Pearce gets Rocks rebuild started

After going to Gloucester tomorrow, the Rocks host St Albans City on Tuesday.

Full-back Kristian Campbell and centre-half Manny Adebowale have returned to their parent clubs Bromley and Dover as Bognor try to concentrate on players who will be with them for 2018-19.

Manager Jack Pearce Pearce indicated that young midfielder Tommy Scutt would feature at Gloucester City.

That’s a sign the Rocks want to start moulding a squad that can do well next season if, as expected, they are back in the top division of the Isthmian League.

Pearce thanked Campbell and Adebowale for their efforts for the club but said it made sense to return them to their clubs.

It now looks almost certain to be a Bostik League premier-division campaign after Easter Monday’s 3-0 defeat at Eastbourne Borough left them 13 points from safety with only seven games left.

The manager felt the loss was a game where the scoreline didn’t tell the full story.

He said: ‘My understanding of the game is that eventually, if you have enough possession, you will score – but we are proving that to be inaccurate.

‘We went into the game very attack-minded and before Eastbourne scored their first goal, we got into areas you dream of four times but didn’t make the most of the situations.

‘Even at 2-0 down we still looked dangerous and missed a very good chance.

‘I’m astonished at the ability we have in the squad that we can’t convert into goals and if that’s down to poor management I’m guilty.’

The game at home to Chelmsford – called off an hour before kick-off in Good Friday’s rain – will be played on Tuesday, April 24.

Bognor would need to win five of their final seven even if Concord Rangers, the team they need to overtake to stay up, didn’t win any more games.

by Steve Bone