Bognor battle to claim point at Merstham - but play-off hopes are surely fading

They needed to fight for the point, too, with goals by Dan Smith and Ashton Leigh salvaging some reward after the hosts had taken a two-goal lead.

The result leaves Bognor 12 point off the play-off places and needing a fine run of form between now and the end of the campaign.

Kristian Campbell returned to the starting line-up for his second Bognor debut and Joe Cook was back but on the bench following injury, joining Tom Dinsmore and Harry Kavanagh among the subs. James Crane started in the right-back position and Jake Flannigan returned from injury but Doug Tuck was still missing.

James O'Halloran's cross was almost hit back inside by Bobby Mills but he was blocked for a corner. Then a failed clearance saw Shola Ayoola commit Amadou Tangara into a fingertip save. Calvin Ekpiteta's left sided cross was caught by Tangara.

Matte Pierson handled the ball outside his penalty area, winning Rocks a free-kick. Harvey Whyte struck it along the deck but the Moatsiders cleared.

Jerry Puemo was fouled as the ball was played high in the air with Ayoola in pursuit. O'Halloran played another cross into the Bognor area for Tangara to gather. On 10 minutes Omar Folkes rounded two Bognor players before shooting from outside the box narrowly wide.

Tangara was called into action again as he pushed away another opportunity. Then Mitchal Gough found space before running on and smashing a shot high and very wide. Smith and Whyte combined for a Rocks opening but it came to nothing.

Merstham took the lead on 17 minutes. Mills turned his marker from a cross by Ekpiteta to tuck the ball into the bottom corner.

Josh Flint found Smith with a decent cross from the right but he nodded it over. Yannick Monga fell awkwardly under a challenge by Crane, before the Bognor stalwart curled a cross in for Smith but he placed his header wide on 21 minutes after good work by Whyte. Smith stubbed another shot straight at Pierson.

Smith blocked the goalkeeper’s kick, which was poor. He nodded it to Brad Lethbridge with his first touch but an unmarked Lethbridge hit his chance straight at the goalkeeper. Tommy Leigh's floated cross was cut out, then Leigh was booked for a strong challenge as Bognor attacked on 30 minutes.

Keaton Wood's challenge on the left got a stern talking-to with Campbell and Whyte also involved. A long ball down field by Leigh saw Flint run beyond the defence but his cross flashed across the box and failed to find a teammate.

On 38 minutes the lead was extended by the Moatsiders. Ekpiteta did well with a corner from the right which dipped onto the head of Gough, who diverted it high into the net.

A diagonal ball from Wood found Crane on the run but his low cross was gathered by Pierson. Bognor got a goal back on the stroke of half-time when Whyte's ball over the top picked out a run from Smith, who peeled off his marker before turning and shooting low beyond Pierson. HT 2-1

Lethbridge's ball across the area fell to Crane on the back post on 48 minutes but he diverted his opportunity wide. Bognor gave the ball away, allowing Edwin Mensah in, but his cross was overhit.

Lethbridge hit one towards the back post but Pierson watched it fly out. Joe Cook replaced Puemo on 59 minutes for Bognor before Lethbridge cut across the defensive line before smashing an effort narrowly over.

Cook surged forward following a free-kick to find Flint but he ran the ball out of play. O'Halloran got a cross in after Wood gave the ball away but Leigh cleared. Ayoola's shot was saved by Tangara's legs on 66 minutes.

Folkes was replaced by Osman Proni while Ashton Leigh replaced Flint for Bognor.

Bognor got the equaliser on 68 minutes with a long ball over the top by Tommy Leigh, who found his brother Ashton - and he smashed it high into the net on the volley.

Ayoola beat his man and won a free-kick which Ekpiteta hit off the wall for a corner. Ayoola came off for Barry Hayles for the hosts. Cook missed a header from a looping ball into the area by Smith but Ashton Leigh latched on to it at the back post only to strike an effort too high.

Reuben Collins went into the book for a foul on Flannigan but Tommy Leigh's free-kick was nodded out by Gough. Ekpiteta struck one fiercely at goal which forced Tangara into a double-handed save on 81 minutes. Lethbridge was replaced by Tresor Shema on 83 minutes for Bognor.

Tommy Leigh picked out an unmarked Smith but his volley hit the side netting on 87 minutes. Campbell's cross was headed back across by Crane to find Ashton Leigh unmarked, but his volley was high over the bar.

In the last moments Flannigan spun the ball over and Ashton Leigh shot over as Bognor did everything but hit the target in the closing stages.

With teams above them, including Carshalton Athletic and Cray Wanderers, winning the gap to the play-off positions has grown and the Rocks really need three points whtravel to Horsham on Tuesday 10 March, (7.45pm).

Rocks: Tangara, Crane, Campbell, Flannigan, Puemo (Cook 59), Wood, Whyte, T Leigh, Smith, Flint (A Leigh 68), Lethbridge (Shema 83). Subs not Used: Kavanagh, Dinsmore,