Match Reports

U23 Report: Bognor Regis Town 2 Albion 1

By James Hilsum • 17 July 2018

  • Albion lost 2-1 to Bognor Regis Town
  • Jordan Maguire-Drew gives Albion the lead
  • Doug Tuck levels the score four minutes after the re-start
  • Substitute Jack Parkinson scores a stoppage-time winner for Bognor

Brighton & Hove Albion’s under-23s succumbed to a 2-1 defeat against Bognor Regis Town at Nyewood Lane tonight.

Jordan Maguire-Drew gave Albion the lead with a brilliant first-half free-kick, before a goal from Doug Tuck and a last-minute strike from Jack Parkinson gave the Rocks a 2-1 win.

Albion created their first chance inside the opening ten minutes when Alex Cochrane drifted a ball in from the left and Maguire-Drew headed wide.

Connolly was next to try his luck after cutting in from the left, but he saw his subsequent long-range shot go over the bar.

Maguire-Drew also had a go at breaking the deadlock after making inroads from the right, but his strike went wide of the target.

Bognor also came close to getting on the scoresheet through Tuck, only to see his effort flash wide of the far post.

But the deadlock was broken in brilliant fashion thanks to Maguire-Drew. Bojan Radulovic was brought down on the edge of the box, and Maguire-Drew curled an unstoppable free-kick past Dan Lincoln to put the Seagulls 1-0 up.

The hosts were undeterred by the setback though, and Cochrane had to be alert to head a Harvey Sparks cross behind.

Callum Davies was next to come close for the Rocks after Tilley was penalised for a foul on Jimmy Muitt, but his resulting free-kick went just over the target.

The Rocks pulled themselves back on level terms four minutes after the re-start through Tuck, who rifled in a fierce strike from the edge of the area despite Connolly’s best effort to head the ball clear.

Bognor were in the ascendancy and Tuck came close to getting his and the hosts’ second, only to see his shot deflect wide.

Albion looked to reclaim the lead through Connolly, who made a surging run down the left-hand side, but he saw his resulting shot saved by Lincoln.

The hosts still carried a threat though and Collings had to be alert to push away a low strike from Davies.

Daniel Mandroiu had a free-kick from a promising position, but he saw his set-piece graze the roof of the net.

Bognor ended the game strongly and Albion’s defence had to cope with a number of dangerous corner deliveries, and it was the hosts that claimed the win late on.

Substitute Parkinson took advantage of some space inside the box and fired a close-range strike beyond Collings to give the Rocks a 2-1 win.

ALBION: McGill (Collings 46); A. Davies, O’Hora (Turns 88), Kerr, Cochrane (Tomlinson 70); Tilley, J. Davies, Mandroiu, Connolly (Ljubicic 78); Maguire-Drew (Moore 63), Radulovic (Gyokeres 63).