Leiston hit by last-gasp goal as 10-man Bognor Regis score at the death

Tom Bullard scores for Leiston. (Image: Archant)

The Rocks, who were reduced to 10 men in the 80th minute when Chad Field saw red, grabbed a point with almost the last touch of an enthralling game.

Leiston centre-half Tom Bullard gave the Suffolk side an 84th-minute lead when he scored from close range, but Bognor, who dropped to second in the table following this result, equalised in dramatic fashion when Wild headed home after goalkeeper Daniel Lincoln had almost scored.

A competitive first half didn’t produce any goals, but there were moments of quality from both teams – the game being watched by more than 350 fans.

James Fraser, Bognor’s biggest threat all afternoon, found Joe Jefford in the way in the 19th minute, with two outstanding blocks.

Bognor's Daniel Lincoln punches clear (Image: Archant)

Jacob Marsden, in the home goal, then saved well from Ollie Pearce and James Muitt, while a brilliant block from Gary Charman denied Leiston’s Ollie Brown at the far post.

Another piece of clever defending from Charman denied the hosts a goal in the opening moments of the second half.

Ade Cole’s exquisite diagonal ball was excellently cushioned back into the danger zone by Seb Dunbar, and as Matt Blake looked to convert, Charman crucially intervened at the last moment.

Leiston manager Glenn Driver rolled the dice in the 73rd minute, Patrick Brothers and Connor Hubble entering the fray.

Field received his marching orders seven minutes later after a confrontation with numerous Leiston players, which referee Adrian Sannerude didn’t like as he reached for his back pocket.

This gave Leiston a boost, and only a superb save from Lincoln denied Gareth Heath’s well-struck free-kick from 25 yards.

The Blues took the lead from the resulting corner, Bullard claiming the final touch in a goalmouth scramble, with Bognor appealing in vein for handball.

But there was to be a final twist in the tale when Bognor threw the kitchen sink at the Leiston back-line, and after goalkeeper Lincoln saw his thumping header saved by Marsden, lanky striker Wild stooped to score and send the visitors crazy.