TUESDAY 27 March

Nationwide Conference South 

Bognor Regis Town 1 County 1

For the second season running, a last gasp goal at Nyewood Lane meant we came home from Bognor Regis with a 1-1 draw.  A year ago it was County who struck with an Ian Hillier penalty to snatch a point and it was possibly a pivotal moment in our season as we turned around our form in the following games and moved clear of the drop zone.

This year we still cling to the faith that we might make the end-of-season promotion play-offs though our slim chances of doing so suffered as Bognor defender Stuart Tuck headed home the equaliser for the Rocks in the 90th minute.

In all honesty Bognor deserved their point though for 89 minutes County were showing a side to their character that has not often been apparent - the ability to scrap for results when we are not on top of our game.

For 67 minutes neither goalkeeper had been troubled before Jacob Giles reacted smartly to keep out an effort from home forward Ben Watson.

The next on-target effort was at the other end when Sam O’Sullivan showed a delightful touch to wrong foot two defenders near the left corner flag and flighted a superb cross beyond keeper Craig Stoner for Charlie Griffin to arrive and head home at the far post.

For six minutes it looked as if County would hold on for the three points but a quadruple substitution saw four pairs of fresh legs introduced and Bognor substitute Marcus Farrell almost immediately tested Giles who responded brilliantly.

Bognor also sent forward central defender Stuart Tuck and it was a backs to the wall job for County as Steve Jenkins cleared off his line to stop Matt Ruby equalising and Giles reacted well to keep out a Tuck header.

A foul by Ian Hillier on the Bognor right gave the home team the chance to send forward about 15 players for the free-kick - well it seemed that way and sure enough Tuck won the header and powered the ball into the net.

A couple of minutes of stoppage time passed without goalmouth incident and while a 1-1 draw sure feels better when you score rather than concede a late goal, the result did not feel so bad considering our recent away form and the pattern of the game.

Peter Beadle wanted to reflect upon the positives after the match and Sam O’Sullivan’s performance was probably the best of those.

Supporters possibly do not always appreciate the he is still just 20 years old, despite having played 124 senior games for County and he is still learning and improving, and Beads has been impressed with his growing maturity in the last two matches.

Beads’ post match comments about us almost staging a smash and grab raid were put into perspective by the news that the team coach had been vandalised during the game while parked in the area designated by the home club, so the main after match thoughts were about the safe transport of the players back from the Sussex seaside.

As you would expect with this football club, the fans rallied around to help by accommodating some of the party in cars, and while the numbers travelling to support us were fewer than usual, they made up for it with their noise.

Team line-ups

Bognor: Stoner, Beck, Rowland, Budd, Ruby, Tuck, Watson, Howell (Johnson 58), Hudson (Farrell 78), Nightingale, Chamberlain (Balfe 78).  Sub not used: Birmingham.

County: Giles, Jenkins, Searle, Davies, Brough, Hillier, Bowen (Leek 78), Fowler, Griffin (Holdsworth 78), Hughes, O’Sullivan (Edwards 89).  Subs not used: Collier, Ovendale.

Scorers:   Bognor: Tuck (90)

                  County: Griffin (72)

Cautions: Bognor: Tuck (40 foul), Nightingale (90+2 unsporting conduct)

                  County: Bowen (36 foul)

Officials: Referee:  Harry Lennard.  Assistants: I Thomson, B Harman.

Attendance: 342