Bognor get better of Chichester on rugby derby day to cherish

Chichester’s first team are currently playing in London 1 South but this local derby has lost none of its historical importance and the extra level of passion was evident in every crunching tackle.

Bognor, lying third in the table, fielded a strong lineup while Chichester paid the home team a huge compliment by making 14 changes from last week and including several regular first team players.

This resulted in an absorbing and highly competitive contest from start to finish, Bognor’s superior fitness eventually seeing them pull away from the visitors in the last ten minutes to make the match safe.

Early pressure from Bognor resulted in blind-side flanker Jamie Foote crashing over for the game’s first try.

It is hard to believe that this is the first full season of senior rugby for the youngster whose barnstorming performances have set the league alight.

Under the watchful eyes of experienced coach Karl Flinn, Foote is sure to keep his feet on the ground and continue his development into a top player.

Chichester hit back with a well-struck penalty by their fly-half before skipper Josh Burgess scored a try from a well-worked lineout move to extend Bognor’s lead.

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The visitors then enjoyed their best period of the match, running hard at the home defence deep into the 22.

Chichester’s full back beat two defenders and looked certain to score before Jack Hornibrook scythed him down with a classic try-saving tackle.

Unfortunately for the scrum-half he was yellow-carded shortly afterwards for what the referee deemed to be an infringement five yards from the home line.

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Chichester accepted the penalty and kicked the goal to make the half-time score 10-6 in Bognor’s favour.

Referee Stuart Godwin continued to penalise Bognor for a range of infringements at the start of the second half and the visitors’ fly-half accepted the gifts by stroking over another two penalties and putting Chichester into the lead for the first time in the match.This was the cue for Bognor to step up the intensity by launching a series of attacks using their big ball-carriers.

First of all Foote regained the lead by smashing over for his second try following a great combination by forwards and backs.

Then, man-of-the-match Chris Webb broke Chichester’s hearts by crashing through the middle for a superb individual try, converted by Jack Lysaght. Bognor are fortunate indeed to have benefited for several years not only from Webb’s consistently high quality performances but also from his loyalty to the club and his unassuming nature. With the match nearing its conclusion and Bognor still very much on the front foot, the final nail in the coffin was yet to come.

Fleet-footed winger Tyrone Makasi was stopped in his tracks by a hard tackle from Chichester’s No.8, who happened to be his brother, normally a first-team player.

Tyrone, however, had the last laugh by dusting himself down and, a few minutes later, showing his brother a clean pair of heels to score Bognor’s fifth try.

Epitomising the good spirit in which the game was played, it was Tyrone’s brother who was the first to shake hands with him and congratulate him for a great try.

Bognor: C Hay, P Burnett, C Herrington, N Archer,T Makasi, J Lysaght, J Hornibrook, C Webb, M Ubsdell, C Weller, T Orchard, S Stevens, J Foote, C Jays, J Burgess (c). Replacements: V Angelov, S Bailey, W Gilbert-Jones