Bognor Regis Town boss praises heroic effort as Rocks go out of FA Trophy

Goals from James Crane, Dan Gifford and Sam St De Croix gave the visitors hope in a pulsating cup tie and but for a couple of highly contentious offside decisions that went against the Rocks, perhaps passage to the fourth round could have been secured.

But it wasn't to be — yet Blake summoned up a whole host of positives from the game and also rued some defensive inadequacies that meant his charges fell short of completing their task.

Blake told Rocks Radio's Peter Kelly-Sullivan: "The boys were excellent, the all round commitment was superb and to turn in that display after a disappointing league defeat at Folkestone was brilliant and I have said to the boys that if we can play like that until the end of the season we will be alright.

"We're really disappointed with the result because we did a lot of good things in the game and it leaves you really frustrated. Fair play to them, they are a good football team; I like the way they play and their manager Andy Whing was very complimentary about us after the game. It's called respect and he sees that we try to play.

"But what frustrates me is the goals we gave away. We scored three great goals and they have not had to work for three of their goals and it comes from the youthfulness of out team and some naivety.

"Toby (Steward) has been great but he made a mistake for the goal and it has cost us. But he will become more of a man with this experience but we can't allow that to happen.

"We did really well to get back in the game for 1-1 and then we stopped and only started playing again at 3-1. Then at 3-2 it looks like the next goal is going to come from us and the mistake killed us at the end. Im not saying he cost us the game but we need to eradicate these mistakes."

The home side took the lead on 27 minutes through Jay Williams but Bognor pulled level after 52 minutes with a superb header from Crane. Banbury substitute Giorgio Rasulo came off the bench to bag two quick-fire goals on 64 minutes and 67 minutes before on-loan Pompey striker Dan Gifford headed home in exquisite fashion to bring it to 3-2.

Then Steward hit a loose ball up field only for the home side to gather possession and eventually Ben Acquire slotted in for 4-2. De St Croix grabbed a late third for Blake's men in the 90th minute but it was merely a consolation in front of 473 fans at the Spencer Stadium.

Rocks host Horsham in the Isthmian premier division at Nyewood Lane on Boxing Day next in a keenly anticipated Sussex derby clash, kick-off 3pm.

Bognor Regis Town: 1 Toby Steward, 2 James Crane (Joe Briffa 79'), 3 Joe Rabbetts, 4 Leon Baker-Neto, 5 Tom Bragg, 6 Craig Robson, 7 Sam De St Croix, 8 Isaac Olaniyan, 9 Nathan Odokonyero, 10 Dan Gifford, 11 Bradley Lethbridge (Danny Howick 82’) Subs: 12 Danny Howick, 14 Joe Briffa