Bognor suffer Haringey heartache despite skipper's strike

Bognor returned to league action at a very blustery Coles Park to take on 15th placed Haringey, who they had beaten 2-0 at home. But this time the men from White Hart Lane had the edge to leave Bognor ninth in the Isthmian premier and now 10 points off the play-off zone.

After impressing in midweek, winger Tresor Shema earned his first start for the Rocks while there were also league debuts for Jerry Puemo and Tom Dinsmore in defence and midfield. James Crane, Matt Casey and Ashton Leigh were among the subs.

A longl ball by Tommy Leigh to Bradley Lethbridge might have given the Rocks an early chance but it ran out of play. Roman Michael-Percil laid one off for Romoluwa Akinola, who was thwarted by the Bognor defence.

Dan Smith thought the was pushed after a cross by Lethbridge ended with him sandwiched between two defenders but the referee waved away claims for a penalty on 12 minutes. Shema helped set up Tommy Leigh but he stabbed it wide.

Tommy Leigh took a knock as a cross came in from Harry Kavanagh and needed treatment. Josh Flint found Lethbridge, who whipped in a cross but Jonathan Miles gathered it at the second attempt. Keaton Wood and Daniel Akindayini clashed heads and the referee gave a free-kick to Haringey, but it was cleared.

Kavanagh's cross was headed goalwards by Tommy Leigh but Miles pushed it out. Leigh then put another chance wide. Wood found Lethbridge with a forward ball and he picked out Smith, who smashed his left-footed opportunity wide on 34 minutes. Lethbridge crossed for Harvey Whyte, whose header forced a save from Miles - but he was called offside.

Shema smashed one over from 20-plus yards. Lionel Stone fed Salvyn Kisitu's ball towards goal was gathered by Amadou Tangara. Smith struck a volley high and wide. Tommy Leigh and Shema teed up Kavanagh, who forced Miles into a stop. HT 0-0

Jorge Djassi Sambu put the Rocks under early second half pressure and on 47 minutes Haringey took the lead. Georgios Aresti ran across the Rocks defence and shot low and hard from outside the area beyond Tangara to find the bottom corner.

A spell of Borough pressure ended with a corner that found Rakim Richards, who headed it only narrowly over the bar. Shema won a free-kick after a swift move involving Whyte and Kavanagh. The delivery by Dinsmore was met by Tommy Leigh but he was offside.

Shema's strike was along the deck and comfortably saved by Miles but eventually Bognor got back level on 61 minutes. Tommy Leigh's corner from the left found Whyte, who headed in the equaliser as he peeled off his marker in the heart of the box.

Akinola forced a decent diving save from Tangara, then Aresti smashed one over on 67 minutes. Injured Scott Durajaiye was replaced by Anthony McDonald on 70 minutes for the hosts.

Kavanagh whipped in a cross after good work from Whyte - it bounced to Lethbridge and his short pass to Tommy Leigh led to a shot that was well-hit but wide.

Crane replaced the impressive Shema on 74 minutes. Smith picked out Josh Flint but after getting into space he smashed his low strike wide of the post.

Lethbridge spun in another cross from the left but Crane nodded wide. Then on 82 minutes it was good play by Michael-Percil ended with him going down under a challenge by Puemo. The referee waved play on before Anthony McDonald slammed the ball home inside the near post, beating Tangara.

Ashton Leigh replaced Lethbridge on 88 minutes before another Michael-Percil shot was easily saved by Tangara.

Bognor might have levelled at the death but after Flint found Smith, his goalbound effort goal was cleared off the line by Richards - but the linesman had his flag up anyway.

Bognor now move on to play Lewes at the Dripping Pan on Wednesday (7.45pm).

Rocks: Tangara, Kavanagh, Flint, Dinsmore, Puemo, Wood, Whyte, T Leigh, Smith, Shema (Crane 72), Lethbridge (A Leigh 87). Subs not used: Mendoza, Casey, Wakley.