Mather and Davies secure much-needed Bognor Regis Town win over Kingstonian

The victory – thanks to two second-half goals – took Robbie Blake’s team up to 12th and was much needed after a poor display in defeat at Cheshunt a week earlier.

Isaac Olaniyan won an early corner for Bognor on the left. Davies' corner was easily headed away. Joe Rabbetts made a strong run down the left but had run out of support. Kieran Douglas blocked a chance and shouts for a penalty were ignored for handball but his arms were in a natural position.

Dan Gifford stole possession just outside the Ks box but after running in and passing back to Olaniyan his cross to the back post had no one there to capitalise. Mather was set up on the right by Harvey Whyte. He found Lucas Pattenden inside the area but he dragged his effort along the deck and wide.

Andy Somo had a shot fly over the bar after an incisive run from Eddie D'Sane. Mather was brought down and when Davies sent the free-kick in, Craig Robson headed it goalwards but the Ks cleared the danger.Davies slid in late as Kingstonian attacked and was booked on 17 minutes. On 20 minutes, Whyte did well to get the ball in the area. Douglas did well to latch on to it but curled the ball over from just inside the box. Pattenden burst into the area before he passed into the box, but Gifford was denied by the defender.The manager of Kingstonian was shown a yellow card on 24 minutes as frustrations were growing for both sides. Darnell Goather-Braithwate did well to get a shot away that was just wide of the post after decent work by Emmanuel Adebiyi for the visitors.

Rabbetts got a nice cross in for Pattenden to head across the box and it was Gifford who got a header on it but it flew wide on 35 minutes.On 37 minutes Pattenden made another run across defence but after passing it in a one two for Gifford he curled it wide. Whyte made a long run before shooting straight at Rob Tolfrey on 41 minutes as the Rocks' work in the final third was lacking.Goather-Braithwate had a shot deflected wide and Gifford shot straight into the arms of Tolfrey inside first half stoppage time.Right at the end of the half Whyte dug out a cross for Mather to see him head it powerfully at goal. But Tolfrey was equal to it to push the ball away – Bognor's best chance of the game so far. HT 0-0A clash of heads saw Gifford and Adebiyi go to ground on the halfway line which held up play as both received treatment.

A free-kick from the left was taken by Davies but it was Matt Drage who headed it away. Davies spun in the corner but Tolfrey was fouled in the area. Rabbetts was fouled just outside the box and Davies stepped up but curled the free-kick wide of the goal on 60 minutes.Olaniyan ran inside from the left but his shot was deflected and eventually cleared by Drage. But Bognor got the goal they needed though on 63 minutes. Gifford stole possession on the halfway line before bursting through and finding Mather on the overlap. He ran on before shooting low beyond Tolfrey into the bottom corner, giving Bognor the lead.The Rocks won a penalty on 66 minutes. Jude Mason went into the book for fouling Pattenden. Up stepped Gifford but it was well saved by Tolfrey who saved again on the rebound from Gifford.On 73 minutes, Whyte ran through and found Dan Smith up front and he twisted with the ball but his shot was hit straight at Tolfrey. Douglas went in for a last-ditch challenge to deny Somo and the corner in was punched away by Ryan Hall on 78 minutes.Douglas went into the book for a late challenge. Mark Waters curled the free-kick into the area but Drage headed it straight at Hall.

Boss Blake went into the book for something he said on the touchline on 82 minutes.Waters received a square passbut he dragged his shot along the deck and wide on 84 minutes. On 86 minutes Burgess went into the book as he pulled a player back.

Rudy Allen cut inside with his run before letting fly with his right footed effort and forcing Hall into a diving save on two minutes into stoppage time after seven additional minutes were indicated.Goalkeeper Tolfrey went up for a corner. It was a was poor cross, though, and it was Bradley Lethbridge who pounced on the break as he ran through and picked out Davies on the overlap, and he ran the whole length of the pitch to knock the ball into an unguarded net in the fourth minute of stoppage time.That clinched Bognor's first victory at the MKM Arena this season. Next up, they travel to Potters Bar Town on Saturday.Rocks: Hall, Whyte, Rabbetts, Davies (c), Douglas, Robson, Pattenden (Lethbridge 89), Burgess, Gifford (Howick 90), Mather, Olaniyan (Smith 70)Subs not Used: Higgs, Briffa