Bognor boss on fine line between winning and losing - and how injuries have affected season

The Rocks manager was delighted to see goals by Dan Gifford, home debutant Finlay Lovatt and James Crane, from the spot, clinch the points against the Casuals.

But he said: “There was not much difference between that display and those we have produced in the past two away games.”

Defeats at Bishop’s Stortford (3-1) and Wingate and Finchley (2-0) had some fans calling for major changes with a play-off bid looking a forlorn hope, but Pearce said it was the same problems that were holding back the side – in victories as well as defeats.

“Against Casuals we again gave away two goals that the opposition didn’t have to work hard to score, but the difference this time was we scored three. But you won’t score three every game so we have to cut out the errors. We know that,” he said.

Gifford and Lovatt help Rocks beat Casuals.

Howell back in Rocks dugout.

Pearce insisted that had he been able to select his strongest team all season, the Rocks would be close to or in the top five.

But he said after identifying eight players at the start of the season he felt were key to success, not once in 33 games had he been able to pick all eight – and on average only four had been available at any one time.

Bognor will at least by eyeing a move back into the top ten on Saturday, when they host Brightlingsea Regent. They’ll do so without striker Kayne Diedrick-Roberts, who’s left he club – full story: bognorobserver.co.uk