Bognor threaten to blow away Brightlingsea - but end up holding on

Dan Smith's early double and a Mason Walsh goal earned three points which pushed the Rocks closer to the play-off places but they will be wondering how they didn't kill off the game much sooner.

The three points left Bognor seventh and just three points off the top five ahead of Saturday's trip to Enfield.

The Rocks started the night keen for a victory after successive draws had somewhat stalled their push for a place in the Isthmian premier play-off places.

But they often struggle against teams battling for survival near the bottom of the table and they knew their visitors would give them a stiff test.

Bognor were without injured centre-half Joe Cook and suspended skipper Harvey Whyte.

If anything Regent had the best of the opening exchanges, causing one or two half-alarms at the back for Bognor.

But it was the Rocks who took the lead on five minutes out of nowhere when a shot by Smith from 20 yards seemed to be saved by keeper Charlie Turner only for him to allow it to trickle in.

Within three minutes, though, Brightlingsea were level when a long throw caused chaos in the Rocks area. Lewis Byrne-Hewitt found himself unmarked for a shot which came back off the base of a post and captain Jake Turner drove home the rebound from an acute angle.

Bognor won the first corner on 11 minutes and it fell to Brad Lethbridge but his snatched left-footed shot was wildly off target.

After that Bognor had the best of it with some quick passing that put Brightlingsea under pressure but had no end product.

Bognor were back in front in the 18th minute and although Smith was the scorer, he owed everything to Brad Lethbridge, who dribbled down the left, beat his man for pace, cut back on to his right foot and crossed beautifully for Smith, whose rose to plant a header past keeper Turner and into the top corner.

Two minutes later it was 3-1 as Tommy Leigh crossed from the right to force a panicking defender to conceded a corner – and when that came in it eventually fell to Walsh to poke in from six yards out.

It might have been 4-1 on 23 minutes as Smith rose well again to meet a Doug Tuck corner but he directed it narrowly wide.

It was all Rocks and Lethbridge shot over from a tight angle when Leigh's cross fell to him at the far post. Breathless stuff.

For a while it was a chance a minute and it was Lethbridge again taking his turn in the 25th minute after a fine pass from Jake Flannigan – this time he was denied by a good parried save low down by Turner. From the corner Smith glanced another header wide.

Bognor conituned to move quickly when they were on the attack and Walsh sent in a cross for Lethbridge but he couldn't wrap his head around the chance.

Everyone was getting in on the shooting act – Harry Kavanagh was the next to chance his arm, forcing Turner into a good save with a rifled effort from the edge of the area after a strong run forward.

A rare Regent attack led to a cross to the near post but George Forrest could only divert it wide.