Slick Rocks make Horndean pay the penalties

After their 5-2 win away to Chichester City in midweek, Bognor followed up with more experiments as some more young hopefuls got their chance to impress.

Rocks legend Michael Birmingham's Horndean side welcomed his old side to Five Heads Park on a rainy afternoon and Bognor played up the slope in the first half.

A cross was powered in from the left and James Crane diverted it into the goal to give Rocks the lead on three minutes. Crane claimed the scrappy goal which bounced in with the goalkeeper out of position and with Sami El-Abd in the mix, looking as though he got something on to it too.

Lewis Boughton, a young trialist in the Bognor goal, miscued a clearance but the Deans couldn't take advantage. Charlie Walker took a free-kick just outside the box for the Deans which was easily stopped by Boughton. Muitt's cross almost found Alex Parsons then Muitt hit one from long distance just over the crossbar.

Jay Johnson crossed from the right for the hosts but Ian Humble headed it just wide on 22 minutes. Youn fdull-back Luke Robinson was causing problems for Bognor down the right.

For Horndean, Samuel Hookey shot low and wide on 31 minutes. Good Rocks play saw Robinson receive the ball from Joe Lea and his cross found Muitt, who hit a deflected cross over the bar.

Lee Tigwell smashed another chance well wide after getting into space before Lea's forward pass picked out Jimmy Wild and his low shot was easily saved by the goalkeeper on 35 minutes. Corey Heath's diagonal ball found Muitt on the left. He cut inside before giving it to Tommy Block, whose attempt was deflected wide for a corner.

Muitt cut inside from the right to shoot with his left foot but it was well stopped on the stroke of half time.

HT 0-1

Selsey starlet Lyndon Miller came on for Jimmy Wild and Ollie Pearce replaced the impressive Robinson at half-time. Muitt doubled the score for Bognor on 48 minutes. A neat ball in from the right by Parsons found the striker in the box and he slotted it low into the bottom corner.

Muitt won a free-kick. Pearce curled it round the wall but it bounced out off the right post. Muitt was involved again when his cross picked out young Miller but he could only stub his shot wide.

Parsons' run down the right was shut down by the out-rushing goalkeeper who deflected it away. But on 57 minutes, Bognor went 3-0 up when a corner on the left by Pearce found Crane who nodded it towards goal. Lea was on the line to head it in from close range.

Miller was deemed to have been fouled just outside the box. Pearce stepped up but curled his shot over. Lloyd Rowlatt came on for Block on 61 minutes, then Miller nodded over a Pearce corner from the left as he went up in the air with Crane.

Following a Parsons cross, Pearce was deemed to have been pushed in the box. Pearce stepped up to slot the spot-kick low into the bottom right corner from the spot on 65 minutes.

Former Rocks favourite Dan Sackman was among the replacements that came on in the second half for Horndean. Muitt curled a cross in from the right and Pearce glanced the header wide though and the ball rolled harmlessly passed the post.

Sami El-Abd came off for another new face, Harry Docherty, on 70 minutes. Tuck was replaced by Tommy Scutt on 74 minutes. Muitt was terrorising the defence and won another penalty as a defender handled the ball while on the floor on 76 minutes. Muitt stepped up to drive it high into the net, making it 5-0 to Bognor.

Pearce beat his marker and fired a low shot which took a deflection and was saved. For the Deans, Richardson cut the ball back from a quick free-kick to Walker but his low chance was well saved.

Late on Heath took a nasty knock. Then Parsons won the third penalty of the game. Pearce slammed it in low under the goalkeeper on 90 minutes.

Pearce received a yellow card for taking out Will Essai needlessly at the end but Bognor were comfortable winners. Bognor host Crawley Town on Wednesday (7.45pm) and go to Gosport on Friday night.

Rocks: Boughton, L Robinson (Pearce HT), Crane, Tuck (Scutt 74), El-Abd (Docherty 70), Heath, Parsons, Lea, Wild (Miller HT), Block (Rowlatt 61), Muitt. Subs not used: Beck, Suraci.