Holders Bognor progress in Sussex Senior Cup after beating Horsham YMCA

Bognor progressed into the next round of the Sussex Senior Cup with comfortable 3-0 win against Horsham YMCA.
Dan Smith bagged a brace for BognorDan Smith bagged a brace for Bognor
Dan Smith bagged a brace for Bognor

Dan Smith bagged a brace and Joe Cook joined the scoresheet as the Rocks made hard work of a game played in difficult conditions.

Bognor were seeing the majority of the possession inside the opening five minutes but were lacking that quality inside the final third to make the breakthrough.

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Against the run of play Horsham had a great chance to take the lead.

Tony Nwachukwu made a great run down the line and his brilliant ball across the box just needed a touch but no striker could reach.

Bognor were struggling to make a chance now and Horsham were looking to punish them.

Dean Carden put in a great diagonal ball into the box and Jack Frankland nodded the ball onto the frame of the goal and out.

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Joe Dandy then made a great run from his own box to the edge of the area and laid off Victor Hensel who cut back but his following shot was blocked off the line.

Seconds later and Smith had the chance of the game to put the Rocks ahead but his shot was well saved by Aaron Gael.

Finally Bognor were in front, Tommy Scutt’s corner was met by the diving Cook who nodded home.

Ben Mendoza nearly scored on his debut start for Bognor, Carden gave the ball away cheaply and Mendoza’s shot was bending into the top corner, but the wind carried the ball over.

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Hensel, Hopkinson and Smith all linked up nicely up top and Smith looked certain to score, but a last ditched challenge kept the score as it was.

Eventually Bognor made it 2-0 through top goal scorer Smith on 59 minutes.

A fantastic defence-splitting pass by Hopkinson gave Smith the perfect opportunity to bury the ball home and his low shot was too much for Gael to keep out.

Amadou Tanagra had been untroubled most the second half until 69 minutes when Matt Daniel was unmarked in the box, but the Rocks number one got down low to save from close range.

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Smith doubled his tally for the night and extended the Rocks’ lead to three.

He cooly diverted the ball from a Harvey Whyte cross into the back of the net from close range.

Bognor really could have finished the game scoring five or six, but some good saves from the Horsham keeper kept the game at three.