Killpatrick says '˜no excuses' from Rocks at mounting injury list

Bognor were without five first-team members as former manager Jamie Howell bagged a 1-0 National League South win on his return to Nyewood Lane with Eastbourne Borough on Bank Holiday Monday.

That defeat capped a difficult weekend as several players were missing for Rocks’ 2-0 loss at East Thurrock United two days previous.

Corey Heath and Jimmy Muitt (both ankle), Doug Tuck (calf) and Alex Parsons all missed both matches over the weekend, with the four of them facing potential longer stints on the sidelines.

Despite finding themselves with a squad decimated by injury at this moment, coach Killpartrick will not use it as an excuse.

He said: “We’ve got a small squad and any injuries will hit us hard. We had a tough couple of games over the weekend, missing some key players, but we won’t be making any excuses as a team.

“Every match in this division is going to be tough, all we can do is go with what we’ve got and try to put those defeats right.”

With so many players out through injury at present, Killpartrick revealed work is ongoing to try and strengthen the squad.

He added: “We’ve been trying to bring players in for the past two weeks or so. It is difficult but we’ll keep doing our best to improve the squad and bring some new faces in.”

Defeats to East Thurrock and Eastbourne Borough, Rocks’ first since promotion last season, has not seen them drop too far down the table.

Following the first month of the new season, Bognor sit tenth with nine points from seven matches.

It’s a start Killpartrick has been satisfied by and said: “We’ve started okay but the games will keep coming thick and fast, so we’ll have to keep working hard.”

Rocks face a potential of seven matches in September, with Killpartrick targeting plenty more points.

He said: “As I said, we’ve done an okay job to start but that’s all it is. September is another month packed full of fixtures and we’ll have plenty of opportunities to keep picking up points.”

Rocks, looking to avoid a third defeat National League South defeat in succession, travel to early season pacesetters Chelmsford City on Saturday. It looks a big ask but it’s a test Killpartrick is relishing.

He said: “It’s a chance for both me and the players’ challenge ourselves against a top team at this standard.”