With minutes to go Bognor scored a late try and with the conversion to come could have snatched a dramatic victory but the kick was wide and short giving Vandals the result, this their third win of the season.

It was a game full of incident with penalties galore, yellow cards and a dismissal for one of the home team players. There was also some stout and brave defence particularly by Vandals when they were down to thirteen men either side of half time.

A try by no 8 Joshua Carter in the second half proved vital for Vandals increasing their one-point lead to six and their dogged defence under extreme pressure from Bognor saw them home by the narrowest of margins.

It was the home side who were first on the scoreboard slotting over a penalty. A great tackle by fly half James Wellden, one of several he made in the game, gave Vandals possession but moving the ball wide they conceded another penalty at the breakdown. They made amends quickly when Bognor were penalised in mid-field, and James Wellden made no mistake with the kick. A dine break by centre Harry Reed kept Vandals on the offensive and after a powerful surge by the forwards, Lock Anthony Tyrrell plunged over for the try.

Some probing kicks by scrum half Darren Lockyer maintained the pressure on Bognor and from one of these kicks, winger Luke Phair followed up and score Vandals second try, taking advantage of a fumble by Bognor’s full back. Wellden converted to give his side a fifteen point to three lead. The remainder of the half saw Vandals having to defend for their lives as Bognor were constantly on the attack, their forwards using the tactic of pick and go. Vandals were penalised on numerous occasions and suffered a double blow when first Anthony Tyrell and then captain Adam Bullett were given yellow cards. The defence, with two men down was heroic at this point holding up Bognor time and time again. Eventually, however it did crack on the stroke of half time and Bognor converted the try to make the score 10-15.

Still with the numerical advantage and the wind in their favour, Bognor strove hard to get on terms but once again they were met by a solid Vandals defence. Having served time in the bin, Anthony Tyrell and Adam Bullett returned to the fray and with the captain making a strong run Vandals began to assert themselves. Cassian Bramham-Law who had replace the injured Daniel Wellden at centre, made one of his trademark surges, and now it was Bognor who had to defend.

Under pressure they were penalised at the ruck, the referee seeing fit to give a straight red card to the offending player. James Wellden kicked the penalty and with the one man advantage Vandals could have expected to move further ahead. But the home side rallied with a converted try to come within one point of Vandals total.

A concerted effort from Vandals and another fine kick from Darren Lockyer took play deep into Bognor’s twenty-two area, and a great driving maul saw no 8 Joshua Carter get the touch down. The conversion was missed meaning Bognor still had a chance with a converted try to win the game.

It was a tense situation and with Vandals losing another man to the sin bin and two further injuries, Bognor sensed their chance, spurning chances of kicks at goal striving hard instead for the try. Their decision was rewarded when they scored from a tap penalty but fortunately for Vandals the conversion failed.

Vandals return to Brownacres next Saturday when they entertain Trojans.

John Farrow