Bognor boss Jack Pearce relished six minutes of magic as his side stepped up their bid for the title last night.

Matt Russell scored twice and made another, all in the first half, in a comfortable derby win which saw Rocks close the gap on leaders Carshalton to just three points with 11 games of the campaign to go.

Rocks have lost just once in eight outings and have a great chance to grab one of the two promotion spots in division one south, so Pearce is playing down title talk.

He said: "I'm just happy to take the three points. That was a magical few minutes when we got those three goals and we didn't want half time to come.

"They were probably praying for it and they came back out and did ever so well but I've got to be pleased with that result."

Rocks had to wait more than half an hour for the breakthrough but then scored three times in quick succession.

Russell was involved in all of the goals. He prodded home a close range opening from Lee Stevens' cross on 33 minutes, then struck at the far post after Jodey Rowland had fired the ball invitingly across goal just seconds later.

It got even better for the hosts on 39 minutes when they conjured a superb third goal.

Russell slid the ball out to David Birmingham on the left, then stepped over his low cross allowing Stevens to angle home a precise right foot finish.

Worthing's new goalkeeper Luke Burton might have been expected to cut out Rowland's cross for the second goal but he made excellent saves from the busy Jamie Howell at 0-0 and Steve Sargent just before the break.

Worthing were very much second best, although they might have gone ahead on 13 minutes when Mark Knee beat Craig Stoner's charge out of goal and hooked in a shot from out near the right touchline which Guy Rutherford kept out at full stretch.

Burton produced a great save to deny Russell his hat-trick on 70 minutes but Rebels were better after the break.

Knee bounced a volley off the far post after a great piece of individual skill and Wes Lopez had a late effort disallowed.

Bognor: Stoner; G. Rutherford, Rowland, Sargent, M. Rutherford, Murphy (sub Tipper, 84), Russell, M. Birmingham, L. Stevens (sub Davies, 65), Howell, D. Birmingham. Subs: Hall, Ford, Kirby.

Worthing: Burton; Young (sub Alexander, 45), Hibberd, Walker, Graves, Beech, Carrington, Knee, Mateos (sub Churchill, 65), Brown, Lopez. Subs: May, Rapps, D. Stevens.

Referee: Mr C. Rolfe (Bromley).

Attendance: 496.

Men-of-the-match: Bognor: Russell. Worthing: Knee.