It's soul-destroying - it kills you: Bognor boss on the agony of giving away needless goals

Just as the Rocks were boosted by a win and clean sheet to see off Potters Bar at Nyewood Lane, they returned to their bad old ways in losing 3-1 at Bishop’s Stortford in midweek.

Each of the three goals came from Rocks players giving away possession in their own territory when they had no need to. It’s been a theme of the season and is a major reason why the Rocks are 12th in the table and 13 points off the play-off places.

Talking about the defeat, Pearce told the Observer: “For 44 minutes we controlled it. We had good chances – then we gifted them a goal, which totally changes the game and what you have to say at half-time.

“It’s soul-destroying – it kills you.

“Then early in the second half we gave them another goal from poor decision-making.

“We scored a well-worked goal to get back in it only to concede another self-inflicted goal.

“It was very disappointing after we’d played so well to win and keep a clean sheet on Saturday.”

Pearce said he had been heartened by last Saturday's 2-0 win and clean sheet at home to Potters Bar but said the Rocks' record against teams in the top half of the table needed to improve. He said the play-offs looked a long way off and he was focused on trying to keep the side's league position stable and starting to plan for next season.

The needless goals being conceded have been a theme of the season and Pearce said: "At some stage you have to accept that if you have tried to put it right and not been able to, you either ask the players to play differently or try different players playing the way you want to play. Something has to change."

Pearce tells Rocks Radio - we can't carry on like this.

Pictures from Bishop's Stortford v Rocks.