The season is almost a quarter over and we are sinking fast, still without our first win, no shape to the team and another dreadful performance at Church Road this evening against a Bognor side with just a solitary win in their previous eight.

Manager Kevin Hill made changes to the side that were just as poor on Saturday, 18 year old left-back Ryan Tackley replaced the injured Peter Collins in the centre of the defence, Joe Sparrowhawk and Shaun McAuley replaced wide midfielders Daniel Dyer and Damon Ming leaving us totally lopsided in the middle and Kieran Knight replaced the ineffective Mark Nicholls up front.

An even start ensued, McAuley made a burst through from halfway only to be tackled at the last by the pack of retreating defenders and at the other end a Richard Hudson free-kick was headed comfortably into the arms of Kevin Davies. Hudson again had a chance to open the scoring minutes later but miscued his header wide of the target. Still the visitors continued to push forward in their usual slick passing style, a succession of passes finding Ben Watson whose effort from an angle was blocked away by Davies.

The Rocks almost created a chance from nothing as a giant clearance by keeper Craig Stoner was superbly controlled by Luke Nightingale before an excellent sliding tackle from Orlando Jeffrey stopped the marksman pulling the trigger. The respite didn't last long however, a neat interchange between Hudson and skipper David Piper saw Tackley mis-hit his clearance straight to Piper who fired home, beating Davies at the near post.

The Missioners almost responded immediately as Tackley curled a free-kick around the wall, Stoner parried the kick agonisingly wide of the oncoming Jon Dyer. With the interval fast approaching two excellent chances to pull the game level went begging. Firstly Sparrowhawk sent McAuley on his way, the midfielder sadly failing to lift his effort over Stoner who did well to block the effort, within seconds Jodey Rowland had been dispossessed by Knight on the right, his cross was met by Jon Dyer but the strikers downward header was finger tipped around the post by a full stretch Stoner.

No changes were made at the break which was a little surprising given the lopsidedness of the Hayes midfield and it was the visitors who came out the better. McAuley was lucky minutes into the second period when he sliced a Jason Pearce free-kick into his own keepers arms before another very poor piece of officiating gifted the Rocks a second goal. Watson advanced into the box and "fell over" having not been tackled and referee Smith after a moments thought pointed to the spot!!! Nightingale stepped up and took the present as offered and put his side two goals to the good.

Five minutes later we were all a little shell shocked as we got back into the game, a ball down the line from Adam Logie finally managed to find a Hayes man, Sean Ridgway it was who advanced to the ball before planting a perfect chip over the advancing Stoner into the Rocks net.

The same minute also saw the return of striker Josh Scott, but not up front, for reasons best known to the manager he came on at what can only be described as left wing-back! Darren Budd saw a shot from 20 yards deflect over off Ryan Ashe before a mazy Josh Scott forward run saw his cross shot touched home at the far post only to be denied an equaliser by a raised offside flag.

With four forwards now on the pitch it was no surprise that we again failed to defend properly, ten minutes from time Dan Marney found himself alone on the right and given time to cross he picked out the totally unmarked hitman Nightingale who gratefully accepted his second present of the night heading his side into a 3-1 lead.

Four minutes later we were back within a goal again, Tackley planted a free-kick into the mix and the ball fell to Jon Dyer who gratefully tapped home from a yard, sadly despite the attack minded side we now had on the pitch the closest we came to an equaliser saw a Scott effort ripple the side netting.

How we get out of this slump before it's too late is for others to decide I know my feelings but all we can do is hope that those who are paid to fix things do so PDQ, my holidays can't come soon enough!!!!

Report by Kevin Watts.