Honours even at Pilot Field

There wasn’t a great deal to choose between two good footballing sides, but United might feel unfortunate not to win the Ryman League Premier Division contest after hitting the woodwork twice in the second half.

The U’s were the better team for much of the first half and deservedly took a 25th minute lead. Zac Attwood dispossessed a defender as Bognor got caught trying to play out from the back and Dee Okojie fed Bailo Camara, who rolled the ball into the net.

United looked in control until Bognor levelled with a goal out of nothing in the 38th minute. Matt Armstrong-Ford did well to fingertip James Crane’s initial effort onto the crossbar and then saved the follow-up before Ashley Robinson turned the ball home at the third attempt.

Okojie headed onto the top of the crossbar in the first three minutes of the second half, but Bognor looked the more likely for a while before United twice came close to winning it as they finished the stronger.

Sean Ray’s firm header from a corner touched off Okojie on its way to goal, but the officials decided the ball hadn’t crossed the line. Jamie Crellin then headed against a post barely a couple of minutes after coming off the substitutes’ bench.

United (4-3-3): Armstrong-Ford; Cox (Manning 90+3), Ray, Jirbandey, Whitehead; Dixon (Crellin 83), Carey, Ellis; Okojie, Attwood, Camara. Subs not used: Vickers, Bachellier. Attendance: 359.