Robbie Blake on Bognor Regis Town’s win over Horsham: Important three points – but we have to keep building

The Rocks boss was delighted with the performance from the whole team – and has challenged them to keep up those levels as they go into the second half of the campaign, in which he is not setting targets but not ruling out a push for the Isthmian premier play-off places.

Goals by Lucas Pattenden and Dan Gifford, both in the second half, earned the 2-0 win that lifted Bognor to 12th spot and maintained their unbeaten home league record. There’s little time for them to rest before they welcome Canvey Island to the Lane on Saturday then visit Lewes on New Year’s Day.

Blake told us: “It was a tough game against a very good team. Dom Di Paola and Jon Meeney have got them playing very well. In my opinion, irrespective of this result, they’ll be in the top five come the end of the season. It was a nice game for us to win.

"We emphasised to the players that it was a derby game at home and we wanted to get on the front foot. The opposition made it difficult but we managed to weather a bit of a storm at the end and then hit them on the break to score and give us that two-goal cushion. To get that cushion right at the end was massive for us.

"It’s nice for the supporters to go away happy at the result and the performance. They’re a good team – and we can be a good team but we’ve had too many inconsistencies.

"It was an important win for us but we’ve got to try to build momentum. That’s six games unbeaten in the league for us and that’s a good sign but we’ve got to keep that going, keep building and trying to get better.

"We needed our goalkeeper to be on his game, he made three or four very good saves. The back four defended very well nd you need to play well when you’re playing Horsham. It was a good end-to-end, open game – no-one was trying to play for a draw.”

Blake had praise for opening scorer Pattenden, who gave the Hornets plenty to think about in both halves. "What Lucas has is blistering pace,” said Blake. “When he runs in behind like he did for the goal, he’s a handful. It was a great finish. Someone said it was a cross but we don’t care! He’s a threat and that’s why he’s here – he’s been excellent this season having come in from Littlehampton.

"In our six games unbeaten, four or five of the lads who played in this game have been out. We didn’t have Craig Robson, Ben Anderson, Jasper Mather, Dan Gifford, and Alfie Bridgman’s only just come back. So those are positive signs but we’ve got to keep ourselves grounded and focused as there’s a lot of tough games coming up.

"We’ll give the lads a couple of days off but then we go again at home to Canvey Island and then have a difficult game at Lewes. They’re all tough games but we’re pleased to get the three points against Horsham because as I’ve said, I think they’ll be up around the top four or five. They’re a good team but we’re more than a match for them and that’s the pleasing side of it.”

Does Blake also think the Rocks themselves could end up in the top four or five? “We’ve got some players who are just coming to this level and some who have been released from league clubs amd if we can keep the team together we’re only going to get stronger.

"I don’t like to put predictions out but we can be a match for teams but we have to try to do it on a consistent level. If you look at Horsham’s results they do it consistently. That’s why they still have a few games to catch up on. They’re difficult to beat and don’t give away a lot, so we have to get on that track of being consistent and if we do that – at any level if you do that, you can be a handful.

"We spoke before the game about being unbeaten at home in the league and making sure Horsham didn’t come and take that unbeaten tag off us. That’s still intact but there’s tough games coming up. While that lasts, it’s something to hold on to. It’s something that can build momentum and confidence and we’ve got to stick with that.”

Blake said Pattenden took a knock on his knee against Horsham which would need to be checked but that was the only injuy concern ahead of the Canvey and Lewes games.