An equaliser by Richard Greenfield salvaged a point for the Rocks from a forgettable home league clash with Harrow.
The Rocks made one change from the team who won so well at Worthing a week ago, while Harrow included ex-Havant striker Rocky Baptiste in their line-up.
It was a crisp, cold evening at the Lane and the good news was the new clubhouse was open for business – and looking very nice.
Harrow won the first corner of the game in the second minute with a quick breakaway and it was a disastrous start for the Rocks as Tobi Jinadu got up to power home a header after keeper Andrej Pernecky came for the kick and fails to gather.
There was a delay of more than a minute for Harrow midfielder James Fraser to receive treatment after falling awkwardly.
The Rocks had the ball in the net in the seventh minute when Jack Clark ran to the edge of the box and played in Daniel Bogard, who hit home the rebound after his initial shot was blocked. But a linesman's flag cut short their celebrations.
Harrow were forced into an early change when Richard Orlu had to come off injured, to be replaced by Peter Lyall.
Bogard found space in the Harrow area for a cross which keeper Andray Baptiste had to palm away from a Rocks head.
The Pompey youngster was again well-placed in the box at the end of a neat build-up involving Charlie Oatway and Sam Tucknott, but wasted the opportunity.
Then the two Baptistes combined for the visitors – Andray's long kick putting Rocky in on Pernecky, but the keeper pushed him wide and his cross was too long for Danny McGonigle.
Baptiste ought to have put Harrow 2-0 up in the 24th minute when an attempted headed clearance sent the ball to him just outside the area, but Pernecky got down well to his low shot.
Pernecky was in action again three minutes later when he blocked a Kenja Nakashima shot from close range at his near post, then the Rocks broke and Jason Prior will have been disappointed to find keeper Baptiste when he tried to pull the ball back from the byline.
The hosts were livening up and Bogard weaved his way into the area and narrowly missed finding Matt Wood with a low cross across the six-yard box.
The Rocks were forced into a change, Tucknott limping off, apparently with a hamstring strain, to be replaced by Richard Greenfield.
Harrow were looking lively and James Fenton sent a cross from the right fizzing across the danger-zone, without anyone to touch it in.
Baptiste's header looked like it was on its way in the 36th minute but Pernecky gratefully grabbed hold of the ball after it bounced back off the post.
Greenfield, Bogard and Prior combined to set up a Rocks chance four minutes from the break but Prior's header and Greenfield's shot were both blocked by defenders.
Then Prior was close to a spectacular equaliser, twisting and turning 22 yards out before curling a lovely effort only just over the angle of post and bar.
Half-time 0-1
Jack Smith made his first appearance for well over a month when he replaced the injured James Crane at the start of the second half. Tim Bond took over Crane's captain's armband.
Smith was immediately in the action, curling a cross into the area from which Prior's glancing header was saved by Baptiste.
It was a scrappy start to the second half and the Rocks were in need of a bit of inspiration – or luck – to get back into the match.
Smith had a telling-off from the ref ten minutes into the second half for catching Kenja Nakashima late on the halfway line.
Harrow right-back Gary Meakin was yellow-carded for fouling Mickey Demetriou.
Baptiste, watched by his former West Leigh Park manager Shaun Gale, brought a sharp save out of Pernecky at his near post when he was played in on goal on 65 minutes.
There was little sign of an equaliser, so the Rocks bench decided to throw on Gary Norgate for his first appearance after a four-match ban. Bogard was the man to make way.
But just when it seemed the Rocks were in for a goalless night, sub Greenfield equalised in the 73rd minute from a corner when he hit a shot into the ground and it bounced up and over Baptiste.
The Rocks sensed an unlikely victory and piled the pressure on with a succession of corners, but they couldn't force another goal.
On 77 minutes, Matt Wood went close when shooting from a tight angle but Baptiste held it at the second attempt.
A lightning-fast break by the home side almost ended with them taking the lead on 83 minutes when Oatway's lofted pass put Greenfield in with a sniff, but he was crowded out by the keeper and a defender.
Then it was Borough's turn for a substitution. McGonigle came off and Kurt Morlese replaced him.
The match sponsors voted Demetriou as man of the match.
In the final minute of normal time, Castles' teasing ball into the box was inviting for Wood but he seemed to fall over his own feet and the chance was gone.
Three extra minutes were signalled and Oatway almost won it with a lovely 25-yard free kick which Baptiste had to tip over. The keeper then completed the job by catching the resultant corner.
Bognor --: Pernecky, Crane, Clark, Oatway, Bond, Demetriou, Tucknott, Wood, Prior, Bogard, Castles.
Subs--: Ender, Greenfield, Norgate, Smith, Franks.
Reproduced with thanks to the Sports Mail and the Observer.
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