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Bognor 2 Weston 0
A goal in each half gave the Rocks a vital victory over fellow strugglers Weston at a blustery Nyewood Lane today.
Weston are one of the sides near the bottom of Conference South the Rocks are looking to pull away from.
And this victory helped them do just that on a day when 353 turned up at Nyewood Lane to watch the action - a higher-than-average figure after the Observer teamed up with the club to offer fans money off the admission fee.
Click here to see the Conference South results and the latest table
Michael Birmingham was without his brother David Birmingham (suspended) and injured pair David Ray (leg) and Andy Pearson (mumps).
But the Rocks did have a new face in the side - promising young defender Joe Oastler, who signed for the club yesterday after being released by Pompey.
Bognor created the first opening after just two minutes when Scott Harris ran purposefully at the Weston defence, but his pass into the box was just too strong for Mark Knee to run on to.
Bognor won their first corner on eight minutes but although Chris Breach got a head on it, his header went wide.
Knee should have opened the scoring on 11 minutes when Alex Haddow found him unmarked eight yards out, but he hit his shot well wide.
A minute later Weston's Mark McGregor was booked for a late foul on Knee, who then turned provider with a ball into the centre for Luke Nightingale but he hit his effort high and wide when he should have done better.
Scott Chamberlain fired a free kick over the bar from 25 yards before Weston enjoyed a brief spell of pressure, with Ian Herring and Wilfred Domoraud both testing Craig Stoner with shots.
The Rocks thought they had taken the lead on 23 minutes when a goalmouth scramble followed a corner but the officials ruled it hadn't crossed the line.
But a minute later they were ahead thanks to an own goal.
Chamberlain whipped a high free kick to the far post, it eluded the Weston keeper Ryan Northmore and Herring diverted it into his own net.
Bognor were having by far the best of the play and Dan Beck and Nightingale were giving the Weston defence a torrid afternoon, whie Scott Harris's ferocious shot from 25 yards was blocked by a defender.
Weston had a weak penalty appeal waved away on 37 minutes when Gareth Hopkins went down easily under a challenge as he turned andtried a shot.
The Rocks had a lucky escape four minutes from the break when Stoner failed to gather a high ball and Herring's shot shaved the top of the bar when he looked well-set to score from 15 yards.
Then at the other end Bognor hit the bar themselves, Haddow's curling free kick leaving the keeper stranded.
Stoner had to get down sharply to save from Andy Robertson a minute before the break.
Half-time Bognor 1 Weston 0
The Rocks doubled their lead a minute into the second when Beck stooped to head home at the far post after Haddow's cross from the left was flicked on.
Beck was clattered by keeper Northmore in the process and needed treatment to a head knock.
Harris became the first Bognor player to be booked when he fouled his man 30 yards out. The free kick came tol nothing.
Bognor were still having most of the possession, though were not having it all their own way.
Beck floated a beautiful cross into the box on 66 minutes which Knee would have got on the end of but for a defender's boot, then Haddow set up Harris but his volley cleared the stand roof as well as the bar.
At the other end, Domoraud skied a shot after being played in on Stoner.
Knee almost made the points safe on 70 minutes when his solo run ended with a shot that beat Northmore but hit the post and came back out to him. The rebound was blocked.
Chamberlain was booked for a foul on Holgate in midfield.
Weston keeper Northmore was booked on 73 minutes for handling just outside the box. Chamberlain curled the free kick over.
Holgate did his best to get Weston back into it with first a shot and then a header which was only narrowly over, before he and Lewis Powell were replaced.
Harris was replaced by Chris Greatwich for the Rocks before Saheed Sankoh came on for Nightingale.
Sankoh almost scored within 30 seconds of coming on but his near-post header from Knee's cross was just wide.
There was a late scare for Bognor when Aaron Wilson volleyed wide after Oastler misdirected a back header.
The referee had to have words with the Weston bench after they used some colourful language to question whether the Rocks were time-wasting.
Oastler received a good ovation from the crowd when he was replaced by Carl Dunk two minutes from the end.
Greatwich should have made it three after the keeper saved Sankoh's shot and parried it to the sub, who got the ball tangled under his feet only a few yards from goal.
Full-time: Bognor 2 Weston 0
Bognor: Stoner, Oastler, Wallis-Tayler, Chamberlain, Jupp, Breach, Harris, Knee, Beck, Nightingale, Haddow. Subs: Greatwich, Sankoh, Dunk, Broadbent, Balfe.
Weston: Northmore, Willshire, Green, Robertson, McGregor, Hopkins, Holgate, Herring, Domoraud, Powell, Wilson. Subs: Grubb, Ewruje, McConnell, Bell, Davies.
Ref: M Thompson.
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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
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