Similar to the FA Trophy defeat there in December, the Rocks fell behind midway through the second half in what proved to be a dull encounter at the Silverlake Stadium.

Rocks boss Micky Birmingham made one change to the side that beat Weston Super Mare at the weekend, bringing in Charlie Balfe in place of Joe Oastler, who was unavailable. Bognor were still without David Birmingham (suspended) and Andy Pearson (mumps).

The hosts were first on the attack and early on, there was a let-off for the Rocks when a neat move saw Matt Hann put through on goal but was unable to compose himself when bearing down on goal and ended up falling over.

Eastleigh pumped a number of deep balls into the Rocks half but the visiting rearguard held firm.

The hosts twice went close midway through the first period when another deep cross was met by towering central defender Ashley Vickers, who saw his downward header tipped around the far post by Craig Stoner, before the same player headed a free-kick over the bar from close range, less than two minutes later.

Bognor's first attack of any note came on the half-hour when from Saheed Sankoh's knock-back, Mark Knee set himself up bt his low-range effort from the edge of the box was easily dealt with by Jason Matthews in the Eastleigh goal.

Matthews had to be alert soon after when he rced to gather Alex Haddow's near post cross from the right, when under pressure from both Sankoh and Knee.

Bognor closed the half strongly and should have taken the lead just before the break when from a flowing move, Haddow's cross from the left was blocked but only into the path of Seb Wallis-Tayler but from an angle, the former Saints youth player fired well over.

Early in the second half, Bognor took the game to their hosts and could have taken the lead on two occasions.

Firstly when Scott Harris flashed an 18 yard effort just wide of the post before Bognor's best chance of the game fell to Mark Knee. Under pressure from Sankoh chasing a bouncing through-ball, 'keeper Matthews came out of his area to head clear but only into the path of Knee who took one touch, but blasted his effort over the bar.

The missed chances soon proved costly when in the 54th minute, Andy Forbes netted the game's only goal when he latched onto a deflected through-ball to wrong-foot Stoner, stabbing the ball into the far corner.

Bognor's response was immediate and they were awarded a free-kick just outside the penalty area, with Duncan Jupp's curling effort, cut out by Matthews at the far post.

To boost firepower, Luke Nightingale came off the bench in place of Scott Harris and the former Pompey man looked sharp and caused the home defence a number of problems.

But with time running out, a late Rocks corner saw 'keeper Craig Stoner rushing out of his goal to join the attack and although Chris Piper headed the first over his own crossbar, the second saw a melee of players jumping for the same ball at the far post, injuring captain Chris Breach in the process, with the defender requiring lengthy treatment.

With both St Albans, Weston and Welling winning their respective matches, this defeat leaves Bognor just three points above the drop zone, with six matches remaining.

Bognor: Stoner, Balfe, Wallis-Tayler, Chamberlain (sub Dunk), Jupp, Breach, Harris (sub Nightingale), Knee, Beck, Sankoh, Haddow. Subs not used : Greatwich, Broadbent, Arojogun.

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