Rocks managed all 3 points with a very late winner, despite an average display and a Chipstead team that came to Nyewood Lane fully prepared to take away at least a draw.
Bognor fielded a relatively strong side despite injury worries of Luke Nightingale and Tim Bond, who both started on the bench.
Ben Johnson returned to Bognor and started on the left wing, after he came back from a loan spell at Newport County and signed for Dagenham & Redbridge from Bognor. But it appears he is now a Bognor player for the season.
On just 2 minutes, Jon Marzetti went down holding the inside of his leg as tackles flew in early on. After inspection from the physician he was able to return to action.
Moments later Craig Stoner had to deal with an awkward long ball, dashing out of his area to boot the ball sideward’s to Perry Ryan, who fed Dan Beck on the left. But unfortunately the counter attack broke down.
Then Johnson’s free kick from the right curled high into the box but the attempt was deftly punched clear by Martin Grant in goal.
Rocks continued to create half-chances and on 5 minutes Marzetti hit a cross-field pass to Jason Prior who laid it off to Johnson just outside the box. But Johnson swerved his shot over the bar.
The visitors were denied on 7 minutes when Bruce Hogg’s long throw into the area was headed clear by Stuart Axten.
Chipstead again went close when Jordan Brown whipped in a cross for striker Martin Grant (not to be confused with their goalkeeper of the same name) who glanced his header narrowly over the bar after succumbing to Bognor’s defensive pressure.
James Fraser worked well in midfield to drive the ball forward to Prior on the right. Prior crossed it in and Beck headed back into the area towards the busy Fraser but a defender got there first.
Michael Birmingham won a corner after trying to thread Crane on the left, hitting a defender’s leg on the way. Though Johnson’s corner kick disappointingly came to nothing.
Some neat play from Johnson in the middle of the field led to the winger slipping a pass for Crane on the left. Crane squared the ball to Kane Wills, whose instant shot was blocked by a defender.
Pressure built for the visitors as Birmingham pummelled a long ball over the top and Prior sprinted onto it, but Grant managed to just get there first.
The Chips had another decent chance on 19 minutes. Tom Battoms whipped in a cross for Brown but again the visitors weren’t on target as the player headed over the bar.
Brown then turned provider but his cross from the left was too high for Lee Coburn on the back post.
Referee Knight signalled for a foul by Marzetti on Brown on 22 minutes. The full back seemed to slide in late on the player. Marzetti was the first to receive a yellow card for the Rocks’ Ryman Division One South season.
A nervy moment occurred seconds later when Brown bounced in a cross from the left which outwitted Stoner as he failed to gather. However, even the efforts of Coburn near the penalty spot wasn’t enough, only managing to lift the ball over the goal.
The visitors were going through an attacking period and on 25 minutes Battoms won a corner, rebounding the ball off Crane. Hogg’s corner was short and easily dealt with by the home defence.
Russell Bedford then volleyed a cross from the right towards Grant but Axten managed to flick a header away for a corner kick.
Johnson yet again found Crane on the left. The full back found Prior in the box with his cross but the striker nodded his header over the bar.
On 30 minutes Ryan had to shepherd the ball off under pressure from Coburn. Hogg’s corner was relatively poor but Coburn did get his head to it, albeit having to crouch down from well out to deflect it away for a goal kick.
Then Marzetti spun the ball in Rocks’ favour on the counter attack, tapping the ball forward to Johnson. The skilful player found Wills with a neat pass but the linesman had his flag up for offside, much to the bemusement of the Nyewood Lane crowd.
Marzetti then crossed from deep on the right. Beck headed into the centre of the box and Fraser headed over when perhaps he should have done better.
Rocks continued to try and find the net. On 35 minutes Beck sped through in space in the opposition’s half and flashed a shot from well outside the area, but Grant saved well, diving to his right.
Fraser then went down under a challenge, clutching his arm. He received treatment and the other players took the opportunity to have some drinks. After quite a period of time Fraser did return to play but was favouring his arm. However the central midfielder did manage to play 90 minutes, which will please the management team.
The Chips were up for it and with 5 minutes left of the first half, Brown played through Coburn, who swerved a low shot towards the bottom corner. Stoner managed to get something on it to deflect it round the post.
Coburn then nodded back a long throw in the box to Brown, but he scuffed his half-volley well wide.
Then Ryan’s free kick from deep on the right tried to find Prior but it was far too high.
Fraser then stabbed a low shot wide of the right post as he dove into the box along with a defender from 7 yards out.
But Bognor did score right on the stroke of half time. Crane squared the ball to Fraser inside the area. The midfielder hit his shot low at goal, which came off goalkeeper, Grant’s legs before looping into the net.
HT 1-0
Bognor looked to extend their lead in the second half, but at times lacked a direct link between midfield and forward players.
Beck managed to get on the end of a through ball from midfield but scuffed his chance as Grant in goal gathered.
A cross from Fraser moments later should have been put away had Prior not missed the ball completely in the box.
With 6 minutes into the restart, Axten received a yellow card for appearing to complain to the referee after a tackle.
The referee was fairly busy and when Ryan went down after a harsh tackle by Grant, he too received a yellow card.
The Chips continued to find ways of nearing the Rocks’ penalty area and on 54 minutes Brown received the ball from a Grant through ball but Brown’s square pass across the edge of the box was cleared by Beck.
Johnson then beat Bedford on the left to cross for Wills in the box but Robert Watkins headed off for a corner. Johnson’s corner fell to Fraser in space and headed the ball into the ground which bounced high towards goal but Grant saved well.
A long ball then fell to Grant who hit a low shot from 30 yards, but Stoner held it well.
Skipper Birmingham had to come off after injuring his leg. He had to be helped off the field and was replaced by Louie Castles.
Things just got worse for Bognor as Grant ran into the box and went down in the area. The referee deemed that Crane had pulled the player down in the process. Up stepped Jason Goodchild on 63 minutes who made no mistake in placing the ball into the right side of the net.
Rocks almost went ahead on 66 minutes when Fraser found himself in space just outside the box to loft a neat ball over for Prior. The striker’s powerful header was tipped over by the fingertips of Grant.
Striker Grant latched onto a long ball and rounded Matt Whitehead on the right. After reaching the byline he cut inside and unleashed a shot from a tight angle. Stoner was strong and saved by the near post solidly.
Substitute Wayne Hibbert beat Axten on the left to cross to the back post. But Goodchild’s header back into the box was booted clear.
Again Hibbert was called into action when he curled a cross straight onto the head of Coburn who’s effort was low, but somehow Stoner diverted the ball away instantly with his legs.
Down the other end Grant had to punch clear a dangerous in-swinging cross from the right using both fists.
Castles then got the ball and spun a shot from inside the area but Grant saved it.
The right winger was again involved when his throw to Johnson was quickly offloaded to Prior in the box with a chipped pass. With his back to goal Prior swiftly turned and shot, forcing a diving save out of Grant, tipping the ball around the left post. Prior then forced another one-handed save from Grant from the resultant corner - the keeper having to flap the ball away desperately.
Rocks did eventually net there second of the day on 89 minutes. Prior let fly with a shot from the edge of the area, of which Grant tipped onto the bar. The ball fell down and rolled along the line and despite the defence’s efforts of clearing the danger, substitute Nightingale was at the right place at the right time to divert the ball in from a yard.
Rocks held out to win, but only after a nervy 4 minutes of stoppage time.
Bognor : Stoner, Marzetti (Whitehead 55), Crane, Fraser, Axten, Ryan, Beck (Nightingale 78), Birmingham © (Castles 61), Prior, Wills, Johnson
Unused Subs: Breach, Bond
