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Rocks 2 Whitehawk 1
Two goals from Dean Maynard - one in the 90th minute - earned the Rocks a thrilling victory in their first home league game of the new season.
It was a home debut to remember for Maynard as he gave the Rocks an early lead and then clinched the points with a close-range finish after Worthing had lost their keeper to injury.
The win means the Rocks are one of only three clubs to win their first two games of the season in Ryman one south - a far cry from the past two seasons when they have been several games in before tasting victory.
It was a good night all round for our local teams. In division one of the county league Pagham won 4-2 at Arundel, Chichester were 2-1 winners at Shoreham and Selsey beat Gary Block's Wick 2-1.
At Nyewood Lane, the Rocks started the evening with a tribute to club captain Michael Birmingham, who was making his 600th start for the club. He was warmly applauded on to the pitch, and was made team captain for the game.
Both sides were looking to build on good results on the opening day of the season, with Whitehawk, promoted from the county league at the end of last season, looking for their first win at this level. They had ex-Rocks midfielder Darren Budd in their starting XI.
The Rocks - unchanged from Saturday - were gifted half a chance of an early goal when Hawks keeper Alan Mansfield's throw fell to Maynard, but his hurried shot didn't trouble the man who'd presented him with the opportunity. Then James Fraser's teasing ball in from the left was just too close to Mansfield as Jason Prior lurked.
Maynard soon had a second chance – and took it. He pounced on confusion in the Whitehawk defence after a throw-in on the Rocks left and slid the ball under Mansfield for his first Rocks goal.
The Rocks had their tails up and Prior almost beat Mansfield to a long ball from the back. Apart from one free-kick which was easily cleared by Stuart Axten, it was the Rocks doing all the attacking and Maynard should have found Prior unmarked in the box when the hosts had a man advantage in one move forward. His cross was deflected back to Fraser but he couldn't find room for the shot.
Sixteen minutes had passed when Richie Hudson picked out Maynard in the six-yard box with a perfect cross from the right, but the striker didn't catch his shot right and Mansfield saved.
Whitehawk were struggling to hold on to the ball for any length of time and were beginning to look frustrated.
Matt Whitehead was next to try his luck, surging forward for a 25-yard shot that wasn't too high or wide. More pressure from wingers Ben Johnson and Hudson led to a strong claim for a penalty for handball on 23 minutes but the ref was firm in his refusal.
Then Fraser was played in on goal down the left and forced Mansfield into a sharp save from a rising shot from ten yards.
Johnson was a little unlucky to go into the book on 29 minutes for tripping Jerahl Hughes when the Whitehawk player was still inside his own half. The free kick the foul resulted in a rather messy equaliser for Whitehawk.
Hughes found space to get into the box down the right and when his cross was missed by two Hawks players inside the six-yard box, the loose ball was fired back in and Luke Denton was no more than two yards out to squeeze it past Craig Stoner. That lifted Whitehawk and they burst forward to force Stoner into a save a minute later.
It was 1-1 in bookings as well as goals when Paul Armstrong was yellow-carded for hacking down Hudson, whose resulting free-kick from wide on the right was overhit. But it led to a corner from which Prior swept a half-volley just over the bar.
The game had gone from being rather one-sided to an open and competitive affair in which both sides looked capable of further goals.
A minute before half-time Wes Tate's bullet header from a corner was well held by Stoner by his right-hand post.
HT 1-1
Whitehawk were first to threaten in the second half and one moment of danger was snuffed out by an excellently-timed tackle by Axten on the edge of the box.
The Rocks were struggling to rediscover the rhythm that had almost blown Whitehawk away early on, and too often resorted to long, high balls that no-one could get on the end of.
When they did get it down, Hudson hit a sweet swerving 30-yarder that Mansfield had to be alert to get behind.
Whitehead was the third player booked after he caught Hughes late. Then a link-up between Fraser and Hudson ended in the latter not getting enough connection on a left-footed effort that Mansfield held comfortably.
Johnson's persistence down the left gave him the chance to pull a cross back for Prior but a defender's boot got in the way.
Axten was booked for a foul on an opponent which almost sparked a minor flare-up, then Birmingham's 600th appearance came to an end when he was replaced by one of Saturday's goal heroes, Dan Royce, who went wide left with Johnson slotting into central midfield.
Whitehawk were almost in again as Hughes crossed for Jamie Brotherton, but his header was high and wide.
.
On 65 minutes Tim Bond was robbed of a free far-post header by a defender's leaping interception. The corner fell to Johnson but his shot through a crowd of players was gathered easily by Mansfield.
Midway through the half Luke Nightingale made his first appearance since rejoining the Rocks on a permanent basis in the summer when he replaced Prior. Whitehawk replaced Armstrong with Martin Grant.
The Rocks were still pressing to get themselves back in the lead and Nightingale wasn't far off connecting from a quality cross by Royce.
The referee was proving a frustrating figure and Fraser found himself getting a lecture for his reaction when he won the ball cleanly in midfield and had a free-kick given against him.
Whitehawk still carried a threat and it was still anyone's game to win.
Whitehead's long ball to the far post on 79 minutes was cleared straight to Hudson, whose low drive was deflected over the bar by a defender when it could have ended up anywhere.
It was Bognor doing the pressing now and Bond's downward header from a corner almost crept in at the post. That led to another corner but this time Bond headed it over.
There was drama with seven minutes left when Hawks keeper Mansfield, formerly of Worthing, collided with a defender as he came out to clear a long ball. For a brief moment it looked like Hudson would have an open goal to aim at – but the ref blew for the stricken stopper to receive treatment to a head injury and Hudson curled his effort over the top anyway.
A stretcher was brought on but a groggy Mansfield eventually got to his feet before being led off for further attention. Defender Sam Fisk took over in goal and Lewis Hole replaced him at the back. The question was: would the Rocks have time to test the rookie keeper? The answer – yes.
The Rocks regained the lead in dramatic style in the last minute of normal time when a high ball into the box caused chaos in the Whitehawk ranks. After an almighty scramble, Nightingale held the ball up for Maynard to thump it home to the delight of most of the 302 crowd and the dismay of the visitors.
Whitehawk made another change when Josh Jones took the place of Glenn Woodburn.
Whitehawk were pushing forward leaving gaps at the back and a couple of times, the Rocks might have got a third on the break. There were one or two scares at the other end but the Rocks held firm to claim their second win in two and make it a perfect start to life in Ryman one south.
Rocks: Stoner, Crane, Whitehead, Fraser, Axten, Bond, Hudson, Birmingham, Prior, Maynard, Johnson. Subs: Royce, Martezzi, Nightingale, Marshall, Turner.
Whitehawk: Mansfield, Denton, Fisk, Budd, Hurley, Woodburn, Hughes, Akehurst, Armstrong, Tate, Brotherton. Subs: Kirkwood, Jones, Hole, Hunt, Grant.
Ref: D Robathan (Woking)
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Weather for Bognor
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
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