Saints 2, Bognor 2

[Rob_the_Saint]

Good point at home after a string of disappointing performances at Clarence Park.

 

Bognor are a good footballing side, capable fo stringing a multitude of passes together from one end of the pitch to the other but shots on goal were few; Georgie boy had to tip a couple over in the first half and there was a scare early in the second half that a defender got a foot to but that was about it. Oh, apart from the two goals of course.

 

The team today was: Clark, Zorocich, Sargent(Butler), Shinn, Brown, Campbell, Wraight, Castle(Seeby), Clarke, Willis, De Souza(Cogger). Unused: Jackman, Davies.

 

The defence and midfield had a much more solid look to it and Shinn impressed me once again. Sargent had a reasonable debut, apart from two poor corners. Clarke looked confident and probably just shaded Wraighty and Migs for MOM. Willis was a bit of a passenger I'm afraid to say.

 

Crowd wasn't brilliant; about 300 or so with 30 - 40 up from Bognor.

 

Saints made the early chances, unfortunately they fell to Willis who could only shoot weakly towards goal. Wraighty did nearly score after Lee Clarke got free down the right wing and pulled the ball back, but the shot was stabbed just wide. Bognor had two good chances but George Clark made good saves from both of them. Then they scored. Rob Collins picked up the ball in midfield and was allowed to wander across and into the penalty area and shoot past Clark's despairing dive. However, Migs redressed the balance soon afterwards by beating the offside trap (or maybe it was just a flat defence) and shimmying his way past the keeper and tapping home.

 

Second half. Clarke nearly scored early on and Wraighty was just wide with an atttempted 40-yard lob. Then Bognor looked odds-on to score but a foot just prodded the ball clear at the vital moment. They did go 2-1 up soon after though with a good shot from their skipper from about 18 yards out.

 

City huffed and puffed while Bognor played it about on the ground and another home defeat looked likely, but then the ball was played in from the left and somehow Wraighty got there before two defenders and whacked it in from about 5 yards out. 2-2, good clean game and hopefully an end to the home hoodoo.

 

Next up, Basingtoke on Tuesday, A few senior players missing but a chance for some of the youngsters to impress.

[EFM The Firm, The Voice]

Where was Watts?

[Rob_the_Saint]

Suspended for 1 game because of five bookings.

[Guest]

The seniors missing will be?

[Woody]

Castle is suspended for the next match and Brown for the next 3 matches, as I understand it.

[Rob_the_Saint]

Scott Oakes may be out as well. From a chat I had with him while he was waiting for his bacon cheeseburger on Saturday(super-fit these footballers!) he could be facing a hernia operation and be out for some weeks.