Excellent Bognor praised - but with a warning for fans

Jack Pearce hailed an ‘excellent’ Rocks performance that carried them to seventh place in the Isthmian premier – but warned fans there would be more setbacks ahead.
Goal hero of the win over Margate Brad Lethbridge is congratulated by Tommy Leigh / Picture: Lyn PhillipsGoal hero of the win over Margate Brad Lethbridge is congratulated by Tommy Leigh / Picture: Lyn Phillips
Goal hero of the win over Margate Brad Lethbridge is congratulated by Tommy Leigh / Picture: Lyn Phillips

Two first-half Brad Lethbridge goals were enough to secure a 2-0 win against Margate last Saturday.

It was a second clean-sheet home victory in eight days for Pearce and Robbie Blake’s team.

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They aim for three in a row when Tooting and Mitcham visit in the FA Trophy on Saturday – before Burgess Hill come to town for a Sussex Senior Cup second-round tie next Tuesday.

Pearce said: “It was nice to build on last week’s win. The atmosphere was good and some of our football was excellent. We should have scored more than two.

“I will say to supporters again, though – we have a very young side and there will be more hiccups along the way. We’re not going to win and keep a clean sheet every week.”

Pearce said a recent change from their usual 4-3-3 system to 4-2-3-1, using Harvey Whyte and Tommy Leigh as the two holding midfielders, was working well.

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He said Lethbridge’s double would give the young forward a boost after a mixed start to the campaign.

The Rocks have opted not to continue the loan of Pompey academy forward Alfie Stanley because, with their forward options, they couldn’t guarantee him a starting spot.

Pearce said: “Alfie needs to be playing and will go on to do well somewhere, I am sure.”