1-0 down... 3-2 up – but Rocks can’t secure win
Enfield Rocks Bostik premier
Bognor came from behind and then lost the lead twice in a windswept thriller at Enfield.
After Theo Widdrington and Brad Lethbridge put the Rocks 2-1 up, Enfield levelled – only for Mason Walsh’s wonder-goal to put Bognor 3-2 up. But a contentious late goal by Kezie Ibe cancelled out and meant Bognor came home from North London with a point not three.
Petar Durin – a new loanee from Pompey and a former Atalanta stopper – was in goal for the visit to the Queen Elizabeth II Stadium with Dan Lincoln absent injured.
Matthew Johnson’s longrange throw found Joseph Payne but his glancing header bounced wide. Lethbridge skied a chance then Lewis Taafe’s corner was almost met by Ibe.
On eight minutes Enfield went a goal up when Taafe’s free-kick from 35 yards, assisted by the wind, dipped into the net beyond a diving Durin. It had been given after Harvey Whyte appeared to be fouled, but the referee gave it the other way.
Whyte won a couple of free kicks and from one his pass to Widdrington led to the midfielder hitting it low into the net on 14 minutes.
Marc Weatherstone and Billy Bricknell missed decent openings for Enfield.
Durin got down well to divert Taafe’s shot after he was fed by Johnson then, after the break, had to dive to his right to stop Johnson’s low strike.
James Mulley set up Ryan Blackman, but he struck it over.
Widdrington slipped as he hit a long-range free-kick into the area with Lethbridge lurking at the back post but he won a corner.
Blackman got a yellow card for a challenge on Leon Maloney but Widdrington blasted the free-kick wide.
Jay Porter smashed an effort wide when Mulley was blocked by Bognor’s defence.
Maloney found Lethbridge who ran inside before passing square to Widdrington, who hit it from around 35 yards. It took flight in the wind, dipping and striking the underside of the bar before bouncing off the goalkeeper and out.
But Bognor did take the lead on the counter-attack on 74 minutes as Walsh found Lethbridge who turned his marker before slotting it in, giving the Rocks fans behind the goal something to cheer.
Walsh went into the book for pulling a shirt and Bognor could not hold on to their lead as a cross led to Ed Sanders slipping before Sam Chaney bundled in on 79 minutes.
Bognor spectacularly took a 3-2 lead when Walsh got hold of the ball and curled one over the keeper and in on 82 minutes.
Keaton Wood cleared a chance off the line before another Bognor chance flew wide from Widdrington.
But it wasn’t over as another Wood clearance was deemed not to have stopped the ball crossing the line when Chaney’s corner was diverted towards goal by Ibe on 87 minutes.
The linesman gave the goal as Bognor argued with the ruling.
Amazingly, either side could have won it after that.
First Walsh’s cross was punched away, giving Rocks a late corner which was cleared.
Then Ibe was denied with a last-ditch sliding tackle from Widdrington.
Rocks: Durin, Sanders, Wood, Gilot (Scutt 67), Field, Read, Whyte (c), Widdrington, Lethbridge, Maloney (Wild 81), Walsh. Subs not used: Mccormick, Bennett.