The message is clear from the Bognor Regis Town management ahead of Saturday’s home clash with neighbours Littlehampton Town in Saturday’s Isthmian South Central division derby: Let’s bounce back from two defeats on the trot with a victory.

That’s the over-riding take from manager Danny Hollands and his assistant gaffer Ben Kneller as they prepare their troops for the game against the struggling Marigolds at Nyewood Lane.

It’s third from top against second from bottom; but Kneller insists that form goes out of the window when it comes to derby matches.

The Rocks lost last time out 2-1 at Windsor & Eton and before that suffered a home defeat at the hands of Egham Town – but despite those reverses they are still in contention at the right end of the standings.

The Rocks look for a way forward against Windsor and Eton | Picture by Lyn Phillips

placeholder image — The Rocks look for a way forward against Windsor and Eton | Picture by Lyn Phillips

But it is imperative that they find a way of winning against the side bossed by Mitch Hand and George Gaskin.

Kneller says his hope is that the players will put the disappointment of the past couple of results behind them, dig deep and go again against visitors who will be keen to get one over on the Rocks after Hollands’ men’s 1-0 win in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.

He said: "Littlehampton are going to provide a challenge, we know what they are going to be like, but again we have got to be brave. Any derby, across any country, in any city, form is irrelevant -- it's going to be about who is going to roll their sleeves up and have a go and that's where we are going to be.”

And he has asked the Green Army to play their part by raising the roof in support of the players in a bid to help them try to get over the line and secure a victory.

He added: “Two defeats on the spin, you just want to get a win; there is going to be some spice to it but we are at home... there was 1,600 here last season (for the same fixture) so hopefully it will be similar and we need to get the fans to get behind the boys. It’s Littlehampton so there is a little bit more on the table and they are scrapping for their lives.”

Assessing the Windsor result, he said: “Disappointed after a very, very bright start and I thought this is nice, zippy pitch, nice and flat and then we go 2-0 down with two mistakes. But it is what it is. In the second half we have come out and hit the bar three times.

“Cal (Laycock) has been unfortunate as the keeper has made a couple of saves. Then we should have had a stonewall penalty. We have had a reaction but we have come away with nothing, so disappointed from our side of things but we can't keep giving ourselves mountains to climb unfortunately.

“We've got to be braver but it's a dip in form and it is what it is, we have got to stay bright and we will. Happy with the reaction but disappointed where we were at half-time.

“Cal has come back in after a long lay-off, Pards (Luke Pardoe) isn't himself because he has been out for 10 weeks, so it is hard for him and he is getting frustrated. Ollie Lovell has come back, he is a big player for us, Charlie Wassmer is still in the stands... so no excuses, we are capable.

"Once we get a full squad back -- and maybe a couple of ins and a couple of outs -- we will be okay. If we said at the start of the season come November where are we going to be, we are going to be third, just off the top, you'd have settled for that. We just need to regroup and keep pushing.”