B*gger Bognor...

By Deadman (legacy user)7/12/2014 08:49Sun Dec 7 08:49:59 2014

Views: 4383

My first visit to Bognor and I was very impressed. The stadium was neat, the bacon/egg roll was good, the clubhouse was warm and the pitch was absolutely superb (at the end of the game, it didn't have a mark on it and it couldn't have been more different to the pitch at Clapton!!).

As for the game, in the disastrous early period, Hendon were repeatedly sliced open by the Bognor midfield and there were a couple of good finishes. The cross and header for goal no.2 were top class. At 3-0 down we started to play with Da Costa enjoying success on the left wing and chances were created, although Bognor did hit the bar. Overall though, Mr McCann wasn't a happy chap and took off Braithwaite at half-time (he'd been berating him constantly for not getting tight enough to his man) and replaced him with Goode.

Hendon dominated the 2nd half in terms of possession and plenty of joy came down the our right wing but quite often the final ball wasn't there. On the one occasion a really good cross came in, Leon Smith mistimed his jump and headed well over from about 8 yards. Bognor broke well as Hendon committed bodies forward and probably had the better chances to score further goals and finally did score (although I missed that because I was talking to Barney the scarf wearing Bognor dog at the time!) The 2nd half was perhaps summed up by the final action of the game, when a superb last ditch block on the six yard line denied Hendon a certain goal.

In summary, the opening period killed Hendon, the Belal goal (blasted from close range and nearly taking a defender into the net with it...) gave a glimmer of hope, the neat 2nd half football extended that hope, the Leon Smith miss extinguished the hope and the 4th goal put the tin lid on it. A defeat yes, a capitulation no. I expect the team to bounce back.