12-minute Odokenyro hat-trick sets up big Bognor win in FA Trophy

Nathan Odokonyero grabbed a hat-trick in a brilliant display from the Rocks that saw them beat Waltham Abbey 5-0 in front of an appreciatve Nyewood Lane in the FA Trophy.
Goal celebrations during Bognor's win over Waltham Abbey / Picture: Lyn PhillipsGoal celebrations during Bognor's win over Waltham Abbey / Picture: Lyn Phillips
Goal celebrations during Bognor's win over Waltham Abbey / Picture: Lyn Phillips

His first-half treble effectively settled the tie before Jordy Mongoy and Kayne Diedrick-Roberts added further goals to leave the step four side well beaten and Bognor in Monday's draw.

Ashton Leigh returned to the starting line up as Joe Dandy was on the bench nursing a slight knock after the Folkestone Invicta defeat in midweek. Jake Flannigan's early forward ball was just out of the reach of Odokonyero. Prince Domafryie strayed offside at the other end for the visitors.

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Harrison Brook threaded the ball into Odokonyero who was one on one with Ashlee Jones but Odokonyero's low shot was pushed away beyond the right post after just five minutes. Brook picked out Odokonyero again but his effort hit the side netting.

Bognor got the breakthrough on 19 minutes. Calvin Davies was on the end of a Brook through ball and ran on beyond defence and passed along the deck on to the back post, where Odokonyero poked in from close range. Craig Robson caught Domafryie, resulting in a free-kick for the hosts in line with the box on the right but Ace'a Laurent's delivery was poor.

Bognor got their second goal on 26 minutes. Leigh held the ball up for James Crane who fired it forward to Odokonyero, who beat the offside trap before hitting it low beyond the outstretched hand of Jones to slot it inside the post and into the net.

Mongoy cut inside before unleashing a left-footed shot just wide of the goal and Odokonyero completed his hat-trick on 31 minutes. Brook found Leigh on the left and passed behind the defence for Ookonyero to slide in inside the box and the ball looped up high into he net.

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Harvey Whyte found Brook on the left and he crossed but Crane headed it high and wide on 33 minutes. Billy Holland found Domafryie who ran beyond Crane. He ran on but his low attempt flew beyond the back post when it seemed easier to get a goal back.

Ibitayo Oyebola did well to speed down the left before passing inside to Domafryie, who passed it back to Laurent from outside the box but he smashed it high over the crossbar.

A long ball forward to Flannigan saw him cross for Ookonyero in the box but he misjudged it. Brook followed it up with a strike and forced Jones into a double handed save. HT 3-0

Godson Mongwele replaced Harvey Livings for the visitors as the players returned to the field. Flannigan passed back to Mongoy on the right before beating his man and crossing instantly. Leigh was sliding in at the back post but the ball whizzed across the area and out of play.

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Charlie Bell replaced Leigh on 54 minutes for the Rocks. Bognor defended when they needed to as Amadou Tangara gathered the ball from a cross. Bell put a neat ball in for an onrushing Mongoy, who ran beyond the defence before diverting the ball powerfully high into the net on 56 minutes to make it 4-0. Then Bell's corner was hooked back inside the box by Crane and Robson followed it up but his effort was diverted wide.

Bell, making an impact, squared the ball along the edge of the area. Joe Cook was there but sliced the ball well wide. Ethan Robb replaced Davies for Bognor on 58 minutes. Oyebola did well on the left after latching on to a through pass by Kyle Fraser Allen but his cross was poor. Oyebola struck one high and wide soon after before Diedrick-Roberts replaced Mongoy on 66 minutes.

Whyte and Bell teed up Diedrick-Roberts, who ran on but slid his effort wide of the post with Odokonyero lurking. Robert Clark hit one from long distance on the rise, forcing Tangara into his first save of the day.

Odokonyero stole the ball from Nathaniel Orafu deep inside his own half before running on and squaring it to Bell who left it thinking Diedrick-Roberts was behind him but instead the defender cleared it.

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On 82 minutes it was 5-0 - Robb set Bognor on the attack as he found Brook, who squared it along the deck for Diedrick-Roberts and he was in space to slam it low and into the bottom corner.

An Abbey corner fell to Klajdi Cani who curled it high and only just over the top corner of the goal.

Bognor saw several chances for number six come and go but that mattered not as they progressed to the next round. But next up is an Isthmian premier clash with Kingstonian next Saturday.

Rocks: Tangara, Flannigan, Crane, Davies (Robb 58), Cook, Robson, Whyte (c), Brook, Odokonyero, Leigh (Bell 54), Mongoy (Diedrick-Roberts 66). Sub not used: Dandy

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