Blue Square Conference South Saturday 22 December 2007 - Twerton Park - kick off 3.00pm

Report taken from

But the visitors, fourth from bottom at the start of play, made the brighter start and Paul Evans was grateful to see a Dan Beck shot ricochet into his arms after Luke Nightingale beat Gethin Jones on the byline. Bognor went even closer in the 13th minute when a clever Nightingale dummy allowed Sam Gargan to run on to Charlie Balfe's through ball and round the advancing Evans, only for Jim Rollo to head his goal-bound shot behind for a corner. City had their first clear chance midway through the half, but Darren Edwards could only scuff his shot wide of the far post from strike partner Dave Gilroy's left-wing centre. The game's key moment arrived in the 27th minute after Bognor were awarded a free-kick on the halfway line. Hogg became involved in a couple of heated exchanges with David Ray and Birmingham, before foolishly aiming a boot at the latter. Referee Kevin Johnson consulted one of his assistants before summoning Hogg, sending him for an early bath and adding a red card to his collection of 13 yellows so far this term. Ray should have rubbed salt into City's wounds once the free-kick was finally taken, firing badly over from six yards with only Evans to beat and the home defence all at sea. The same player directed a free header wide of the far post from Beck's left-wing centre four minutes later and City were left thanking their lucky stars that they were still on level terms. But the hosts, who showed an adventurous side by keeping two up front despite their numerical disadvantage finished the half the stronger and Steve Jones' fierce low drive was blocked on its way to goal by a defender after Gilroy beat two men on the right.

Gilroy and Edwards were giving the away defence a hard time with their tireless running into the channels and the former's left-wing centre was almost turned into his own net by Seb Wallis-Tayler six minutes after the break. But, as City began to tire, so Bognor saw more and more of the ball and the otherwise impressive Beck somehow missed the target with the goal at his mercy after a heavy touch from McKay inside his own area. Wallis-Tayler had the ball in the City net with 21 minutes left, although it was chalked off for an obvious foul on Evans, before City sent on Phillip Walsh for Edwards. Walsh's first touch saw him head weakly into Bognor keeper Craig Stoner's arms, before Evans saved smartly from Mark Knee at the other end. The City No 1 again came to his side's rescue with eight minutes to go, racing from his goal to thwart Nightingale after the Bognor skipper beat the City offside trap and raced through on goal. The visitors were restricted to a couple of wayward efforts from distance after that and the final chance of the match fell City's way in the second minute of stoppage time. McKay's flighted free-kick from the left was nodded down by Walsh into the path of fellow substitute Scott Partridge, but his effort on the turn lacked both power and direction and rolled wide of the far post.