Doug Tucks two away as Bognor beat Uxbridge in FA Trophy
At a rain-swept Honeycroft the Rocks had their three Pompey loanees back in the squad, but not Joe Hancott, another Fratton Park youngster, who is now out injured. Eddie Wakley and Victor Hensel were both given starts.
Tuck forced Paul McCarthy into a save with his legs on five minutes as he latched onto a pass from Dan Smith. An error led to Mahlondon Martin running at the Bognor defence before crossing, and a spillage by Amadou Tangara led to Jack Beadle pouncing to poke into an empty net on six minutes. Tangara complained the ball had been kicked out of his hands but the linesman ignored his claims.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdSmith was impeded and Crane's cross found Hensel but he could only divert it wide of the post on 11 minutes. Hensel was brought down outside the box and Callum Duffy went into the book. The ball in from Harvey Whyte was met by Smith but his instant strike was blocked inadvertently by team-mate Keaton Wood.
Tangara caught a Martin cross before on the break Joe Dandy ran forward and struck a shot well wide. Tuck's corner found Smith, who headed it without much venom - but Crane was there to stick his boot in and divert it into the net on 19 minutes for the equaliser.
Crane and Ashton Leigh combined with a neat one-two before a cross fell to Smith but his shot was blocked. Then Hensel's right-sided cross found Leigh at the back post and he headed it powerfully against the upright. Neat footwork from Hensel found Whyte but Whyte's cross couldn’t locate a fellow player on 26 minutes.
An inured Hensel had to be replaced by Bradley Lethbridge on 27 minutes. A cross by Crane was headed out to Wakley but he smashed his attempt high and wide. Smith knocked the ball down for Whyte to swing the ball out wide to Leigh who crossed to Smith, but he diverted it narrowly wide on 33 minutes.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdA Lethbridge cross earned a corner for the Rocks on the left but Tuck's ball in was punched out by McCarthy on 39 minutes. Martin was able to get into the box but his ball in was gathered by Tangara after Alan Headley flicked it goalwards.
Tangara saved another Martin effort as Beadle knocked the ball down to him on 43 minutes. The goalkeeper dashed out of his area before diverting the ball away with his right knee. But Bognor took the lead on 44 minutes. McCarthy made a save from Leigh but the ball fell kindly for Tuck, who prodded it low into the net. HT 1-2
Early in the second half, Tuck swung in a curling cross but it was well headed away by David Sota near the back post. Wakley was replaced by Joshua Flint on 51 minutes to freshen up the Bognor the side as they battled the elements.
Lethbridge made a brilliant run, cutting inside from the right before forcing a decent save from the goalkeeper on 55 minutes. Mark Bitmead was deemed to have handled the hall on the floor as Uxbridge lost possession in Bognor's half.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe Rocks got their third just after the hour when Lethbridge did superbly to run inside and get the ball across to Tuck, who converted it at the back post.
Elliott Poley deflected a cross for a corner but Tuck's cross was headed away. Martin's shot sailed wide of the post, then Tommy Scutt replaced the impressive Tuck on 68 minutes. A nice ball by Whyte found Dandy on the right but his cross was cut out.
Smith scuffed a shot wide following Flint's incisive pass. The flag was up for offside so a goal wouldn’t have counted. Joe Cook surged forward but was clearly fouled by Headley, who went into the book on 77 minutes.
Bitmead did well to win the ball off Flint before running in and forcing a great save from Tangara. Flint went into the book on 81 minutes for complaining to the referee. Lethbridge’s free-kick was headed towards goal by Smith but it was stopped by McCarthy.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdSmith helped play in Lethbridge, who sent the ball wide on 83 minutes. Mark McLeod hit one from outside the box on 86 minutes and it was deflected only just wide.
Luke Heneghan got on the end of a left-sided cross but his fierce strike was bravely blocked by the Bognor defence. Heneghan was late in the challenge on the and went into the book with a poor tackle on Crane.
Scutt did well to find a pocket of space before firing at goal and McCarthy got something to it to steer out for a corner three minutes into stoppage time.
But it was another victory for Bognor, their third on the road in eight days, to put them into the FA Trophy draw on Monday. They return to league action on Tuesday as they travel to Essex to play Bowers & Pitsea, 7.45pm.
Rocks: Tangara, Dandy, Crane, Tuck (Scutt 68), Cook, Wood, Whyte, Wakley (Flint 51), Smith, Hensel (Lethbridge 27), A Leigh. Sub not used: T Leigh.