Rocks back on top after beating Kingstonian

Bognor powered back to the top of the Ryman League thanks to an Ollie Pearce penalty and a Darren Budd strike that saw off Kingstonian at a chilly Nyewood Lane.
It's handball and the Rocks have a penalty from which they took the lead - Picture by Tim HaleIt's handball and the Rocks have a penalty from which they took the lead - Picture by Tim Hale
It's handball and the Rocks have a penalty from which they took the lead - Picture by Tim Hale

The Rocks scored a goal in each half to put Saturday's 2-0 home defeat to Hendon behind them and move two points clear of Havant in first place.They had Sami El-Abd and Budd back in the side, with Tom Cadman dropping out and Jimmy Muitt sidelined by a hamstring injury.There was a minute's silence before the game for those killed in the air crash that claimed the lives of the Brazil-based Chapecoense football squad.There was an early scare for the Rocks when Yousseff Bamba got clear down the right and chipped a teasing cross into the box that Dan Lincoln had to be alert to cut out.The Rocks put together a nice flowing move in the ninth minute as Doug Tuck and Lorenzo Dolcetti teed up James Fraser for a run at the defence, but his attempt to pick out Pearce in the box was over-hit.Then Pearce went down as he charged on to a long ball over the top but the referee was having none of the Rocks' penalty claims.Bamba looked a real threat and beat Calvin Davies down the Ks left to work himself an opening but Dan Lincoln was quickly out to block the shot.Pearce had another penalty shout on 16 minutes when his fierce half-volley struck an opponent after Fraser cut the ball back to him. Again, the referee begged to differ with the Rocks' pleas for a spot-kick.Bognor were having the best of the possession but were struggling to make it count where it mattered. In the main, defences were on top; keepers largely untroubled.That changed just after the half-hour when a spell of Rocks pressure ended with Aaron Goode raising an arm to stop a seemingly-goalbound James Crane header. Goode was booked and Pearce put the penalty past Rob Tolfrey, who guessed right but couldn't keep it out.Kingstonian did manage a breakaway when sloppy passing across the halfway line by Bognor gifted them possession but it ended in a long-range shot that was comfortable for Lincoln.Coach Darin Killpartrick was tearing his hair out on the sidelines as Bognor backed off to allow Sean Bonnett-Johnson a run at goal from halfway and Lincoln needed to be on his toes to stop a shot that was bound for the top corner.Fraser burst clear down the left and cut inside past his marker to create a good opening in the final minute of the first half but shot straight at the keeper.HT 1-0Ks had a bright start to the second half with a number of forays into the Bognor box, a reminder for the hosts that the game was far from won.Joe Turner was causing particular problems down the Ks left, beating Davies a number of times to get crosses in, but they came to nothing.The Rocks made a 56th-minute change, bringing on Harvey Whyte for Parsons.Davies needed treatment from the physio after a blow to the back of the head but was fine to continue.A rare Rocks attack saw Fraser surge into the Ks half and release Whyte but his first-time cross was hacked clear. At the other end Lincoln had to palm a dangerous cross off the head of a lurking Ks attacker.The Rocks went two up on 65 minutes with a beauty of a team goal. Whyte and Dolcetti both showed some fine trickery wide on the right to carve open the Ks defence and Whyte's low cross fell to Budd who slotted home at the far post.The Rocks now had their tails up and Fraser beat two men before rifling in a left-foot shot that Tolfrey saved.Pearce's run and shot brought a superb diving save from Tolfrey with 19 minutes left. The striker immediately went down with what looked like cramp.Kingstonian brought on Toyosi Olusanya for Bonnett-Johnson.The Rocks brought on Tommy Fraser for Budd on 79 minutes.Tom Derry was close to getting one back for the south London side four minutes later when he rolled a shot across the face of goal, beating Lincoln but not getting enough on it.Another Rocks change had Will Robinson coming on for Pearce. A final change for Ks saw Alex Kelly coming on for Derry and Ryan Gondo replace Bamba.Fraser kept on running til the end and deserved a goal himself but was denied twice by defenders and once by his own miscused effort. It didn't matter - he had done his bit and so had everyone in white and green.Rocks: Lincoln, Davies, Crane, Tuck, Sanders, El-Abd, J Fraser, Budd, Dolcetti, Pearce, Parsons. Subs: Robinson, Walsh, T Fraser, Whyte, Wild.Kingstonian: Tolfrey, Goode, Wells, O'Leary, Hogg, Inns, Bamba, Bonnett-Johnson, Derry, Lamount, Turner. Subs: Page, Kiely, Olusanya, Gondom.Ref: Lee Rutter (Poole)Att: 401

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