Bognor’s upsurge continues with win over Portsmouth

After a disappointing loss to Ellingham & Ringwood two weeks earlier, Bognor returned to winning ways when they came from 14 points down to avenge their defeat at Portsmouth in December.

The victory means they have lost just once in 2025 while the four points gained moved them up to a healthy sixth place in the league, a far cry from the relegation zone they occupied before Christmas.

In front of a large crowd Bognor started strongly and attacked deep inside the visitors’ 22. Portsmouth cleared their lines courtesy of a penalty and began applying pressure of their own through the strength of their much bigger forwards.

After 12 minutes Bognor created two clear try-scoring opportunities in quick succession but failed to capitalise on either. The first was a superb move, started by No8 Jamie Foote and continued by Tom Orchard and Sid Lewis before Connor Herrington took over the reins. Unfortunately the final pass went to ground, as it did a few minutes later when it seemed that Bognor were going to score.

The visitors hit back immediately with a 20m lineout drive of their own. Bognor held the ball up over their line but soon afterwards, Dave Sweeney was put under huge pressure as he tried to clear his line and his kick was charged down. The try was awarded and the successful conversion meant Portsmouth were seven points ahead.

Hard-working Foote made 40m with another powerful run and earned his side a penalty ten metres from the opposition line. Again, the attack came to nothing, the home forwards running up blind alleys and allowing themselves to become isolated.

Almost inevitably Portsmouth hit back and, with half an hour gone, they took a tap-penalty and crashed over for their second converted try.

Bognor’s lack of cohesion left them scratching their heads for a solution, but their spirits were lifted just before half-time when James Rimmer wiped out the huge Portsmouth No8 with a massive hit.

Whatever Head Coach Karl Flinn said at half-time it did the trick because his side came out all guns blazing.

Five minutes after the restart Jack Hornibrook took a great catch, handed on to Foote who offloaded to Connor Herrington. Finding himself in a little space at last, the centre purred through the defence for his and Bognor’s first try. Kurtus Dent added the extras to narrow the gap to seven points.

Five minutes later, the flyer was at it again – this time benefiting from a pass from hooker Ollie Mitchell after a quick tap taken by Foote. The touchline conversion was missed but, now just two points behind, Bognor were building momentum.

There followed some scrappy play as both sides battled between the 22s. Finally, the deadlock was broken when Sweeney was tackled short of the line, the resultant penalty in front of the posts enabling Dent to kick Bognor into the lead for the first time.

The visitors hit back and, with Bognor slipping off tackles in the middle of the pitch, Portsmouth were rewarded with a penalty in front of the posts, which they gratefully received to put them back in the lead.

Step up Bognor’s two talismen: the irrepressible Foote was involved for the umpteenth time before Herrington screamed over unopposed for his hat-trick try to give Bognor a three-point lead.

Portsmouth refused to lie down and they hammered away at the home line for the dying minutes. Just when they thought they had snatched the winning try the referee ruled, correctly, that the final pass was forward.

Bognor’s last game is on April 6 at Basingstoke.

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Chichester’s bid to survive in Regional 2 South Central will go to the final day – on April 5 – after they lost 48-26 to Winchester at Oaklands Park.

The defeat leaves the Blues tenth in the table – one place outside the two-team relegation zone. Guildford are two points below them but playing bottom side Andover in their final match, which means Chichester head to Newbury Blues needing to win to save themselves.