Bognor Regis Town’s bright start is in vain as Horsham show why they’re gunning for title
Bognor Regis Town fell to their 24th loss of the season against Horsham at Nyewood Lane – despite a strong start from the Rocks in which Lennie Smith gave them an early lead.
The Rocks can be proud of their effort against the title contenders but will still be glad to see the back of this wretched campaign, which has ended in relegation to step four.
Early on in this Easter Monday encounter, Smith got an early cross in from the right but Lewis Carey gathered.
Tommy-Lee Higgs fouled Reece Myles-Meekums 25 yards out. and James Hammond curled in the free-kick but Calvin Davies headed it out.
Chad Field put a ball through the middle for Higgs to chase and he had only Carey to beat but his shot was saved.
Dion Jarvis controlled the ball outside the box but fired it well wide. But Bognor got the opening goal on 18 minutes when Jasper Mather ran on to Doug Tuck's long pass to turn inside and cross into the heart of the box for Smith to nod in his first goal for the Rocks.
Ola Ogunwamide went around Davies and went to ground in the area but no penalty was awarded. On 27 minutes Tuck fed Preston Woolston who chipped it to Smith to hook in a neat cross that found Jarvis – but he headed it wide.
Lucas Rodrigues beat Ryan Hall to a ball and the goalkeeper caught him and the referee pointed to the spot. Hammond hit it low but it was well saved by Hall down to his left
Woolston was caught napping and Myles-Meekums got a cross in but Davies shepherded it out. The Bognor captain headed out the resulting corner.
Jarvis committed a foul and Harvey Sparks hit a curling ball deep into the area but Jack Strange glanced his header wide.
Almost straight after the second half kick off, Smith made it to the edge of the box to shoot but a defender blocked it.
Bognor conceded the equaliser as an unfortunate moment saw Harvey Whyte divert into his own net following a low ball into the area by Myles-Meekums.
Rodrigues lobbed Hall and it just flew narrowly over the bar – then Hammond’s corner was headed wide by Strange.
Charlie Hester-Cook appeared fo fall on his left arm and had to be stretchered off on 56 minutes. Jack Brivio replaced him.
Mather found Higgs at the back post on 60 minutes. His header brought a fine save from Carey.
Davies went into the book after he tripped his man. Smith chased a seemingly lost cause to win a corner on 74 minutes and Davies' delivery found Field but his header was blocked. Mather went into the book for dissent on 75 minutes.
On 81 minutes Danny Barker got the last touch from Sparks' right-sided corner to put the Hornets ahead. Another corner saw the ball fly high into the box and sub Shamir Fenelon bundled it in on 87 minutes. The referee awarded the goal despite claims for a handball.
Jarvis’ strike flew straight at Carey and in six extra minutes, Myles-Meekums shot high and wide for the visitors.
A couple of Rocks corners were cleared and that was that – defeat on what is likely to be the last time the Rocks first team play on grass at the Lane.