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Bognor 0 Dorchester 0
Bognor were held to a frustrating goalless draw by strugglers Dorchester in a scrappy encounter at Nyewood Lane.
Bognor welcomed back striker Dan Beck after a ban and midfielder Scott Chamberlain after a hip injury as they looked to win back to back games for the first time this season.
But defender Andy Pearson was missing through injury and Mark Knee was on the bench - not 100 per cent fit after a dead leg suffered in last week's win at Sutton.
It was a fairly unremarkable start, although a Scott Chamberlain free kick swung into the Dorchester box caused a few problems.
Bognor wasted a good chance to go ahead nine minutes into the game when unmarked Saheed Sankoh headed wide when Alex Haddow picked him out with a lovely cross from the left.
Most of the early play was in the visiting Magpies' half and Chris Greatwich and Charlie Balfe were both guilty of playing poor final balls when well-placed. Then Beck's ball across the six-yard box was too far in front of Greatwich.
When Dorchester did manage a dangerous-looking attack, Craig Stoner was quick out of his goal to stop Jones Awuah an opportunity.
Beck and Haddow almost opened up the visiting defence on 18 minutes but the danger was cleared.
Scott Harris was the first man of the afternoon to be booked when he was slightly late with a sliding tackle on his opposite number Danny Clay on 25 minutes.
Haddow chipped a neat free kick into the six-yard box on 27 minutes but Chris Breach couldn't reach it and it went out for a goal kick.
Dorchester threatened again on 32 minutes and Stoner did well to clear Duncan Jupp's heavy backpass. Then the keeper had to clear twice as Nick Eastham chased a teasing through-ball to the edge of the box.
Dorchester were enjoying their best spell of the game and Jamie Rowe fired a low drive just wide.
On 38 minutes Beck's precise through-ball gave Haddow space to shoot from the left edge of the box, but it sailed just over with Ramos untroubled.
Next it was Bognor's turn to go close and Greatwich's cross looked destined for Beck but keeper Fransisco Ramos palmed it away from danger.
There was a comic moment four minutes from the break. Haddow's persistence down the left won the Rocks a corner but when the same player took it, he completely miskicked it and it stopped rolling before it reached the penalty area.
He then fouled a defender as he tried to keep possession without touching the ball again.
At the other end, Stoner's punch denied Awuah a free header at goal but the striker took a bit of the brunt of it and needed treatment to a knock to the head.
Half-time: Bognor 0 Dorchester 0
Michael Birmingham and Darin Killpartrick chose not to use any substitutes for the start of the second half but Beck started in a deeper role, just in front of the four-man midfield.
Just three minutes into the half, Luke Nightingale made his first appearance after a month out with a broken collarbone when he replaced Harris. Nightingale immediately went up front with Sankoh.
Awuah cleared the stand roof with a half-volley before Nightingale made his presence felt with a volley that forced Ramos into a sharp save at his near post.
The Rocks made a second change on 55 minutes, David Birmingham replacing Greatwich in midfield.
A minute later, Sankoh's run down the right ended with a cross that looked perfect for Beck, but a defender flicked it away from him as he shaped to head home. Then Beck had a shot blocked.
Dorchester replaced Mark Jermyn with Ivan Forbes on 59 minutes.
Forbes almost scored with his first touch but saw his shot well-saved by Stoner when clean through. The follow-up from Eastham was into the side netting.
On 63 minutes, Beck found Nightingale on the edge of the area. It looked promising but the club captain couldn't find room for a shot.
Mark Knee came on for Sankoh as Bognor continued to labour to break down their hard-working opponents.
Magpies defender Patrece Liburd was booked after an off the ball incident just outside the area with 18 minutes left as the match got a little bad-tempered between two teams desperate for points.
And when Chamberlain curled in a perfect free kick, Nightingale headed wide when he should have scored.
In a frantic few minutes, Magpies sub Jon Docker was only just too high with a 30-yard lob and then Beck's low ball into Bognor sub Mark Knee saw Ramos grab it off his toes.
Forbes fired a shot just wide of Stoner's post and then Nightingale wasted a good opportunity after a great run by Haddow.
Nightingale was booked on 86 minutes for a foul, although the Dorchester player who retaliated as the two ended up on the floor went unpunished.
David Birmingham was booked for a late tackle on the touchline in injury time and when the whistle blew, Dorchester were probably happier with the point - the Rocks having still failed to win back to b ack games this season.
Bognor: Stoner, Balfe, Wallis-Tayler, Harris, Jupp, Breach, Greatwich, Chamberlain, Beck, Sankoh, Haddow. Subs: Nightingale, Knee, D Birmingham, Dunk.
Dorchester: Ramos, Cumming, Sheeton, Clay, Liburd, O'Brien, Jermyn, Rowe, Awuah, Eastham, Gleeson. Subs: Browne, Bowles, Mitchell, Forbes, Docker.
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Weather for Chichester
Tuesday 29 May 2012
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