REACTION and GALLERY: Rocks coach rues problems at both ends of pitch

Rocks coach Darin Killpartrick rued the mistakes that led to a 3-0 loss at home to Wealdstone.
Jimmy Muitt on the ball in the Wealdstone defeat / Picture by Tommy McMillanJimmy Muitt on the ball in the Wealdstone defeat / Picture by Tommy McMillan
Jimmy Muitt on the ball in the Wealdstone defeat / Picture by Tommy McMillan

The Rocks remain without a home league win since August and are still six points adrift of safety near the bottom of National League South.

Killpartrick said: “As a collective group we can’t defend like that. Everyone talks about getting a forward but you just can’t defend like that, you really can’t.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Wealdstone’s second goal was all too easy from the Rocks’ point of view as Ian Gayle poked in a corner that everyone else missed.

Killpartrick said: “Their lad doesn’t even know anything about it. We’ve watched the video and he doesn’t even think he knows he’s scored, I don’t think.”

Although accepting how good the opposition were, Kilpartrick still doesn’t think Wealdstone should have been able to score their third, which ended the game as a contest.

“Their No11 (Abo Eisa) was a quality player but you can’t let him come inside on to your goal – you have to delay and deflect.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Bognor had plenty of possession but couldn’t find an end product to put the ball into the net – something that has been an all-too-familiar story all season.

“The cutting edge is massive, we get into the final third but just can’t seem to work the goalkeeper,” said Killpartrick.

In the bottom three, Poole remain only one point ahead of the Rocks, but Whitehawk’s win closes the gap between them and Bognor to six.

Kilpartrick said he was used to the pressure of being near the bottom of the table and added: “This doesn’t faze me. What fazes me is not being able to get a centre-forward – we desperately need one.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The injury list keeps on growing for Bognor – central defender Sami El-Abd limped off just after half-time.

“He (El-Abd) won’t be available for a couple of weeks but we hope to see a return of Keaton Wood which will be great. I’ll have to speak to Jack as to when the loan of Manny (Adebowale) is up but Keaten being back will be a straight replacement.

Another positive is the potential return of Ollie Pearce. He was an unused sub on Saturday but is in contention to get some minutes next week.

“Ollie seems to always be two weeks away, so we’ll have to see. As much as I love Ollie and I can’t wait to see him and Keaten back, if we have to wait another week we will.”

BEN PETT