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GALLERY: Rocks 1 Crawley 2
THE ROCKS were reflecting on missed opportunities in the first half as two early second-half goals condemned them to their first defeat in pre-season.
Crawley Town, of the Blue Square Premier Division, came out of the blocks flying after half-time and scored twice from set pieces.
The first came just two minutes after the re-start, when Chris Giles, seemingly unmarked, jumped highest to meet the corner of Barry Colgan and nestled the ball into the corner of the net.
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Only three minutes later Bognor gave away a free-kick on the edge of their own area which was taken by Jefferson Louis, who had been substituted in the first half for demanding to take another free-kick.
Louis hit the free-kick low and hard and it was to powerful for Anthony Ender who spilled it to the feet of the pouncing Michael Malcolm to slot home from close range.
The goals came completely against the run of play, after a first half in which it was difficult to see which team belonged in the Blue Square Premier Division.
The Rocks played the more attractive football of the two teams, passing the ball well on the floor and frustrating the visitors.
Louie Castles was the main source of the Bognor attacks, causing all sorts of trouble for the Crawley defense with his blistering pace.
In only the sixth minute Charlie Oatway, who had beaten the offside trap, had a chance to give the home side an early lead, but was unselfish and tried to square the ball to Mickey Demetriou, only to see the ball cleared by the backtracking Chris Giles.
Bognor then had plenty of chances to get the opening goal but James Crane had his shot cleared off the line in the 17thh minute and captain, Michael Birmingham, watched as his free-kick deflected off the wall and rattled the bar.
The game then seemed to die down with neither team taking control of the ball, but Bognor should have gone in leading when Demetriou, in the 38th minute, found Castles free on the penalty spot, only for the sprawling left foot of Nick Jordan, the Crawley keeper, to deny the young winger.
Bognor did get a goal back late in the second half when Matt Wood latched on to a ball over the top, turning his defender and slotting the ball past the on-rushing keeper.
Boss Darin Killpartrick is now looking forward to the next two pre-season fixtures which see the Rocks welcome Havat and Waterlooville and Brighton and Hove Albion to Nyewoond Lane on Tuesday and Saturday.
One worry ahead of those games is the fitness of captain Michael Birmingham, who had to be carried off the pitch after a collision in the middle of the field on 54 minutes.
Birmingham left the field holding his ribs but Killpartrick is hopeful he will shake it off before Tuesday.
Report by Matt Edwards
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Weather for Chichester
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: South west
