Bognor’s outstanding young prop, Simon Billingham. (Photo: Chloe Dent)

In a nail-biting finish to a thoroughly pulsating contest, played out before a record crowd of over 800, Bognor’s seventeen-year-old full-back Adam Halligan somehow held his nerve to kick the winning penalty just two minutes from full-time.

This was the first time that the two teams had met at 1st Team level for seventeen years and the result meant that, not only did Bognor retain the renowned O’Hagan Sausage Cup, but they also moved to the top of Hampshire Counties 1.

The build-up to the match had been huge and the packed pre-match luncheon added to a fantastic atmosphere, the players running out to the biggest crowd that Hampshire Avenue had ever seen. Despite the high stakes involved, however, the match was played out in the best of spirits with no hint of problems either on or off the pitch.

The early pressure came from Bognor who capitalised on a penalty for a high tackle by kicking to the corner. From the ensuing lineout, second-row James Rimmer crashed over to score his side’s first try of the afternoon.

Chichester immediately hit back with a strong run from their skipper Tyrese Makasi and, after three penalties in quick succession, he finished off an overlap on the left touchline by strolling over. A fine conversion by fly-half Tom Mahon nudged Chichester into a two-point lead.

Chichester were visibly growing in confidence and were prepared to run from deep whenever the opportunity arose, but Bognor began to put together some dangerous attacks of their own, full-back Freddie Hayes beginning to show glimpses of his deft footwork.

After twenty minutes Chichester definitely seemed to be gaining the upper hand but then, out of the blue, Hayes set off on one of his mazy runs, leaving five would-be tacklers in his wake. Just when it seemed he was going to go all the way he was ankle-tapped and stumbled to the floor. Somehow he managed to offload to the supporting Connor Herrington who flew over for Bognor’s second try. When Halligan’s conversion hit the crossbar and bounced over, no-one realised how crucial that piece of good fortune would be at the end of the game.

Chichester lost a man to the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on and Hayes cut loose again down the right-hand touchline. He was stopped by a fine tackle and seemed to be holding on but the referee allowed play to continue and Noah Flinn made good ground before popping the ball to Simon Billingham. The big prop made light work of the remaining defenders and crashed over near the posts for a try, again converted by Adam Halligan.

With the gap now twelve points it was back to the visitors to have the last word of the half. Aided by another two penalties they hammered away at Bognor’s line but were held up in the goal area. Finally, just before the half-time whistle, full-back Rory Dowling crossed for a fine try which he converted himself to narrow the gap to five points.

Chichester came out for the second half with all guns blazing and the home defence was caught napping as centre Rhys Thompson dummied his way over from thirty metres out. The successful conversion meant that Chichester had regained the lead for the first time since early on in the contest.

Bognor fought their way deep into the visitors’ 22 and this time it was their turn to be held up over the line. Soon afterwards, the experienced Jack Horneybrook, on at scrum-half for Alfie Spurle, was yellow-carded just two minutes after taking the field. With Chichester well on top and Bognor hanging on, Halligan broke away from inside his own 22 but was penalised for holding on in the tackle when a defender managed to grab his shirt with his fingertips. Chichester rubbed salt in the wound by kicking the penalty to put themselves five points in the lead.

The visitors were using the increasing wind intelligently with some accurate kicking, but another two yellow cards in quick succession turned the momentum Bognor’s way once again. Herrington finished off a fine move for his second and Bognor’s bonus-point try, and Halligan’s conversion nudged his side back into a two-point lead.

With a quarter of an hour left there were still some twists and turns to come and, when Bognor were penalised at the tackle area yet again, Chichester regained a one-point lead, only to put themselves under more pressure with another yellow card. The easy three points on offer was turned down by Bognor who opted instead for a scrum in front of the posts. The hoped-for breakthrough failed to materialise however and, when another penalty was taken quickly and then knocked on by Horneybrook, it looked as if their chance had gone.

With just a couple of minutes left a depleted Chichester were hanging on for their lives but a final penalty was awarded to the home team and this time Halligan stepped up to give his side a two-point lead. Bognor’s outstanding young team, with an average age of under 21, and with Jamie Foote receiving his eighth man-of-the match award of the season, saw the game out and celebrated long into the night.

Leighton Thomas