Wingate woe for Bognor

Bognor remain 12th in the league and struggling for consistency after they were punished for missed chances as they fell to a 2-0 defeat at Wingate & Finchley.
It's been a bad week for Bognor with defeats at Bishop's Stortford (pictured) and now Wingate and Finchley / Picture: Trevor StaffIt's been a bad week for Bognor with defeats at Bishop's Stortford (pictured) and now Wingate and Finchley / Picture: Trevor Staff
It's been a bad week for Bognor with defeats at Bishop's Stortford (pictured) and now Wingate and Finchley / Picture: Trevor Staff

It was rumoured before the game that striker Kayne Diedrick-Roberts had left the club. New loanee from Bromley, Finlay Lovatt, started on the bench for Bognor.

Just seconds in, Freddie Hinds latched onto the ball as his run ended in a fine shot. Amadou Tangara pushed it out straight to Ethan Kessel but his instant header bounced wide.

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James Crane's throw saw Jordy Mongoy spin his marker before winning a free-kick. The ball was played low along the deck and Nathan Odokonyero left it before Mongoy found himself with the ball. But he couldn't get his shot away and then Joe Cook committed a foul. Luke Ifil fired a ball high into the box but Tangara was equal to it on a very blustery afternoon.

Hani Berchiche was causing problems for Bognor on the right flank. He won a corner with his deflected cross but nothing came of it. Dan Gifford did well to find Odokonyero inside with his run. He made some headway before shooting from outside the box and well wide. Leigh's in-swinging corner was headed out by Kavan Cotter. Kessel fired another over the bar after a good advance from Hinds.

Bognor had a good chance when Mongoy beat his man twice before shooting with his right foot and forcing Ben Goode into a parried save at his near post on 19 minutes. Wingate responded strongly with another chance. Hinds made a good run before crossing it into the area. Kessel missed it and then Antonis Vasiliou followed it up before forcing Tangara into a right-legged save, diverting the ball out again.

Bognor broke with Mongoy who burst down the right flank before he squared it along the deck for Crane who scuffed his left-footed strike on his first touch high over the bar.

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Davies played a nice curling free-kick into the box on 30 minutes but Crane couldn't connect. Cook won possession with a tackle and then Davies played the ball out wide to Crane but his cross, although dangerous, failed to find a team-mate on 35 minutes.

Lewis Hobbs and Berchiche combined on the right but when the latter received the ball back, his left footed curling shot flew across goal and out. Another Crane cross was diverted by Harvey Steel at his near post on 37 minutes. Davies ran along the halfway line before passing to Joe Dandy who ran some way before firing it into the box and out of play, wind assisted.

Dandy and Davies were combining well before the ball was played up to Mongoy who crossed it to the back post where Leigh was blocked with his chance. Leigh's corner ball in the area drifted kindly to Odokonyero who couldn't turn and then Crane was also denied instantly as he was shepherded away by a defender as well. HT 0-0

Berchiche was replaced by Sam Hatton at half time for the hosts. Craig Robson was deemed to have fouled Vasiliou. Cotter's curling free-kick was headed away by Dandy. Gifford won a free-kick with a quick turn of pace as Hobbs got a stern talking-to. Davies played the ball in low which fell to Gifford but he couldn't get control of the ball and the defence cleared the danger on 54 minutes.

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Crane played it inside to Davies who turned his man with ease before cutting it back to Mongoy. The striker hit it and forced Goode into a decent save on 58 minutes, pushing the ball around the post. Kessel found Vasiliou on the left and he made a run inside before firing it high and wide on 59 minutes.

Wingate went a goal ahead on 61 minutes. The ball was cut back across the edge of the penalty area and it was Cotter who struck it low and off the legs of a sliding Davies and it ricocheted into the net over a diving Tangara. Steel set up Hinds on the volley but with his effort on his first touch he fired it over the bar from eight yards out on 63 minutes.

Robson rose highest from a Leigh corner and sent in a header which came off the post with Goode beaten. The ball rebounded across the goalmouth and was somehow cleared. Another Leigh corner fom the right had to be punched away by Goode. Bognor were in trouble straight away though from their own attack. Ethan Robb was beaten near the halfway line and Hinds attacked. He played it square after a short run to Cotter unmarked who fired it low but he was denied by a fine save from Tangara.

A double substitution followed as Robb and Odokonyero were replaced by Harvey Whyte and Lovatt on 67 minutes. Davies played well to find Crane on the left and he put the ball in but Whyte miscued control of the ball with his first touch and it rolled out for a goal kick. Then Leigh picked out Mongoy with a run beyond the defence and he ran inside before firing it at goal but it was a good save by Goode that denied him.

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Dandy made a good run on the right before crossing it and again Goode had to punch it away one-handed. Great build up play saw Crane hit another chance at goal from outside the box. Goode parried it away and Leigh was offside on the rebound.

On 77 minutes Leig's corner fell to Gifford who bounced his header, under pressure, wide of the post. Gifford lost possession inside Wingate's half and it was Ifil that capitalised. He ran on before shooting and Tangara was relieved as it hit the side netting on 80 minutes.

Charlie Bell replaced Leigh for Bognor on 84 minutes. A cross was parried one handed by Goode straight to Bell who headed it back at goal, but it was cleared off the line with the goalkeeper stranded on 85 minutes.

Lovatt played a pass to Mongoy who powered in another cross from the left. Dandy dived to try to head it but to no avail. Mongoy ran through again and his pass across the box was hoofed out. Though Mongoywon a free-kick on the right touchline. Davies' curling and dipping ball in was dealt with by the defence.

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Ofori ran through despite looking yards offside and beat Tangara with a low strike in stoppage time. Davies went into the book for his attempts at appealing and remonstrating with the linesman for offside claims but the goal stood.

Gifford headed over the bar from a cross from the left at the back post, which summed up Bognor’s afternoon.

Bognor must do better at home to Corinthian Casuals on Tuesday (7.45pm) at Nyewood Lane.

Rocks: Tangara, Leigh (Bell 84), Crane, Dandy, Cook, Robson, Robb (Whyte 67), Davies, Odokonyero (Lovatt 67), Gifford, Mongoy. Subs not used: Hughes, Brook.