Ten-man Bognor Regis Town take point from Kingstonian

Goals from Isaac Olaniyan and Sam De St Croix saw that Bognor got the draw after two quick-fire goals saw them go 2-1 behind and a player down, despite an assured first half.

Many will say it was two points dropped, given Bognor's better first half performance, where opportunities were squandered and mistakes cost them the win.

Myles Bowman was a new face in the line-up for Bognor as he started in goal for the Rocks, with Toby Steward moving to the bench. Leon Baker-Neto also came into the side on loan from Havant & Waterlooville.

Danny Howick and James Crane both got starts after injuries to Craig Robson and Josh McCormick with Joe Rabbetts also watching from the stands with a broken foot – and out for an expected six to eight weeks. Jake Flannigan returned to the bench after his injury woes which have kept him out for almost a month.

Kingstonian are sharing a ground at Tooting & Mitcham United and lining up for the Ks was dangerman Ben Ward-Cochrane who had caused Rocks problems in the past.

Bognor had an early chance called offside when De St Croix cut out a defensive pass but Nathan Odokonyero was over-keen with his run. Then Luke Robinson passed it square inside to De St Croix who hit it first time over the crossbar from the edge of the box.

Corey Parchment tried to get the ball across to Ward-Cochrane but it was cut out by the Rocks defence.

Then Kieran Cadogan was twisting and turning before crossing into the box but no one was up for the hosts to capitalise on the chance.

Tyrese Owen latched onto a passing move from the K's before letting fly with a shot from 25 yards out. Though the ball was always rising high over the crossbar.

Baker-Neto turned in midfield for Bognor but his pass forward towards Odokonyero rolled out for a goal kick.

Nick Dembele went through into the box and went to ground following a splitting pass but the referee ignored any claims for a penalty.

Robinson tracked the ball back to Crane who dug out a cross but it bounced once before hitting the side netting.

Dembele was on the run with a long ball forward from Calvin Davies and the referee had already blown for a previous foul and so play was brought back.

Thomas Gogo responded with a run and cross down the right but his ball into the box bounced straight through and away with Ward-Cochrane nowhere near it.

Kenny Beaney received a talking to after fouling Robinson on the halfway line. The eventual freekick was knocked into the path of Odokonyero but despite putting the defender under pressure, could not stop the ball rolling out for a goal kick.

But the Rocks took the lead on 21 minutes. Olaniyan whipped the hall straight at goal from 35 yards out wide on the left. It looked to be a cross but instead he had indeed spotted the goalkeeper off his line. His strike flew high over Mac Chisholm and into the net as the goalkeeper, reaching backwards, failed to stop it.

Ks responded directly from a freekick. A low ball forward to Ward-Cochrane saw the striker get a shot away after cutting inside from the right but it was saved.

Odokonyero was blocked with his low strike following a swift move and then was denied again after a pass inside from Olaniyan with the ball bouncing awkwardly in the box. Bognor were playing well as they headed towards half time and looked the more likely to extend their lead.

Then the Ks had a freekick in the half soon after Jack Strange played a ball over the top but couldn't find Ward-Cochrane.

An opportunity for the hosts did arise though again as Sean Bonnett-Johnson capitalised on Bowman's slip up with his clearance. Bonnett-Johnson smashed a chance low at goal but Bowman was equal to it, pushing the ball back out on 42 minutes.

HT 0-1

Kingstonian seemed to up their game in the second half. Owen did well to wind his way into the box but was blocked by Bowman at the last moment.

Parchment's freekick was hit curling at goal but Bowman pushed it back out for a corner.

Ks had a shot blocked before Dembele burst out of the Bognor half with the ball before passing it on the break to Robinson who was supported by Odokonyero up front but Robinson's low cross rolled along the 6 yard box and wide as he couldn't find a fellow teammate.

Gogo won a corner on the right for Kingstonian. Parchment hit it towards the back post, which beat Bowman but no one was there to place it into the net, as the ball flew out for a goal kick.

Then Gogo won yet another corner with a chance that ricocheted off a defender. But Parchment's corner kick was poor and straight out of play.

An impressive Robinson progressed down the left. He won a corner but the ball in by De St Croix was headed away.

Robinson beat his man before putting the ball square in the box but Dembele failed to divert it in and could only get a chest to it.

Bognor were punished as Kingstonian got the equaliser on 60 minutes. A long ball through on the left saw Ward-Cochrane place it across the box and Owen was there to smash into the net as he strode through on the back post.

It got worse for Bognor as they conceded again seconds later and went behind on 61 minutes. Ward-Cochrane pounced on a simple long ball over the top before running on and shooting low beyond Bowman.

Baker-Neto tripped up Owen on the turn and it was his second yellow card for the challenge and he had only been booked moments before. He was therefore sent off on his debut. Davies also went into the book for complaining shortly after as Bognor were in disarray following that second goal.

Bognor needed to freshen things up and so Crane was replaced by Jake Flannigan on 69 minutes.

Though despite being down to ten me Bognor equalised on 77 minutes. De St Croix did well to latch onto a loose pass out of defence by the K's to run inside onto his left foot before neatly kicking it beyond the diving Chisholm.

Then Bognor stole possession deep into the Kingstonian half thanks to Olaniyan who's neat pass forward found Dembele. His run across the defender was good but, with Robinson up in support, he instead decided to blast it high over the bar with his left boot.

The referee started to lose control of the game as Tom Bragg went into the book on 79 minutes. Rocks fans in the main stand complained about consistency with a number of Bognor players being impeded in a familiar fashion moments before.

Then Parchment curled in another corner of which Bowman had to punch away with both hands.

Bognor were capitalising on the game opening up. De St Croix dinked the ball forward towards Dembele but he was way offside. Then Ward-Cochrane responded as he controlled the ball beyond the defender before shooting low and straight at Bowman.

In response Odokonyero did all the hard work to run beyond his defender before running along on the right, cutting inside, and he smashed it high and just over the bar with his left boot.

Flannigan burst down the right. He was impeded on the turn and Parchment went into the book for his trip. Bizarrely, Beaney also got booked straight after as his throw in was taking a while to unfold following Davies' closed down freekick.

Robinson ran inside with a decent bit of speed and won a freekick in a good position and Owen also was added to the book. In Bognor last chance, Odokonyero stepped up just outside the D but he curled his freekick narrowly over the bar.

Dembele was replaced by Robson right at the end as 10-men Bognor had to run down the clock and take a share of the points.

They take on Wingate & Finchley next at Nyewood Lane on Saturday.

Rocks: Bowman, Davies (c), Crane (Flannigan 69), Baker-Neto, Bragg, Howick, De St Croix, Olaniyan, Odokonyero, Dembele (Robson 90+7), Robinson

Subs not Used: Chalaye, Lethbridge, Steward (G/K).