Bognor's unbeaten run ends at Carshalton

Bognor could have come away with a point and will be disappointed to have tasted defeat in the league for the first time since October 12.

The Rocks were still without Bradley Lethbridge and with Mason Walsh also missing, Tommy Scutt got a start in the side. They welcomed back Ross Edwards to the bench after he was missing against Enfield Town in midweek with a bruised toe.

Tommy Leigh's early free-kick was hit forward to Ashton Leigh who knocked it square into the area for Scutt but he couldn’t get a shot away. Christie Pattisson hit one from outside the box but struck the right post with his strike, then it bounced across the goalmouth before diverting off the left post and into Amadou Tangara's grateful arms.

Tommy Bradford did well to find Kershaney Samuels, who hit it early but it was always rising over the bar. A James Crane ball into the box was well saved by Kleton Perntreou on seven minutes.

Jeremiah Amoo beat the Bognor defence with pace but instead of driving the ball low into the area he chipped the ball over the bar. Doug Tuck and Harvey Whyte set up Ashton Leigh who headed it at goal but it forced a good save from Perntreou on ten minutes.

Dan Smith did well to win the ball before playing it to Ashton Leigh, who curled it into the area for Tuck but he failed it to make good enough contact on his header.

Pattisson ran across Tangara before going to ground but the referee awarded a goal kick rather than a penalty, to the bemusement of the home crowd.

Bognor fell behind through some poor defending on 24 minutes. Bradford played a simple ball square to Samuels, who diverted the ball low into the net.

Crane swung at a Whyte pass and Smith couldn’t force it in at the back post after a deflection. Tommy Leigh combined with Tuck and Crane before hitting it with a curling effort from outside the area but it was blocked by a defender's head.

A long ball in from Ashton Leigh saw Perntreou miscue his catch. Crane picked up the loose ball and smashed it on the turn and off the frame of goal on 37 minutes. Bobby Price headed just over the crossbar on 42 minutes.

A corner kick from Tommy Leigh saw the ball bounce to Smith, who hammered it towards goal and off the face of Daniel Pappoe who went to ground. HT 1-0

Peter Adeniyi found Pattisson with a pass but his cross was too far ahead of Bradford, before Amoo belted it high and wide on the follow-up. Crane won a corner but the cross was cleared with Joe Cook lurking.

Adeniyi did well to find the ball at the back post before belting it off a Bognor defender and wide. Then Samuels picked out Amoo in the middle but after beating his man and running square he smashed it wide. Keaton Wood went into the book on 55 minutes for a shirt pull on Samuels.

Cook was booked for a tackle on the halfway line before Price cut inside the box and blasted it at goal - Tangara’s fingertips denied him, pushing it over the bar on 61 minutes. Scutt did the hard work but made the pass instead of shooting as Perntreou denied him on 63 minutes.

Scutt was replaced by Arron Hopkinson on 64 minutes. Perntreou was given a yellow card for time-wasting. Harry Ottaway replaced Lennart Hein for the hosts moments later.

Price hit one off the right post after beating Tangara with a fierce shot on 69 minutes. Then Hopkinson was denied with an ambitious low shot in response.

Whyte went into the book for an incident before being replaced by Ben Mendoza on 73 minutes as Samuels was helped off. Whyte looked displeased with the yellow card as he felt he won the ball fairly.

Neat passing play saw Ashton Leigh do well to find space before he cut inside forcing a fingertip save from Perntreou who pushed it on to the bar and away on 77 minutes. Amoo teed up Pattisson but he belted it high and wide.

Bognor were on the attack again as Crane bounced a cross wide before a mix-up at the back saw Wood almost set up Amoo but he struck it wide with Tangara out of his goal. Wood smashed one high and wide soon after.

Hopkinson did well to win the ball before passing it back to Tommy Leigh and he hit it at goal forcing Perntreou into a parried save on 86 minutes - but that was Bognor's final chance.

They take on Horsham YMCA next at Nyewood Lane in the Sussex Senior Cup at 7.45pm on Tuesday, then host Cray in the league next Saturday.

Rocks: Tangara, Dandy, Crane, Tuck, Cook, Wood, Whyte (Mendoza 73), T Leigh, Smith, Scutt (Hopkinson 64), A Leigh (Edwards 78)

Subs not used: Wakley, Hensel.

Attendance - 411