Rocks have a Field day at Wingate

Chad Field scored the first Rocka goal at Wingate / Picture by Tim Hale

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Two second-half goals saw Rocks take another crucial three points away from home and extend their lead at the top of the Ryman premier to four points.

A Chad Field tap-in and James Crane’s glancing header saw them take the win against their play-off chasing north London hosts.

Bognor travelled to the Maurice Rebak Stadium with new signing Charlie Moone in the starting XI alongside Ollie Pearce. Ex-Rock Walter Figueira was on the bench for the Blues having signed the day before.

With Dan Beck back, Calvin Davies dropped to the bench with Jimmy Muitt also among the subs.

Early on, James Fraser passed to Crane in the area and he fed it back to Dylan Barnett, who smashed it low but wide.

Spencer McCall saw his shot saved by Dan Lincoln two minutes later after good work on the right by Ahmet Rifat.

Fraser turned and hit one on the rise but his attempt failed to trouble Shane Gore in the hosts’ goal.

Then Fraser played a neat chip over the defence in search of Crane, but the keeper claimed it.

Reece Beckles-Richards won a corner on the right for the hosts, leading to Steve Wales’ cross being headed out to Tanasheh Abrahams, who directed his shot well over the bar.

Lincoln gathered a Wales corner, then Wales picked out Rob Laney with a fine corner but his glancing header was comfortable for Lincoln.

Bognor got the ball forward after a period of Wingate pressure but Pearce smashed a chance high and wide on 29 minutes.

Bognor stole the ball in their opponents’ half and Crane sped on to shoot but his low shot was well saved by Gore.

Harvey Whyte’s right-sided cross was searching for Moone in the area but the keeper got the ball away.

Tommy Tejan-Sie smashed into Fraser near the halfway line and received a talking-to from the referee on 36 minutes.

Barnett handled to give Wingate a free-kick on the right but it came to nothing.

Lincoln claimed another cross by Ryan Sellers before Fraser floated the ball in towards Moone’s feet. But he scuffed his chance.

HT 0-0

Tejan-Sie won an early second-half corner. Wales’ kick was too strong for Rifat, who glanced his header wide.

Whyte and Pearce combined down the right on 49 minutes before the latter whipped in a cross but it was headed away after flying over Gore.

Field gave away a free-kick on 52 minutes. Wales swung it into the box and Lincoln punched it away. The linseman had his flag up for offside. Laney collided with the goalkeeper during the incident and received treatment.

The Rocks brought on Jimmy Muitt for Pearce just before a yellow card was shown to Tejan-Sie on 56 minutes. Moone went close as he slid in inside the area but the ball was diverted over the bar.

But Bognor took the lead on 59 minutes. Following a right-sided cross by Barnett the ball bounced across the box as Gore failed to gather it and from a tight angle, Field was well-positioned to slot it home.

Field received a booking on 65 minutes after Whyte tripped Beckles-Richards on the left and Field kicked the ball away.

On 68 minutes Beckles-Richards found space to shoot from outside the box but hit the side netting.