First half goal blitz gives Littlehampton Town victory at Bognor Regis Town - and league double over Rocks

The Rocks, playing their second game back at Nyewood Lane after half a season away while a new 3G pitch was laid, were better in the second half but missed a second penalty soon after half-time that could have swung the game back in their favour.

And they ended with ten men after forward Brandon Chebby was sent off.

Bognor won an early free-kick and Matty Jones's ball in was headed out by the defence following Chad Field's knock-on into the box.

Marcel Powell got a decent cross in with his corner for the Golds and Dan Lincoln had to punch it away under pressure. Then another chance came with Nicolas D'Arienzo getting on the end of another Powell cross but it flew over the bar.

See Golds joint boss Mitch Hand’s post-match verdict in the video player above – he spoke to our man Colin Bowman after his side’s win.

Callum Laycock responded with a chance in the air but it bounced wide.

George Gaskin picked out Lucas Pattenden as Bognor were well beaten at the back. The ex-Rock fired it confidently high into the net beyond a diving Lincoln on 11 minutes to put Golds one up.

Another injury blow for Bognor saw Tommy Block have to be replaced by Casey Bartlett-Scott.

The Rocks were punished again as Pattenden turned provider, putting the ball along the deck for Gaskin to tap in on 15 minutes.

Then a simple ball down the right flank to Pattenden saw him pick out Powell and he was denied – but then Josh Short, on the second attempt, fired it inside the post despite Lincoln's efforts to make it 3-0 on 20 minutes.

Luis Tijan-Sparks hit one wide of the post for the rampant Golds after a cross bounced out to him – and Bognor were looking very open in the first half, to say the least.

Seok-Jae Lee set up Chebby on the run down the left but he fired high over the crossbar from just inside the box.

Jones pinged the ball low into the area and Laycock was impeded. Tom Cadman had a stern talking to and received a yellow card. Up stepped Lee Seok-Jae to coolly slot the spot kick into the bottom corner on 32 minutes.

Following a Jones corner, the ball was knocked out to Seok-Jae who spun the ball back into the penalty area where Laycock powered it into the net – but the linesman flagged him offside on 40 minutes.

Bognor found themselves 4-1 down as Laycock was booked for impeding D'Arienzo in the box – it looked a soft penalty. Marshall Ball placed it low into the net from the spot in the first minute of stoppage time to end a miserable first half for Bognor.

Billy Allcock did well to win a penalty as keeper Billy Collings lunged late on him in the area. Up stepped Seok-Jae to take his second penalty in the 48th minute but this time it was easily saved by Collings, who dived to his left to deny him. It was a moment that could have seen a resurgence from the hosts had it gone in.

Allcock did well to pick out Harvey Whyte on the right. He found Chebby with a decent cross but his header was directed straight at the goalkeeper.

Bartlett-Scott found Seok-Jae on the left and his cross was gathered in the air by Collings, with the second half at least showing some hope for Jamie Howell’s side.

A neat ball over the top by Ethan Robb set up Chebby on the run but Collings gathered it at his feet inside the area, when the striker would have liked to have got a shot away earlier. Whyte was searching for Laycock with his cross on 61 minutes but Collings punched it away.

Chebby was set through again but he was denied by the legs of Collings. Short headed a rare Golds second half chance wide from a left sided free-kick – before Bognor responded with Bartlett-Scott spurning his chance, flashing it wide with his left foot.

Bartlett-Scott had Sparks beaten on the left flank and the full-back was booked for his late challenge. Field followed suit as he showed his frustration, pulling his man down in the middle of the pitch.

Another Jones corner bounced out to Seok-Jae but he sent his strike wide of the goal on 75 minutes. Ryan Yoro Thomas pounced as Rocks hit another corner in that was cleared. From long distance the ex-Rocks man’s strike was saved well by Lincoln.

Another free-kick by Bognor was hooked to the back post by Jones. He picked out Robb and his header was good but was pushed around the post by Collings.

Chebby went in for the ball and clashed with Collings in the penalty area and was shown a straight red card on 86 minutes, possibly for dissent.

Kash Kasukumya went into the book as he was deemed to have fouled his man. It was a miserable end to a game to forget for Bognor as most of a crowd of 1,282 went home disappointed.

The Rocks – still 10th on 32 points – have no time to rest as they welcome Horndean to Nyewood Lane on Saturday, 3pm. At the same time Mitch Hand and Gaskin’s Marigolds – 11th and level on points with the Rocks – visit Fareham.