Maidstone’s hopes of getting in to the playoffs took a severe dent when Bognor Regis came to the Gallagher Stadium & became the first team to win there.

This was a must win game & the first half performance left a lot to be desired while Bognor showed why they had risen to third in the table.

The game started with Maidstone having the first real chance when in the 5^th minute Alex Brown received the ball 25 yards out but his shot was easily saved by Grant Smith, then in the 7^th minute James Crane on the left saw his cross go to Sammy Igoe the former League player who from 15 yards shot just wide.

In the 10^th minute Crane was put through on the left & got to the by-line but his cross shot was punched clear by Lee Worgan. The game went quiet for a while until the 23^rd minute when Igoe passed to Scott Chamberlain in the area & his poked effort forced Worgan to save, then two minutes later Steve Watt’s long ball forward saw Alex Flisher run onto it but when he was 20 yards out under pressure from the defender he shot high & wide.

Four minutes later Bognor had a great chance to take the lead when a ball into the area found Terry Dodd who chested it down & beat Jack Parkinson but blazed his shot over the bar from 15 yards.

In the very next minute Maidstone were awarded a free kick 20 yards out on the left, Frannie Collin passed it to Jack Parkinson whose shot went just past the post.

Two minutes later another chance went when Collin passed to Brown who passed to Flisher in the area but his shot was deflected for a corner.

In the 40^th minute disaster struck as Bognor took the lead when Crane on the left passed low into the area where Dodd dummied it leaving Chamberlain 15 yards plenty of time to side foot his shot past Worgan. The half time talk would now change for Jay Saunders.

The second half started with a little more intent from Maidstone & in the 48^th minute a long throw by Flisher into the area found Brown who flicked it on & then saw his shot cleared off the line & in the very next minute Worgan came to the rescue when Igoe free in the area saw his shot saved by Worgan’s foot.

In the 51^st minute Maidstone’s luck went with them as Steve Watt was booked three minutes earlier & then he fouled Igoe but injured himself & got away without a booking which would have seen him sent off.

Maidstone were now on the front foot going forward but were susceptible to the counter attack & in the 56^th minute Brown won the ball in midfield & went forward before releasing Flisher in the area & his shot went across the goal & beyond the post.

Four minutes later Collin put Flisher in the area & eventually he got his shot away which was parried away by Smith. A minute later Igoe 25 yards out saw his shot saved by Worgan & in the next minute a Collin free kick 20 yards out flashed past the post.

In the 64^th minute Bognor increased their lead when Ollie Pearce on just before half time received the ball on the right & his low cross found Dan Thompson on the back post who with his first touch stretching shot in from five yards.

Maidstone had it all to do but two minutes later Pearce again on the right wing cut inside & his shot was easily saved by Worgan.

In the 71^st minute Maidstone had a life line when Flisher’s long throw to the near post saw Watt flick it in from three yards, game on. A minute later Pearce on the right saw another of his crosses reach Thomson but his shot went past the post.

Another chance went Bognor’s way in the 77^th minute when Doug Tuck passed to Thompson who stepped inside before shooting but it went just past the post. Maidstone were now throwing everything at Bognor & in the 83^rd minute Brown out to Flisher who cut inside & shot but it was saved, two minutes later a Flisher long throw into the area saw Zac Attwood flick it on for Watt whose back heel from 5 yards was saved by Smith.

In the 90th + 2 minutes Kane Wills put Pearce in but his shot was saved by Worgan & then with nearly the last kick off the game in the 90^th +4 minutes Brown passed again to Flisher in the area but again Smith parried it away for a corner.

The final whistle went & the Maidstone players looked distraught while the Bognor players were ecstatic. Maidstone now have to win both their remaining games & hope the other teams drop points.

MAIDSTONE:

1. L.WORGAN  2. E.COX  3. T.MILLS  4. S.WATT  5. A.BROWN  6. D.PARKINSON (66)  7. S.BUTCHER (50)

8. J.PARKINSON  9. Z.ATTWOOD 10. F.COLLIN  11. A.FLISHER

SUBS USED: 14. J.HARRIS (66)  15. C.ROBERTSON (50)

SUBS NOT USED: 12. K.HUGHES-MASON  16. J.SULLIVAN 21. W.GODMAN

BOOKINGS: 4. S.WATT (47) 9.Z.ATTWOOD (69)  11.A.FLISHER (73)

 

BOGNOR REGIS TOWN:

1. G.SMITH  2. P.HINSHELWOOD  3. J.CRANE  4. D.TUCK (84)  5. D.SACKMAN  6. C.ROBSON  7. A.HOPKINSON (43)

8. K.WILLS  9. T.DODD (62)  10. S.IGOE  11. S.CHAMBERLAIN

SUBS USED: 12. O.PEARCE (43)  14. S.AXTEN (84)  16. D.THOMPSON (62)

SUBS NOT USED: 15. B.JOHNSON  17. M.WEIR

BOOKINGS: 2.P.HINSHELWOOD (21) 5.D.SACKMAN  (30)  11.S.CHAMBERLAIN (48)

REFEREE: Mr E.KAYE

ASSISTANT REFEREES: Mr E.SMITH & Mr A.POPE

ATTENDANCE: 2,148