Red card after three minutes sets up Bognor Regis Town for fall

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.

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.

Leigh and Lovatt leave the Nye Camp.

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.

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.

Frustrated at Folkestone.

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.

Winger Dowridge back at Bognor.

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 freekick 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.

Rocks hope to return to winning form when they travel to Corinthian Casuals on Tuesday (7:45pm).

Rocks: Tangara, Dandy, Hughes, Robb (Brook 64), Cook, Robson (c), Davies, Bell (Crane 45), Odokonyero, Gifford, Dowridge (Whyte 45). Subs not Used: Howick, Wyatt (G/K).