Sponsored by
AFC Wimbledon 3 Rocks 1
The Rocks narrowly failed to silence AFC Wimbledon's large home crowd at Kingsmeadow as two late goalscondemned them to a 3-1 defeat.
Simon Jackson scored his second goal of the season to put the Rocks on level terms at the break.
It looked like they'd hold on for 1-1 until conceding goals in the 88th and 90th minutes.
The defeat ended a bad week for the club a day after the Nyewood Lane clubhouse was severely damaged by fire.
Mick Jenkins named a starting XI unchange from the one who drew at Hampton & Richmond in midweek but two new loan arrivals from Stevenage, striker Zak Burke and midfielder Scott Balderson, were on the bench.
The game started slowly but the first chance fell to Bognor in the 15th minute when, after a foul on Dan Beck, Duncan Jupp fired a 30-yard free kick into the arms of Dons keeper Andy Little.
Seven minutes later, the hosts were claiming a penalty but they were waved away after Jon Main chased a ball down the right and cut it only to tumble over the challenge of keeper Darren Behcet. Main was booked for diving.
Wimbledon did not have to wait long to go ahead, though. In the 24th minute, a corner was headed out by Scott Harris and the ball arrived at the feet on Tony Finn, who crashed home a spectacular shot on the volley from just outside the area.
The hosts dominated for a time and they almost doubled their lead when Tom Davis drilled in a shot from 20 yards, but Behcet gathered it.
Sam Hatton was next to go close for the home team, firing over on the volley from Finn's cross.
However, right on half-time, the Rocks stunned the big crowd when a deep cross from the left by Dave Waterman was met at the far post by Jackson, who headed home the equaliser - his second goal of the season.
Half-time 1-1
In the second period, the hosts went close to regaining the lead on a number of occasions.
First, Finn's cross from the right was met by Hatton, who volleyed goalwards but saw Behcet claim the ball at the second attempt.
Behcet came to Bognor's rescue again when he blocked a low effort from Davis before the ball was scrambled clear.
Bognor were battling well and a point would not have been undeserved, but their efforts were undone by two goals in the final three minutes for Wimbledon.
The ball was slipped through the middle and Main reacted quickest to poke it past Behcet.
And to rub salt into the wounds in the final minute, the unmarked Dean Mason fired home the third from 15 yards.
The result leaves the Rocks 18th in the table, while Wimbledon are second - one of three sides with a 100 per cent record after three games.
Full-time 3-1
Bognor; Behcet, Hinshelwood, Watson, Harris, Jupp, Waterman, Jackson, Smith, Gatting, Beck, Dutton-Black. Subs: Balderson, Burke, Pearce, Hill, Whisken.
Report by ROB GARFORTH
Click here to have your say on the Rocks' start to the season or here to offer help as they try to recover from the fire which has left them without a social club at Nyewood Lane.
Get the Observer on Thursday for all the latest from Nyewood Lane including a look ahead to their next two games, at home to Maidenhead on Saturday and away to Eastleigh on bank holiday Monday.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Chichester
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: South west
