Massive result – incredible day: Chichester City bosses hail win over Rocks

Two goals by Jimmy Wild gave City the derby honours in front a bumper crowd of 1,355 at Oaklands Park on Monday – keeping Chi above the struggling Rocks in the early Isthmian Premier table.

It was City’s second win in five as they look to find their feet at the highest level they’ve ever played at – further evidence they have what it takes to survive at step three.

Rutherford admitted it was not a great game but said they were delighted to come away with the three points.

“It was surreal in a way – here we were playing Bognor, who for so long have been way above us in the pyramid.

“I feel that on the day we showed a bit more desire to win the game, and it’s a massive result for us.

“I spoke to Robbie Blake (Rocks boss) afterwards and said that while we may not have the quality of other teams, we have lads we know – and they do in every game what we know they can.”

City coach Darin Killpartrick said: “Apart from the three points, seeing what we believe was a record Oaklands Park crowd present – from where we were a few years ago – was incredible.

“It’s testament to the hard work of a lot of unsung people off the pitch as well as those on it. We hope fans will keep supporting what we’re trying to build.”

Rutherford said striker Wild – who used to play for the Rocks – was proving his worth.

He’s scored four in five games and the manager said: “Jimmy just wants to feel part of it and at the moment he does. If we keep Jimmy happy, he’ll score goals for us.”

The win came 48 hours after Chi lost 5-2 at Dover – after holding the fancied hosts at 2-2 at the break with Mo Jammeh and Isaac Bello on target.

"Dover have an attacking force to be reckoned with,” Rutherford said. “Hopefully we’ll learn from how they scored five with five attacks against us.”

Chichester visit Kingstonian this Saturday in the FA Cup first qualifying round.

Ian Worden’s Chi City v Bognor match report…

Jimmy Wild’s first half strike and penalty after the break gave Chichester a significant win in this Bank Holiday Monday derby against local rivals Bognor in front of a packed Oaklands Park.

Kieran Magee started between the sticks with full backs Ryan Davidson, skipper Rob Hutchings and central defenders Curtis Da Costa and Ben Pashley in front of him. Joe Moore, Lloyd Rowlatt, Dion Jarvis, Mo Jammeh and Isaac Bello lined up in midfield with Wild in his customary role up top.

The visitors’ No11 Jasper Mather got in a decent header early doors before Pashley was caught but referee Jake Hiller dismissed appeals for a foul. Wild got flagged offside four minutes in and at the other end a smart cross picked out the Rocks’ Matt Burgess although he couldn’t direct his header goal-wards.

Jarvis was in swiftly and Chi earned three corners on the bounce that were all cleared before no one could get to a crisp cross from the right. Jarvis then found Wild in the 12th minute but he lost the ball and Harvey Whyte was adjudged offside.

A delivery from the left caused the hosts’ back line some problems as Burgess twisted and turned and Tommy-Lee Higgs went down in the box – no pen according to Mr Hiller. A free kick when Jarvis was impeded came to nothing and Hutchings earned another as Bognor received the game’s first yellow card.

Next, Pashley did well to cut out a Burgess cross and Magee gathered Spencer Spurway’s long ranger at the second attempt. And then City took the lead through Wild after a lovely move and cross from the right.

A delivery from the other side was cleared and Da Costa and Davidson did effectively to snuff out the danger posed by Higgs. Wild got clattered by Whyte on 26 as the home team pressed again but Davidson was flagged offside from the resulting set piece.

Jarvis and Davidson then combined and teed up Rowlatt for a super hit which was blocked before Bello was caught offside. Bognor probed and Higgs presented a teammate with an opportunity that Magee saved for a corner that the custodian punched away on the half hour mark.

Pashley conceded a throw before Wild almost got in again in the 37th minute, A dangerous Bognor free-kick was initially cleared but Burgess was first to the loose ball and turned it in for the equaliser. Bello was then felled in the area – no pen once more.

Hard working Jammeh was caught by Burgess for a free kick and Pashley headed safely back to Magee moments later. Mather saw his cross cleared by Pashley as things opened up and then got tackled brilliantly by the Chi centre back after a clever run. And in time added on Wild was fouled by keeper Joe Besant for a set piece which the Chi striker blazed over the bar.

A Magee slip gave the Rocks a throw in the first minute of the second half. Bello won a set-piece and Wild linked up with Jarvis for a chance that the No8 could have hit. Then Jarvis, Davidson and Bello combined down the right flank but the cross came in inches away from Wild.

Jammeh was fouled just before Wild was brought down in the penalty area. Mr Hiller awarded this one and the centre forward tucked it away for his fourth goal of the season. Just after the hour Dan Gifford was denied by a super Magee stop after some brilliant defensive intervention by his teammates.

Hayden Gayle’s delivery got claimed easily enough by the Chi keeper and Moore set up Bello for a shot which was turned out for a corner. Besant gathered Hutchings’ kick without any trouble before Magee took effectively as well at the opposite end.

Joe Clarke replaced Jarvis on 71 and then Jammeh’s effort was saved by Besant after neat stuff from Bello. Bognor had Craig Robson stretchered off and rejigged again before a header from a free kick was safe enough for Besant. New signing Billie Clark replaced Wild with seven minutes to go.

Things got a bit scrappy as both sides exchanged fouls and Magee gathered a Bognor header when Higgs crossed. Another chance went begging as no one could reach a delivery from the right as we headed towards almost 10 minutes of additional time.

Jammeh tried his luck with a header from some distance; Ethan Prichard came on for Rowlatt and Olly Munt for Bello; and Magee booted clear after saving a long-range effort. The whistle finally went as Chi fans celebrated a second victory in the Premier division and move up to 15th place in the league.

City: Magee, Davidson, Hutchings, Moore, Da Costa, Pashley, Rowlatt, Jarvis, Wild, Jammeh, Bello (Dunn, Munt, Clarke, Jarvis, Prichard, Clark)