Bognor back to winning ways as Corinthian-Casuals pay penalty

They came from behind twice before battling on to win in an entertaining game, their second straight success at home but one that was much-needed after two defeats on the road.

Bognor started brightly with through balls blocked by the Casuals defence, Calvin Davies and Harvey Whyte being thwarted.

But Casuals took the lead after just five minutes. Craig Robson made a mistake allowing Bobby Mills to drop his shoulder before running on and shooting past Amadou Tangara.

Immediately it was 1-1. Jordy Mongoy ran through and took a shot which keeper Daniel Bracken parried straight out to Dan Gifford, who turned before shooting home to level the scores.

Rocks 3 Corinthian-Casuals 2 in pictures.

Gifford beat his man before running into the area. He was denied by Bracken and Harrison Brook on the follow-up was denied by a defender.

Davies won possession before passing to new striker Finlay Lovatt, who picked out Mongoy – but he was blocked.

For Casuals Ben Cheklit received Kieron Cadogan’s long free-kick before spinning and shooting powerfully at Tangara who saved well on 18 minutes.

Mo Diallo got a cross in and Mills was ahead of his marker before diverting a header wide.

Mills ran through as Lovatt lost possession in front of Bognor’s box on 22 minutes. He forced Tangara into a save.

Bognor were beaten again with a forward ball over the top on 24 minutes. Oliver Sitch ran through and Tangara came out of his goal and the striker went to ground as the ball rolled out of touch.

The keeper thought he had got the ball but the referee pointed to the spot, booked Tangara and Cadogan drilled the kick high into the net.

Whyte launched an attack from midfield and managed to pick out Brook but he was offside.

Mongoy ran through and passed to Brook, who cut inside and a defender handled it and a free-kick awarded. Davies couldn’t make the dead ball count.

Gifford played a through ball to Lovatt who was denied by Bracken. Then Gifford was brought down only for the free- kick to strike into the defensive wall and be cleared.

Crane won a corner on the left but Lovatt’s ball in was cleared. Then Mongoy turned before shooting hard and low – Bracken saved.

Lovatt got caught in possession at the back to allow Diallo a strike on goal but he rolled it wide, so it remained 2-1 at the break.

Whyte did well to pick out Joe Dandy running on the overlap. He got a cross in which was gathered by Bracken in the air.

A corner saw Tangara flap under pressure from Sitch, who went into the book for impeding the keeper. Cadogan fired one low into the net on the rebound from Tangara’s parry but the goal was rightly disallowed for the foul.

Cheklit stole the ball and passed to Sitch who turned before blasting it high and wide.

Bognor responded with a neat passing move instigated by Whyte with Dandy and Gifford also involved. Whyte made space for himself and shot wide with his left foot.

It was 2-2 when Lovatt put the ball into the box from a corner. The ball fell to Robson who was blocked after Mongoy’s forward header. But it fell kindly to Lovatt who had found space ad he turned and shot low and hard into the bottom corner, levelling the score again and giving Rocks hope with a goal on his home debut.

Mongoy put in a great ball into the area. He found Gifford who scuffed his first chance before following it up with another strike of his own which was also shut down. Nathan Odokonyero replaced Brook on 61 minutes and soon did well to find Dandy on the overlap.

Dandy went to ground in the box and the referee at first seemed to ignore the penalty claims. But his linesman had seen the foul by the Hakeem Adelakun and a spot-kick was awarded. Up stepped Crane on 66 minutes and although Bracken got something on it, the ball went in and the Rocks led.

Whyte was replaced by Ethan Robb on 76 minutes.

Odokonyero did well to run forward but his advance was blocked, with Mongoy waiting in space. For Casuals, Misha Djemali sped down the left but his ball towards goal was knocked high over the crossbar on 78 minutes.

Gifford took a knock to he head as he battled up front but he did continue to play – and was later handed the MoM award.

Rocks made their final change on 87 minutes as Charlie Bell replaced Lovatt.

Crane and Cook were back to fend off another Casuals advance and as the ball was hooked over their heads they saw the ball roll to Tangara.

Casuals were battling to get a draw. Emmanuel Mensah was causing problems on the left and a forward high ball into the box from Elliott Bolton was destined to be caught by Tangara but he was barged off the ball by sub Nathaniel Pinney and a free-kick was awarded.

Bognor held on through five minutes of stoppage time but keeper Tangara had to be helped off with a dead leg.

See bognor.co.uk/sport for Liam Goodley’s full report from Wingate 2 Rocks 0