Poor week's return for Bognor Regis Town... Selsey sunk... Midhurst lose vital clash

Rocks 0 Bowers & Pitsea 2

Isthmian premier

The third-minute sending-off of defender Harvey Hughes gave them an uphill battle at home to Bowers and Pitsea - and it was a challenge they could not meet as they lost 2-0 despite the visitors also suffering a first-half sending-off.

Hughes was shown a straight red after he was deemed to have shoved Daniel Trendall on the run after only three minutes of the Isthmian premier clash in front of 549 fans at Nyewood Lane.

Rocks: We won't let seasom finish with a whimper.

Many felt a yellow card would have been fairer. Quentin Monville took the resulting free-kick from just outside the box and this forced Amadou Tangara into a parried save down to his right.

Pedro Silva Barbosa went into the book for Bowers on six minutes. Calvin Davies struck a shot over the bar with an ever-rising attempt following a short free-kick.

A wayward Bowers backpass allowed Dan Gifford a run but he was brought down by Ben Steward on 17 minutes - and he also saw red. Nathan Odokonyero hit the free-kick over the crossbar.

Worthing FC not looking at the league table - yet.

Bowers took the lead on 22 minutes. Lewis Manor was given time and space after a chipped pass down the line and a cross by Monville picked him out in space. He steadied himself and gained full control before shooting beyond a diving Tangara. Thomas Stephen was caught by Joe Dandy as both players went to the ball in the air and Dandy was penalised with a yellow card as Stephen went to the ground.

Ethan Robb found Odokonyero with a forward pass but after turning inside his shot was deflected into Mitchell Beeney’s arms. Barbosa cut inside beating Dandy into the area but his powerful was blocked and Tangara conceded a corner which was dealt with by the Bognor defence. HT 0-1

Substitutions took place for both sides and for the Rocks, James Crane replaced Charlie Bell and Harvey Whyte replaced Sam Dowridge. A short corner by Davies saw him receive the ball back before crossing. Whyte got a headed flick-on before Crane poked in at the back post. But the goal didn’t count as the linesman had his flag up for offside.

Boss's guide to Littlehampton Town Vase glory seekers.

Davies got another cross in from the right but Whyte was under pressure as his header bounced wide of the post. Bognor went further behind on 53 minutes as a quick ball forward allowed Barbosa to pick out Michael Ademiluyi, who ran through unmarked before prodding a shot low under Tangara and into the net.

Davies went into the book after sliding in and catching a player following another short corner going awry. Monville ran on the break, beating Craig Robson to the ball. He found the onrushing Manor unmarked but his low strike was denied by the diving Tangara who did well to get down to his right.

Odokonyero won a free-kick near the corner flag. Davies took it but his high hanging cross was too much for Robson at the back post. Robb was replaced by Harrison Brook on 64 minutes in Bognor’s last change. Stephen whipped in a free-kick into the area but when Manor powered home a header directly into the net the linesman had his flag up for offside on 72 minutes.

Joe Cook slid in on Ademiluyi who went to ground in the penalty area. The referee initially pointed to the spot but Cook clearly got something on the ball. Only once the referee had spoken to his assistant did he overturn the decision and instead signalled for a corner. Bognor were trying to build something and Dandy’s cross was evidence of this but the ball flew high into the arms of Beeney.

Brook whipped in a cross from the left but Odokonyero’s headed knock on was easily gathered by Beeney. Monvile went into the book for time-wasting at the death as Bognor couldn’t find a way back in a poor game for the hosts. This was their second defeat in a row without a goal scored and they’re now 18 points off the last play-off place.

LIAM GOODLEY

Corinthian Casuals 0 Rocks 0

Isthmian premier

This was an improvement for the Rocks on their defeat to Bowers and Pitsea – but they couldn’t find the quality they needed to come away with the three points.

Young defender Danny Howick, a teenage product of the club’s youth set-up, was given his full debut and he and Joe Cook were particularly impressive at the back.

Calvin Davies was absent after a rib injury and James Crane was on the bench but is suffering from a damaged meniscus – the two latest injury setbacks in a season full of them for the club.

Early on Corinthian Casuals were playing a high line, creating spaces in the back line. Charlie Bell tried to pass to Nathan Odokonyero but it was cut out.

Bobby Mills tried to meet a cross from Kieron Cadogan for Casuals but the ball whizzed across the box and out of play.

Ethan Robb curled in a cross which was dealt with just inside the box.

Bognor got the ball forward and a pass inside the box to Harvey Whyte saw him turn his man before firing at goal. Casuals goalkeeper Emmanuel Agboola parried it out to Odokonyero, who from a difficult angle forced a save.

Cadogan swung a direct cross into the box for Emmanuel Mensah who had peeled off his marker but he directed his header well wide.

Joe Dandy won Bognor a corner after decent work from Cook out of defence. But the corner from the right from Robb was headed away.

Bell did well to control the ball before squaring it to Odokonyero and he ran on but his shot was feeble .

Cook was fouled just inside Casuals half by Elliott Bolton. Bell hit the long range free-kick straight at goal and it dipped just below the bar but the goalkeeper gathered.

Mo Diallo was spoken to along with Corinthians captain Jack Strange after backing into Cook in a clear foul.

After the break, Dandy was tripped on the halfway line and Cadogan went into the book.

Bognor were playing well after the restart and a nice diagonal ball from Whyte was played to Odokonyero and his run inside and pass to Dandy saw him get a shot away. It flew wide of the right post from 25 yards, though.

Diallo went into the book after a challenge with Whyte in the air.

Bell played a free-kick short to Sam Dowridge who twisted and turned before curling a cross out for a goal kick.

Rocks keeper Amadou Tangara slipped under pressure with a backpass but managed to gather.

Strange went into the book after fouling Odokonyero on the turn. Cook soon became the next to have his name taken.

Odokonyero looked as though he was brought down in the box by the keeper but the ref ignored the claims.

Bizarrely, Strange had left the field of play for a toilet break and was told to stay on the touchline by the linesman when he had returned – but the player refused and ran straight onto the pitch.

The game continued and Rocks coach Jamie Howell was shown a yellow card for complaining on the touchline.

The linesman called over the referee and Strange was sent off for not obeying the laws of the game.

LIAM GOODLEY

Mile Oak 2 Selsey 1

SCFL division one

Selsey suffered a disappointing defeat at Mile Oak, conceding an early goal from which they never really recovered.

After Mile Oak had increased the lead to 2-0 to a rather suspect goal, Selsey did get one back when a cross from Bradley Higgins-Pearce was delivered into the box for the onrushing Ollie Clarke to head home and make it 2-1.

They pushed for the equaliser but couldn’t force a second even when Joe Alman found himself with a free header from eight yards out but headed straight at the keeper.

Blues boss Daren Pearce said: “It was a disappointing day when the hosts adjusted to the windy conditions better and although it was a much improved second half display from us, we weren’t able to rescue it.”

Selsey make the trip to Storrington this Saturday.

STEVE BONE

Midhurst 1 Roffey 3

SCFL division one

First beat second as the Stags lost to table toppers Roffey.

Midhurst started well and Marcus Bedford was well placed to score but chose to pass instead.

Roffey took the lead in the eighth minute. Harry Giles made a strong tackle, but the loose ball was picked up by a Roffey player who found Josh Neathey who lobbed Stags keeper Josh Bird from 35 yards.

Roffey caught Stags out again in the 11th minute as Josh Maher was played through on the left and his first time shot from an angle beat Bird at his near post.

Stags forced a few corners and Roffey keeper Ryhs Hughes was tested. But in the 27th minute Roffey added a third goal as Neathey’s corner was headed home by Harry Law a yard from goal.

Stags were given a lifeline in the 43rd minute when Harry Tremlett was bundled to the ground in the penalty area. Kieran Carter cooly beat Hughes from the spot.

Stags had more fight in the second half without creating a clear opportunity. Stags keeper Bird was sin-binned in last ten minutes after complaining about a late challenge.

Duncan Brown took over and made one great save.

Stags boss Andy Ewen said: “You can’t give a side like Roffey three goals. All were poor from our point of view but they dug in and deserved the win.They worked harder than us, that’s something that doesn’t happen too often.”

STEVE BONE

Wittering United 12 Thakeham Village 1

Bareham Trophy

No player had scored five in one game for Wittering... until Bradley Blackburn took centre stage against Thakeham Village on Saturday.

He upstaged Harvey Bayley who completed his own hat-trick with a deft backward header in stoppage time.

United opened the scoring after just four minutes for the opening goal before a poor goal kick into the wind was intercepted by Bayley, who thumped home with a powerful left foot drive.

Singh’s deep cross was headed over the stranded keeper and Bayley clean through comfortably slotted home.

The match was already won before Blackburn joined in on the action, making it 5-0 after just 12 minute with a clever clip over the keeper as he advanced.

Blackburn clipped in a shot at the near post and scramble in box was tapped in at far post on the stroke of half time for number seven.

The second half saw a great penalty save by the Village keeper before Blackburn completed his hat-trick with a curling right-foot shot after previously missing a sitter.

Blackburn’s fourth took a deflection off a defender.

Village replied with a 30-yard screamer before another fine delivery by Gurpreet Singh was headed home to reach double figures.

Blackburn scored his record fifth from close range and a clever backward header by Bayley secured his hat-trick.

East Dean 3 Storrington 2

WSFL Championship

A bottom of the table clash ended in a much needed three points for The Dean as they attempt to stay up.

Midway through the half the home side took the lead.

Ben Pett whipped a free kick in from the left that found Brandon Williams at the back post, who headed across the goal for Jay Houghton to nod home.

The second half started poorly for East Dean they conceded a penalty. But the kick was blazed over.

East Dean were awarded their own penalty when Williams was brought down. Pett stepped up and tucked the ball home to make it his third penalty of the season.

Storrington were awarded their second penalty of the game and this was converted.

The lead was extended to 3-1 after Williams’ mazy run through the defence.

Aaron Freeman went sent a shot narrowly went wide.

Storrington were awarded a third penalty that was again converted. East Dean held firm to take home all three points.

Unicorn 5 Barns Green 2

Malcolm Simmonds Cup

Dan Simmonds bagged a hat-trick as Unicorn charged into the semi-finals of the Malcolm Simmonds Cup.

Jake Hawker and Danny Passingham were also on the scoresheet at Crabtree Park and West Sussex Premier Uni now face the winners of Saturday’s last eight affair between Rudgwick and Harting for a place in the final.

“It was a very solid team performance against a good side from a lower division seeking a scalp,” said Unicorn president Dennis Barclay.

“We expected Barns Green to start strongly and they gave us some problems by taking an early lead.

“But once Jake Hawker equalised we were up and running and Dan Simmonds finished them off with a well-taken hat-trick.”

Bognor-based Unicorn travel to Cowfold on Saturday for another quarter-final, this time in the Centenary Cup, and Barclay added: “We want to finish the season with some silverware.”