And when it comes, it will see the Blues of Chichester out for revenge after the visitors took the points – and the O'Hagan's Sausage Cup the sides traditionally play for – in a 25-14 win at Oaklands Park.

A large crowd gathered in anticipation of a fierce derby which in previous years has seen the formbook go out of the window.

Chichester were forced into a couple of changes through injury and unavailability and Bognor were without influential skipper George Castleton.

The opening exchanges were littered with errors but Bognor gained the early advantage.

Bognor secured an attacking lineout near Chichester's 22 and threw long to Nigel Mitchell. Quick ball enabled Rob Parry to feed Sweeney and the centre showed a genuine turn of pace to make a clean break through the middle.

When stopped, he found Ian Myhill on his shoulder and the full-back touched down under the posts to give Bognor's confidence an early boost.

Being 7-0 down so early on stunned Chichester into a response as they came to terms with the tough challenge in front of them.

Skipper Moses Kasujja rallied his troops with a series of powerful drives gaining good field position.

From an attacking lineout, two excellent passes put hooker Giddings into space and he outpaced the cover to score ten metres in from the touchline.

The normally-reliable Stanton scuffed his conversion, but it was 7-5 and game on.

The next 20 minutes saw Chichester upping the tempo and starting to stretch the greens defence, but using their experience, the Bognor forwards slowed up any decent possession with the back-row living on or beyond the offside line – much to the chagrin of the home supporters.

To add insult to injury, the Chichester pack were offered no such luxury – being punished on numerous occasions by the watchful referee.

Parry calmly slotted two penalties to give a somewhat flattering 13-5 lead.

Chichester had their moments in the latter part of the half, but could take only three points which were cancelled out by another penalty against the Blues to make it 16-8 at half-time.

Chichester started the second half strongly with Fairbairn getting some ball to show his skills. Strangely, Chichester ignored the shot at goal and kicked to the corner.

Although winning the lineout, the Blues failed to develop any phases and a knock-on relieved the pressure and Parry's boot pushed Chichester back upfield.

Chichester came again and this time a Bognor indiscretion was spotted for Stanton to pull the score to 16-11.

As the second half wore on, the green pack used their streetwise skills, revelling in the loose phases, turning over blue ball and pressurising possession.

The tightening of the off-your-feet laws for this season appeared to be a thing of the past and as the hosts became more and more frustrated, the inevitable penalties rained down against them.

Parry was only too happy to slot the nine points on offer to stretch out to a 22-11 lead.

Even the yellow-carding of Bognor's Paul Mitchell did not deter them.
As Chichester looked to put much-needed pace on the game, the green defence scrambled effectively with Parry prepared to play the territorial game with long, raking kicks.

Todd and Seaman threatened with a couple of searing runs, but Bognor always snuffed out the threat.

Chichester's last throw of the dice was a couple of changes and they probably had the better of the closing phases, even when losing a man to the bin as Bognor looked to close down the game and things got a little out of hand.

As the home forward trudged from the field more sinned-against than sinner, it highlighted how effectively the green players had worked the game.

With a penalty each way in the closing quarter, Chichester finished camped on the Bognor line. Parry's for Bognor made it six out of six for him, the captain for the day confirming his man-of-the-match status.

The game reflected the vast difference in experience of the two sides and on the day Bognor wanted it a little more.

Chichester coach Mike Kent said: "It was very disappointing, but we will take the points learned and draw on them. The season still has long way to go."

Chichester president Alan Bradford presented the O'Hagan Cup to the visitors.

This week, both sides take a break from league rugby for cup action. Bognor travel to Warlingham, top of London SE3. Chichester visit Lewes.

CHICHESTER: Cross, Giddings, Veltom, Ridsdale, Blount, Lindsay, B Polhill, Kasujja, Taylor, Todd, Sauliga, Fairbairn, Seaman, Carter; Fouracres, Benfield, T Polhill.

BOGNOR: Myhill, Gibbs, Billy Toone, Sweeney, Brock, Parry, Joe Toone, Greenslade, Paul Mitchell, O'Connor, Barlow, Balchin, Lang, Mitchell, Flinn; Sargeant, Dove, Brock.