Currently the Rocks sit in 4th spot, 8 points adrift of fast starting Leiston with Dulwich two points and two places further back, Gavin Rose’s men just shy of the playoff places in 6th position, having played a game more.

Having been beaten at the death by the Hamlet in last season’s playoff semi-final at Nyewood Lane, the summer brought further pain for the Rocks’ manager Jamie Howell as Havant & Waterlooville swooped on their squad to snaffle up terrace hero Jason Prior. Scorer of 45 goals in 2015/2016 campaign, Rocks’ skipper Prior had scored 153 goals in 210 appearances for the Sussex club and was soon joined at the Hawks by his former strike partner with Alfie Rutherford also making the move to Westleigh Park. With their partnership amassing more than 60 goals last term, theirs would be a tough act to follow.

So it proved early doors as Bognor failed to win any of their three opening games. Day one of the season brought home defeat at the hands of newly-relegated Lowestoft Town, James Crane’s last gasp goal stark consolation after the Trawler Boys had built up a convincing three goal advantage. Draws at Merstham and Grays Athletic followed, Ollie Pearce’s opener on the stroke of halftime cancelled out at the Moatside by Dan Bennett’s leveller in the former. An early first half lead in the latter thanks to the experienced James Fraser surrendered when Adeyinka Cole, briefly with Dulwich Hamlet in 2013/14, tucked home a penalty for the hosts.

On August 23rd Bognor Regis finally registered one in the win column when goals from Thomas Byrne and Dylan Barnett saw then home 2-0 against Staines Town at Nyewood Lane. That result was repeated the following Saturday as they mastered the notorious New Lodge surface, turning over Craig Edwards’ youthful, reconstructed Billericay Town as a brace from Fraser doomed the Blues to defeat.

Bank Holiday Monday brought the fans out in force as Worthing made the short journey down the Sussex shores. A four figure gate and a boisterous atmosphere greeted the players, the newly re-monickered Mackerels had made a flying start on their return to Ryman League top table but soon found themselves smoked as the Rocks went into overdrive. Goals from Byrne and Pearce had them in control even before Zack Newton’s red card on the stoke of the interval. With Fraser’s double after the break and Barnett making it five at the death, South Coast bragging rights belonged to the Rocks. Five alive in the FA Cup the following weekend as Guildford City were put to the sword, the CoCo side 3 down by the half hour. Fraser cracked their defence after just two minutes, Darren Budd doubled the lead on 18 and Crane swooped for a third. Perry Coles pulled one back just before the break but teenage striker Jimmy Wild and Alex Parsons completed the rout as Rocks marched imperiously into the next round.

However, the return to Ryman League action a week later was not to be a happy one, the overtly physical Harlow Town gameplay stifling Bognor more fluid football. Jared Small curled in a beauty to give the Hawks the lead at the break with Alex Read putting the game beyond the reach of the Rocks, scoring twice in the space of three minutes. Parsons did bag a consolation four minutes later but the final ten minutes proved too short a time to mount a serious salvage operation. Essex continued to be an unhappy hunting ground as, seven days later, Rocks exited the FA Cup at fast-improving Billericay Town. ‘Ricay came into the game on the back of straight wins in FA Cup, Premier Division and Alan Turvey Trophy and proceed to make it four on the spin as goals from Alex Stephenson and Edvardas Gaurilovas turned around a halftime lead for the Rocks given them by Crane. Victory was the midpoint of eight game winning run that propelled Edwards’ side from the relegation zone into the playoff places as well as the Fourth Qualifying Round of the Emirates FA Cup.

The return to Ryman League two days later at Kingstonian saw some of the disappointment erased as Wild and Parsons scored in quick succession at Kingsmeadow, Pelayo Pico Gomez’s penalty for the K’s not enough to prevent Bognor returning home victorious. Young Wild was again on target at Nyewood Lane the following weekend as his goal, along with one from Parsons, helping end highflying Tonbridge Angels unbeaten start to the season, closing the gap between two clubs in the vanguard of a pack chasing Leiston. However, the run of wins came to an end in a rather bizarre encounter with Sussex neighbours Burgess Hill Town. ‘Keeper Billy Granger, whom Dulwich fans might recall from his brief cameo for the club at Corinthian-Casuals, called in sick with the veteran Gary Charman taking over between the sticks. Though he conceded a goal to Lee Harding’s header after just two minutes, the local legend excelled in his unaccustomed role. Still only trailing by that single goal going into the game’s final throes Bognor salvaged a share of the points, Barnett getting them out of a hairy situation when he curled in a free kick with just four minutes left.

This afternoon’s game takes place at Champion Hill Stadium, Edgar Kail Way, East Dulwich, London SE22 8BD, kicking off at 3.00pm. Main turnstiles will be open from 1.00 pm with the Greendale turnstiles also open from 2pm. Guests and officials are asked to enter via the Health Club reception which Season Ticket holders may also use on display of their season ticket.

Admission prices:

• £10 for Adults
• £4 for Concessions
• NB: Concessions cover Seniors - 60+, Teenagers (13-19), Unemployed (JSA), Disability Living Allowance (DLA), NHS Staff, Blue Light Services, Serving Members of the Armed Forces and Full Time Students. (Please bring a form of valid ID for your concession as you might not be admitted without that)
• £4 for Trade Union Members on production of Membership Card

Under 13s FREE accompanied by a paying adult

Programmes: £2