ROCKS REVIEW: Corinthian Casuals 1 Rocks 2

They had Dean Maynard back on the bench and Phil Turner was missing from the squad but otherwise the team were unchanged. Ex- Rock Saheed Sankoh started for the hosts.

After a slow start the visitors should have done better when Kane Wills swung in a cross from the right but nobody got on the end of it.

Jamie Hatfield and Midi Nsugba combined to set up Tom Williams down the right, but Ben Johnson closed the attack down and won a goal kick.

On nine minutes James Crane tried to find Luke Nightingale from the right but instead won a corner. Michael Birmingham’s kick was flicked on by Stuart Axten in the area. Calls for a handball sounded as a defender appeared to touch the ball with his hand, but the referee gave no penalty.

A curling cross by Crane was inviting for Nightingale and Jason Prior but neither could direct the ball goalwards.

At the other end Axten almost let in Sankoh with a nervous backward header outside the area, but Craig Stoner managed to dash out to boot clear.

During a good period for the hosts, Kane Sergeant fired over after finding himself in space. The shot took a deflection and Sankoh’s corner from the left fell to Scott Hassell who could only smash his shot straight at Stoner.

Matt Powell was brought down by Tim Bond. The defender received a yellow card as well as a stern talking-to from the referee. The resulting free-kick by Nsugba was blasted through the wall, which led to the ball bouncing in fpr the opening goal after a deflection outwitted Stoner.

The Rocks should have levelled almost instantly when Johnson curled in a wonder of a cross for Prior, who got up well to head the ball goalwards but it crashed off the crossbar.

On 20 minutes Sergeant smashed a volley wide of the post after Williams found him with a deep cross.

Nsugba put in a decent ball through to Powell, but he slowed up, which allowed Stoner to gather.

Crane drove in a cross deep from the right and Prior somehow flicked the ball narrowly over the bar with the outside of his boot.

Then Prior curled in for Crane, but the right-back didn’t get good contact on his header from a difficult angle.

James Fraser poked the ball through a forest of players towards Prior but the goalkeeper got there first.

Naughton then had to punch clear a Birmingham cross from the right after pressure from Prior in the box.

Then for Corinthians Sergeant chipped in a clever cross for Powell in the six-yard box, but he headed over.

Matt Whitehead was beaten to the ball by the impressive Sergeant who again fired at goal. But Bond managed to get a deflection on it to send the ball wide.

In first half stoppage time, Johnson played a neat one-two with Prior but Naughton did well to get down to the dipping shot that was heading for the bottom left corner of the net.

HT 1-0

Two changes came for the Rocks in the second half. Dan Royce and Jon Marzetti replaced Whitehead and Wills. Marzetti to right-bac and Crane switched to left-back.

The restart brought a new desire from the visitors. But on 49 minutes Nightingale received a talking-to from the referee after a free-kick was given. The veteran striker argued that it was a fair tackle by Marzetti on Wayne Finnie.

Nightingale received a yellow card four minutes later after going in hard on Nsugba. Again he remonstrated with the referee as it looked a 50/50 challenge - but he was booked for his troubles.

Prior chipped in a cross from the right but Naughton punched clear.

In another quick attack, Johnson was tripped by Hassell just outside the area and the referee awarded a free-kick. Fraser’s cross was begging for a a touch inside the area but neither Bond, Axten nor Prior could get on the end of it.

On the hour Crane set up Johnson on the left, but the winger’s cross was deflected into the arms of Naughton.

On the counter-attack Sergeant threaded the ball back to Sankoh, who rather rashly skied his effort.

Fraser dug out a cross from the byline for Nightingale, but although the striker rose well he swirled his header wide.

But Bognor eventually levelled on 68 minutes. Sub Royce powered a ball in from the right towards Prior but defender Chris Horwood headed over for a corner. The kick from the left by Johnson was met by Prior, who beat the defence in the air to power a header beyond the goalkeeper.

Marzetti drove a pinpoint cross straight on to the head of Maynard in space, but he miscued his header over the bar when he seemed destined to score.

It looked like Bognor would never get the winner as they couldn’t find their usual finishing power.

Royce smashed a low ball across the face of goal and all the sliding Rocks players failed to tap the ball home as the ball whizzed away for a goal kick.

Two injuries occurred. Sergeant clashed in the air with Bond and then Birmingham was brought down by Sergeant, and both required treatment from their physios.

On 81 minutes Crane sped down the left with the assistance of sub Maynard, but he dinked his cross just over the head of Prior.

Then substitute Ali Wiltshire blasted well wide after beating Marzetti by cutting inside on the left.

Maynard powered a ball forward that was deflected out to Prior who could only volley his effort wide.

However, Rocks took the game to the Corinthians with force and on 84 minutes got the goal they needed, and it was a goal of some style.

Some dribbling from Johnson on the left eventually led to Fraser latching on to the ball. He was ready to hit the ball first time, curling it beyond the diving Naughton and into the top right corner – a goal of the season candidate.

Four minutes were added on at the end and Bognor could have gone 3-1 up when Maynard managed to beat the offside trap to poke a ball in for Prior. In the scramble it was almost an own goal as Finnie came in to try to deal with the danger. However, the goalkeeper managed to track back quickly to gather.

In the sixth minute of stoppage time a bizarre incident occurred. The referee called for a dropped ball, which was cleanly won by the Rocks to set Prior clear on goal. But for some reason the referee stopped the attack and gave a free-kick to the hosts, which surprised the sparse crowd.

However, by then the game was already over as the free-kick sailed off for a goal kick and the referee blew to give Bognor an important three points to add to their push for promotion.

Rocks: Stoner, Crane, Whitehead (Marzetti HT), Fraser, Axten, Bond, Wills, (Royce HT), Birmingham, Prior, Nightingale (Maynard 65), Johnson. Unused Subs: Wood, Marshall.

Report by LIAM GOODLEY