

The Nuts and Bolts were reduced to ten when May dealt out some afters to Davidson following a nasty challenge on the Chi right-back.

The player disadvantage however seemed to spur the visitors on and Ratti reduced the deficit in the 68th minute heading home a Simms throw from the left.

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Jones was introduced for Madhani with 15 to go to chants of “Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight, Isle of Wight”.

An uncharacteristic mistake by Horncastle, who has been in fine form of late, gifted Ratti an equaliser as his pass back to Magee was under hit. Ratti accepted this early Christmas present and slotted the ball beyond the Chi No1.

Things heated up in the last 10 minutes.

Kwayie missed a free-header and Dunn struck an effort high and wide.

When it looked like Chi had blown a lead again substitute Jones found himself in the right place at the right time to knock Ashford off top spot and earn the Sussex side a sixth consecutive win at Oaklands Park, reacting first to Hutchings’ blocked shot and just about slotting the loose ball over the line.

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Miles Rutherford’s men are back in Isthmian south east action at VCD Athletic on Saturday.

IAN WORDEN

Pagham 6 East Preston 2

SCFL premier

Pagham carried on their recent good league form with a 6-2 win over East Preston at Nyetimber Lane.

They carried on where they had left off at Little Common on Tuesday night with a high tempo and a quick sharp pressing top three, looking to put pressure on the East Preston back four from the word go.

Joe Clarke won the ball high up the pitch and slid Pagham forward Ryan Morey in and he slotted home calmly only to be ruled offside. Pagham seemed to be in control and capitalised on 12 minutes with a pinpoint corner from Morey finding George Bingham’s head, glancing it in to the far corner. Clarke was adamant the last touch was from him but they both ran off celebrating.

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On 35 minutes Olly Hambleton took the ball on the half turn and placed a beautifully weighted through ball for Grant Radmore whose turn of pace left centre-half Jordan Dudas for dead and he clinically finished. An injured Lukas Micevicius gave way to Jakob Heryet.

The second half saw the introduction of bagsman Jack Langford who seemed hungry for goals. It took him less than minutes to get his first of two of the afternoon. Morey was brought down as he tried to round the keeper and Langford powerfully put away the resulting penalty.

Morey picked up the ball wide left and ran towards goal, breezing past two East Preston defenders and slotting home from a tight angle, a well deserved goal in a hard working performance. Then came two minutes of madness what saw East Preston score two goals, scored by Harry Russell and Matt Storm.

Pagham took a deep breath and took control back after the substitution, seeing Finlay Smith on for the last 30. A second from Langford and a first goal of the season for Heryet rounded off a controlled performance from Pagham.

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Manager Ryan Pharo said: “It was a pleasing performance and win. a great day all round, it was good to see so many familiar faces back into the ground and bar and a performance from the boys who hopefully will bring the crowds back next time round.

“I took a gamble on an opportunity to rest a few and I feel it paid off, a good rest for a few and some good minutes in legs for others. I thought we controlled the game from start to finish, something that we haven’t been able to say a lot this season, and I’d like to put on record that today’s referee and his two assistants were excellent, they let the game flow and didn’t take themselves too seriously.”

Pagham: Boughton, Da Costa, Jelly, Geoghegan, M Hambleton, Bingham (Smith) ,O Hambleton, Clarke, Micevicius (Heryet), Radmore (Langford), Morey. Star Man - Morey.

East Dean 1 Watersfield 4

West Sussex League Championship South

The Dean were hoping to build on their 3-1 victory over Harting but let in four.

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Watersfield took the lead on 20 minutes and doubled their lead with a header from close range.

The start of the second half was brighter for East Dean but with Watersfield’s first chance they added a third.

Alex Smith almost pulled one back for the Dean but his effort hit the bar.

Aaron Freeman did eventually get on the scoresheet for East Dean, delicately lobbing the keeper after a free kick found him.

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Despite East Dean having most of the ball, Watersfield made it 4-1.

Dean travel to Fishbourne this Saturday in the Malcolm Simmonds Cup (1.30pm).

BEN PETT

Chi & Selsey Ladies 2 Hashtag FC Women 2

(aet, Hashtag win 5-4 on penalties)

FA WNL Cup second round

Chichester and Selsey Ladies were left heartbroken for the second time in three weeks as the lottery of penalty kicks came back to haunt them again as Hashtag FC Women advance to the quarter-finals of the FA National League Cup.

Sadie Blakely and her troops endured a devastating shootout, loss to Crawley Wasps just a few weeks ago, in the county cup.

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Hashtag play in the division below Chi and Selsey but the lottery of penalties proved their undoing once again.

The Blues got their noses in front when striker Arindia Malika finished easily from a low cross from Emma Samways.

It was 1-1 when Sarah Saunders was on the end of a perfect set-up from Philippa Holden to find the net.

Neither side to could find a winner in normal time so extra time was needed.

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After the Blues re-established their lead in the first half of extra time, through Cerys Adams, Chi and Selsey ploughed forward and from a lovely through ball from Saunders, substitute Jane Yeates showed her class to chip keeper Imogen Riches to bring them level for a second time.

In the shootout, following some excellent saves from both keepers, Megan Fox had a chance win the game for Chi and Selsey but her effort was brilliantly saved by Riches.

Soon Nicky Lake now had to score to keep Chi in it but her spot kick was saved by Riches.

ALAN PRICE

New Milton Town 3 Chichester City Women 1

Southern Region League

division one

Chichester City suffered their first league defeat of the season at New Milton Town.

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The hosts opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark and got a second two minutes into the second half.

With 16 minutes left New Milton Town made it 3-0 – before Payton Howard scored Chi’s only goal of the game.

Chichester had their first opportunity on five minutes as Elinor Williams played a great pass to Katie Bundy, but she dragged her shot wide.

Tatiana Blackman was out quickly to beat an onrushing attacker to the ball.

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Williams got past a defender with a smart turn but was dispossessed before she could shoot.

Chichester thought they had taken the lead when Gaby Hobday netted but she was denied by the offside flag.

Minutes later, the hosts took the lead. An attacker weaved through the defence and her shot was saved by Blackman, but Dom Carrington was in the right place to tap the ball into the net.

Minutes after the restart, New Milton doubled their lead when a looping effort from Jade Hockey went in.

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Chichester almost got a goal back on 64 minutes but Howard’s free-kick rattled the crossbar. Ten minutes later, New Milton scored their third goal as Hockey’s dipping effort from just outside the 18-yard box beat Blackman.

With seven minutes left, Howard scored a consolation goal for Chichester. Williams got to the byline and found Howard who poked it in.

Chichester return to Oaklands on Sunday for a cup tie against Bournemouth Sports.

MARCUS LEE

Unicorn 7 Lavant 2

Malcolm Simmonds Cup

Unicorn romped to their biggest win of the season by smashing a magnificent seven goals against Lavant in the cup.

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The Uni put the game to bed in the first half at a blustery Crabtree Park by hitting the opposition for six.

Home goalkeeper Luke Munt made two good saves to break Lavant before the Unicorn strike force went to town.

Former Wick defender Jake Hawker bagged a hat-trick to take his tally to ten in six games while Dan Simmonds also stuck away three chances on his old stomping ground.

With the game already won, it was no surprise Unicorn took their foot off the gas after the interval and although Lavant grabbed a couple of consolation goals the result was never in doubt.

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Simmonds hit a fourth as Unicorn followed up their 1-0 Premier Division victory with over Lavant with an even more impressive performance.

It was also their biggest win of the season and bodes well for Saturday’sPremier Division trip to Rudgwick where they will be seeking a win to boost their title aspirations.

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