Late drama spells end of Bognor's FA Trophy run

Kick-off was due to be delayed until 7.55pm after two accidents on the M25 held up the players and fans. The Bognor fans' coach travelled one mile in about 1 hour 30 minutes at one stage. However, the game went ahead on normal time at 7.45pm.

Rocks had an early chance as Jordy Mongoy blasted over the crossbar after good work from Ashton Leigh after 10 minutes. Brad Lethbridge got the ball along the deck after receiving a pass from Jake Flannigan. He found Mongoy but he diverted his chance wide of the goal.

Martyn Stokes got a shot away after Amadou Tangara punched away the ball to him before he struck it off a defender and narrowly wide. Lethbridge did well to get a cross in from the left searching for Mongoy but the goalkeeper got there first.

Flannigan cut inside and played a triangle ball with Ashton Leigh before running into the area but the goalkeeper blocked his attempt. Then Makhosini Khanye was fed the ball and he ran in to shoot but Tangara saved it at his near post from the lowly driven attempt.

A long pass forward found Ethan Robb who kicked it back towards Tangara but he missed it and it hit the side netting. The corner by Sam Cornish found William Cracknell who glanced his header agonisingly wide of the post.

Great work by Harvey Whyte saw him stole the ball inside Maldon's half. He passed inside to Tommy Leigh who found space before shooting low and forcing the goalkeeper into a parried save. Before Shamari Barnwell ran down into the Bognor box before smashing it towards the near post but Tangara got in the way.

Andre Hasanally then found space in the Bognor half before shooting from distance. It bounced narrowly wide of the post. Tommy Leigh combined with Whyte to fire the ball forward to Mongoy who ran on before shooting and again the goalkeeper tipped that wide of the goal. HT 0-0

Bognor took an early second-half lead. Lethbridge won a corner with his cross being headed out. Ashton Leigh’s corner was swirled into the near post and the defender managed to block the chance on the line but Whyte was waiting in the area to prod home from point blank range.

Hasanally was deemed to have been pushed by Tommy Cooney so a freekick was awarded but Cornish’s freekick was gathered high in the air by Tangara. Flannigan went to ground under a challenge but was eventually replaced by Calvin Davies.

Bradley McLenaghan received the ball from outside the box square and then he spun a chipped strike over the bar. Joe Cook was also booked moments before this whilst under pressure from the hosts.

Davies' curling cross was searching for Lethbridge but the defender got a boot in first to steer it off for a corner. Bognor conceded when Cracknell ran past two defenders before smashing it under Tangara and then it was put in on the line to equalise for the hosts after some pressure.

Then Robb had to come off, change his shirt and eventually returned to the field after attending to a bloodied nose. Kayne Diedrick-Roberts replaced Ashton Leigh who was playing with a slight toe injury.

Cracknell ran onto a chipped cross onto the back post but he smashed it straight at Tangara before Mongoy sped down the other end but he hit the outside of the near post and out after doing all the hard work.

Keaton Wood replaced Cooney for the Rocks as Mongoy wound his way unto the box to find Diedrick-Roberts with a pass but his instant shot was closed down then the cross was pushed out by the goalkeeper as time was running out for both sides. Wood hadn’t been long on the pitch before going in the book. The free-kick from Cornish was headed out to Hamza Kaid who hit it first time but it was blocked.

Then a quick ball town the wing saw Lethbridge control it before spraying a ball into the area but the goalkeeper closed it down with Mongoy lurking.

Bognor sprang on the counter. Diedrick-Roberts stole the ball and he found Mongoy but his strike was knocked over the bar by the head of a defender.

But there was late drama as Shamari Barnwell rose highest from a deep cross to nod the ball over Tangara and into the net after Bognor had lost possession cheaply on 93 minutes.

It is not known when Bognor’s next game will take place given the tier system rules across the country coming into effect and no plans at present for the Isthmian League to restart.