Effingham's effort is enough to condemn Bognor to big loss
To dwell too long on Bognor’s latest spate of injuries and unavailabilities would merely add another chapter to what reads like a season-long medical bulletin. Suffice to say, the five enforced changes from last week’s team were exacerbated by first-half injuries to prop Graham Broome and hooker Ben Burns.
Chris Misselbrook made his first-team debut and did well in difficult circumstances, while veterans Roy Sargeant and Lee Williams were parted from the bench earlier than anticipated. Ben Archer made a welcome return from injury and Rob Legge moved to the wing.
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Hide AdThe match started with Bognor’s defence looking shaky and disorganised. A good clearance from scrum-half Pat Gibbs relieved the pressure but the Eagles were driving well from the lineout and benefiting from several early penalties.
After six minutes the home side were awarded a penalty ten metres out and opted for a scrum from which they drove over for the game’s opening try. Three minutes later a mix-up in the visitors’ defence presented the opposition with a soft try.
Broome’s departure on the 15-minute mark with a torn pectoral muscle was followed by a third try and, 21-0 down, Bognor were staring at another heavy defeat.
The visitors, inspired by a great hit by Harry Dyer, lifted themselves and a Dave Sweeney penalty gave them their first points.
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Hide AdDespite excellent last-ditch tackling by Misselbrook, however, the Eagles scored another two tries before half-time, giving them a 34-3 lead.
Bognor began the second half more positively and put together several phases inside the opposition 22. Unfortunately they were unable to cross the line.
Thanks to try-saving tackles by Dan Brock and man-of-the-match Harry Dyer, Bognor held out for 25 minutes before conceding the first score of the second half – and that came after the previously eagle-eyed referee missed a blatant knock-on.
Ashley Butt ran strongly out of his own 22 but it was one-way traffic and the Eagles displayed impressive fitness levels to run in another four tries against a plucky but badly tiring defence.
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Hide AdBognor have a week off to lick their wounds before hosting Twickenham on January 28.
Rob Parry, Bognor’s best player for the past decade, is ahead of schedule in recovering from a hernia op and hopes to be available from February, which is sure to give the team a much-needed boost.
BOGNOR: Archer, Riggall, Burgess, Brock, Legge, Sweeney, Gibbs, Johnson, Burns, Broome, Misselbrook, Harding, Knight, Flinn (Capt), Dyer.
LJT