Festive gifts are not what Bognor boss Pearce wants

The approaching festive period is a time for giving but Bognor boss Jack Pearce says his players must stop being so generous when providing gifts to opponents in front of goal.
Bognor try to break down Enfield / Picture: Trevor StaffBognor try to break down Enfield / Picture: Trevor Staff
Bognor try to break down Enfield / Picture: Trevor Staff

Rocks manager Pearce and coach Robbie Blake saw the Nye Camp aces earn a creditable point from a 2-2 draw at home to high-flying Enfield Town on Saturday in the Isthmian premier division having fought back from being behind.

A first half goal from Nathan Odokonyero and late leveller from Jordy Mongoy gave the home side a share of the spoils. But yet again Bognor were forced to drag themselves back in to the game after going 2-0 down through Muhammadu Faal's early double.

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Both goals came from rear guard errors and Pearce was left scratching his head at the Jekyll and Hyde nature of his outfit. He said: "If you look at the goals we score and the football we create to get there and then you look at what we do to give away goals there is no comparison.

"We can beat anybody, but we are also capable of losing to anybody. We have a lot of work to do. We are too generous in the goals we give away, far too generous.

"When I look at the opposition I think we are a better team than them (Enfield) but we are not getting the points that our ability warrants -- but the goals we give away are so amateurish you have to ask yourselves will it change?"

Also of concern to Pearce and Blake is the injury to skipper Harvey Whyte, who picked up a hamstring pull in the encounter. And the Rocks dynamo will be missing when the Rocks go to Southern Combination Football League Premier Division Bexhill United on Wednesday for a Sussex Senior Cup third round clash.

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Bognor are the current holders of the trophy, having beaten Burgess Hill Town 2-1 in 2019 with the competition being subsequently affected by the pandemic.

And Pearce knows just how vital Whyte is to his team. He added: "The biggest blow is losing Harvey, he has been exceptional in the past four or five games and losing him is a major blow for us. He'll be out for a while, which is a real shame.

"The Senior Cup is very important to the club but we have got to play some of the young players who need that opportunity to play -- though you can't put them in all at once."