Horsham's first visit to Nyewood Lane in 7 years ended in despair with this extra-time defeat against the Ryman Premier Division strugglers. Just a fortnight after crashing out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle, John Maggs' side contrived to throw away a 2-1 lead to exit the county's premier cup competition with a performance littered with the kind of defensive frailties that have become a disturbing feature in recent weeks and, with five bookings, a sending off and a worrying injury to Lee Carney, there was little to cheer the travelling support aside from the sultry September sunshine.

While most of their rivals were battling it out for a place in the FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round, this hastily arranged fixture was brought forward to fill an otherwise void weekend. But, in hindsight, many would argue that the day would have been better spent working on the training pitch after the Hornets went behind to yet another headed goal and, although Jack Lyons and Sam Page scored to turn the match around, more defensive aberrations let in late substitute Richard Greenfield to equalise and the Rocks went on to record only their 2nd win of the season in extra-time against Horsham's 10 men after sub James Nicholls'  87th minute dismissal.

Mark Knee's horror injury at Kingstonian meant that Alex Haddow was the only one of Horsham's ex-Bognor triumvirate to feature against their former side and he took his place in the midfield alongside Carney, Lyons and fit again Gary Charman, while Russell Eldridge dropped back in to the back four to cover the absent Knee and Paul Seuke donned the goalkeeping gloves for the first time since November in place of the suspended Rob Tolfrey. For the hosts, recent signing Jason Prior led an attack that had failed to register a goal in more than 3 hours while debut making defender Billy Franks lined up against the side for whom he made a handful of appearances last season.

The Rocks kicked off and might have taken a shock lead inside the opening minute when Anthony Acheampong immediately set the tone of the match  with a weak header that sold Seuke short but Mickey Demetriou could only lob the ball wide of the gaping goal. The hosts' positive start continued when French curled a left footed effort over the crossbar on 5 minutes before the match settled down only to explode back into life when Demetriou's excellent cross was met by the unmarked Matthew Wood who headed past Seuke at the far post to give Bognor a 22nd minute lead.

Stung in to action, Horsham produced an instant response with their best passage of play so far, as Carney, Charman and Ben Andrews combined to set up a chance that Carney headed narrowly over.  Soon after, a tremendous crossfield pass from Charman was wasted by Haddow's overhit cross before Bognor were almost gifted a second goal when Andrews' backpass dropped short and Seuke's hasty clearance hit Demetriou's backside and rolled just wide of the goal.

Charman and Haddow switched wings to try and offer different options but it was the home side who continued to look the more dangerous and Franks' long ball down the line saw Demetriou beat Delando Smith to send in a cross that Prior headed beyond the angle of post and crossbar while Horsham's response was an unconvincing volley from Andrews that went straight at Rocks' 'keeper Anthony Ender, admittedly at the end of a very good move by the visitors. The Hornets were showing more purpose to their game in the minutes before the break and, when Lyons led a quick break out of  defence, Carney's driven shot flashed past the far post as glimpses of Monday's second half showing at Kingstonian began to return.

From a throw-in, a quick exchange between Harding and Lyons on the edge of the Bognor area saw the Eire youth international's low shot deflected past the post and, from the resulting corner, Andrews' header was comfortably saved. It was from another Horsham attack that Bognor would have their next chance when the ball broke down inside the Rocks half and Prior was allowed to run 50 yards with the ball and hit a shot that was fumbled by Seuke who was grateful that Demetriou failed to follow up his team-mate's effort. James Crane was then cautioned for a late lunge on Charman, who showed few ill-effects as he managed to cross in to the box where Acheampong had 2 bites of the cherry without converting either effort as the first half came to a close.

H/T Bognor Regis Town 1 Horsham 0

With the match 'nip and tuck', it was clear that the next goal would be crucial to either side and each had strong shouts for a penalty within 2 minutes of the restart. For Horsham, Harding chased Haddow's ball down the right flank and, when the striker's cross was headed down by Andrews, the ball appeared to hit Crane on the arm before being thumped clear while, at the other end, Demetriou went down over Smith's leg but both were denied by referee Kane.

The visitors needn't have worried, though, as they were to draw level soon after when a measured attack saw Andrews and Charman working in tandem on the edge of the Rocks' penalty area and, when Andrews' shot was deflected, the ball fell nicely in to the path of Lyons who passed the ball in to the back of the net from 10 yards for the first goal of his Horsham career. In typical fashion, more carefree play almost let in Bognor straight after when Prior was given all the time in the world to line up a shot but, thankfully for the visitors, his attempt went wide.

Ender displayed his agility to push Andrews' goalbound header around the post on 53 minutes but he was beaten again, just a minute later, when Charman's deep throw induced panic in the Bognor area and Page swivelled to stab the ball past the unsighted 'keeper from close range. Once again, the Rocks might have conjured up a quick reply when Franks strode forward, skipping past a couple of challenges, and hit a rising shot inches over Seuke's crossbar.

Wood went in to the book for a late tackle on Smith before Franks missed a golden opportunity to equalise when the ball was knocked down to him from a left wing cross but he blazed wastefully over the top. Horsham survived another penalty appeal, this time when Demetriou appeared to shove Acheampong off the ball before racing in to the area where he was bundled over by Smith to loud shouts from the home supporters as the end-to-end action continued.

Another spectacular save from Ender denied the Hornets a 3rd goal, this time repelling a Charman piledriver, and the 'keeper was in the right place to keep out Andrews' header from the resulting corner as John Maggs' side tried to put the tie beyond the reach of their hosts. However, the visitors were to suffer a major blow when a loose pass from Haddow saw Carney injured in trying to win the ball back, forcing him out of the action with 25 minutes to go.

Prior was giving home fans good cause for optimism in only his 2nd match since joining the Rocks from Wessex League Moneyfields when, with his back to goal, he expertly brought Franks' cross under control before turning Andrews and sending a first time volley over the crossbar. A lazy challenge on Charlie Oatway earned Charman a caution and the Rocks fans were calling for his dismissal, a minute later, when another clumsy trip - this time on Sam Tucknott - led to a free-kick that was eventually turned wide by Prior.

Another poor pass from Haddow forced Eldridge to commit himself and he, too, was cautioned for bringing down Crane but referee Kane had no concerns over the Horsham man's excellent challenge on Tucknott that conceded a corner and not, as the home fans cried, a penalty. Bognor's experienced captain, one-time Horsham target Stuart Tuck, flashed a header over the top from French's corner with quarter of an hour remaining and Harding's control and shot went the same way, from Smith's cross. Andrews was deprived of a run on goal by a dubious offside decision before Rocks boss Darren Kilpatrick played his trump card, bringing on Greenfield for Wood on 82 minutes. Almost immediately, Horsham broke and would have put the tie out of sight of the hosts had it not been for Tim Bond's outstretched leg that prevented Charman's low cross from reaching Andrews and, a minute later, the scores were level again.

A hopeful punt upfield was missed by Page, and Acheampong's decision to allow the ball to bounce was a costly one as Greenfield charged down the defender's attempted clearance before beating Seuke from the edge of the box to set up the tense finale. The big defender had suffered a disappointing afternoon and was promptly hauled off by Maggs, with James Nicholls going on in his place, but Horsham's frustrations were about to get even worse when Smith's misplaced pass was quickly turned on to Demetriou who was brought crashing to the ground by Nicholls who received a straight red card for his sins, dismissed after less than 2 minutes of his introduction. 

Andrews sensibly dropped in to the centre of defence for the final moments of normal time, a period in which the Horsham goal led a charmed life with Tucknott, Crane and French all going close to claiming a late winner. But it was not to be and so the supporters applied another coat of Ambre Solaire before settling down to enjoy a further 30 minutes of additional time. 

F/T Bognor Regis Town 2 Horsham 2

The Horsham supporters, unusually subdued throughout the first 90 minutes, threw their backing behind the side as extra-time got underway but they were briefly silenced when Greenfield skipped away from the tiring Lyons but crossed too heavily to the far post where Tucknott did well to volley goalwards but failed to keep his shot down and the ball sailed out of the ground. A classic free-kick almost produced dividends for Horsham's 10 men when Eldridge's chip was knocked down by Charman but the stretching Harding could only put the ball over the bar from close range and, once again, the Hornets were made to pay for not taking their chance when the hosts grabbed what proved to be the winning goal.

Greenfield went down rather too easily under a challenge from Page and, when the visitors' defence failed to clear the ball, Prior poked a shot past Seuke's despairing dive and in to the net via a slight deflection off Andrews. Maggs promptly replaced Charman with Tony Nwachukwu and the teenager had a hand in the Hornets' response, his touch sending Lyons clear but his right-footed shot was saved low by Ender. The goalkeeper excelled himself with a save from Horsham's next attack, when he turned away Lyons' curling effort that looked destined for the top corner of the net, and the half ended with Maggs and his staff venting their anger at the referee who blew his whistle before Eldridge was able to take the corner.

H/T (E/T) Bognor Regis Town 3 Horsham 2

The home side were beginning to find gaps as the 10 men toiled in the bright sunshine and, when Greenfield was picked out by Prior, the defence had to act swiftly to crowd the substitute out. Page became the next in the book when he was caught trying to keep the ball alive and was penalised for bringing down Greenfield before Maggs instructed his side to push Andrews back into the attack and play just 3 at the back.

Unsurprisingly it was the hosts who would create the best chances of the remaining 10 minutes of this tie when Greenfield's snap shot went wide, as did another as a result of dallying by the usually dependable Smith, and a neat lay off by the substitute saw Tucknott kept out only by Smith's desperate challenge.  Nwachukwu picked up a late caution, another incident brought about by a short pass form a team-mate, to make it 5 bookings and a second £500 fine of the season. Something else for the club's manager and board to reflect on on a dismal day on the Sussex coast.

NEXT MATCH: v Boreham Wood (h) Saturday 3rd October ko 3pm