It is a major disappointment after last week's encouraging home win over Thurrock, and means the Rocks have lost four out of five.

The game started at a frantic pace as only a minute in Bognor captain Luke Nightingale swivelled on a sixpence inside the box, but his close-range effort was well blocked.

Eastleigh did not waste much time in drawing first blood with their first meaningful attack after three minutes.

A long throw into the box left the Rocks' defence standing still while midfielder Jamie Brown leapt inside the six-yard box to send a header beyond a helpless Craig Stoner.

Bognor looked to hit back immediately as Mark Knee, partnering Nightingale up front, was sent clean through on goal, but after setting himself for a shot under pressure from a defender, he saw his shot saved by keeper David Wilkinson.

The miss would soon enough prove costly as the home side soon went 2-0 down.

Seb Wallis-Tayler was closed down when he tried to clear inside his own half, and the ball rebounded off 21-goal striker Andy Forbes who volleyed over Stoner from the edge of the area.

Knee again had a glorious opportunity to get things started for Bognor midway through the first half.

David Birmingham, playing at left-back, fed Nightingale, who cleverly picked out the run of Knee with an cushioned header on the left side of the box, but again the shot was saved.

David Ray nearly pulled a goal back just before half-time when he peeled in off the right wing and fired in a left-foot shot, narrowly missing the left post.

The game was all but put out of the Rocks' reach with virtually the last kick of the first half. Forbes neatly played in Anthony Riviere on the edge of the area before the midfielder jinked past a challenge and tucked the ball past Stoner.

Half time: Bognor 0 Eastleigh 3

Two changes were made at half-time as Charlie Balfe came on for Wallis-Tayler, and Knee was replaced by Dan Beck.

Eastleigh should have taken a four-goal lead two minutes into the second half, the lively Riviere chipping a ball into the penalty area where Forbes headed over.

Eastleigh's Luke Byles was booked for a late challenge on Chris Breach which left the midfielder needing treatment on 56 minutes.

Five minutes later ex-Havant & Waterlooville man Byles was sent off for a second yellow after a mass brawl broke out on the halfway line.

Another one-on-one chance fell to Nightingale who was played in by Ray on 67 minutes. Visiting keeper Wilkinson did well to turn his shot past the post.

From the resulting corner, Breach headed the ball towards the back post where Andy Pearson headed over.

Ten minutes later Wilkinson failed to cleanly catch a weak header from a free kick, the ball spilled out to a Bognor player whose volley towards an unguarded net was well blocked.

In the last 20 minutes Bognor pushed for a consolation goal, but Eastleigh held on for all three points.

Bognor: Stoner, Jupp, D Birmingham, Chamberlain, Breach. Wallis-Tayler, Pearson, Knee, Ray, Haddow, Nightingale.

Report by GREG MILES

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