Top scorer Higgs hit his 22nd goal of the season to bring the visitors level on 53 minutes after they fell behind in the first half.

Freddie Sears cashed in on confusion in the box to put the Chats 1-0 up just before the break delivering a cruel blow to Bognor after a solid opening half.

But Higgs deservedly levelled with a neat finish in the box after superb approach play on the right — and the goal served to inspire the second-from-bottom side bossed by Michael Birmingham and Jamie Howell.

Young midfielder Preston Woolston came into the side with Doug Tuck dropping to the bench but other than that change it was a familiar line-up in front of 1,608 fans at the Bauvill Stadium.

The Rocks were comfortably the better team after their goal but couldn’t force the issue and in truth a point, no matter how much graft was expended in gaining it, won’t allay fears of what looks to be a forgone conclusion when it comes to the issue of relegation.

Certainly being without skipper Calvin Davies — who put in a man-of-the-match display but was cautioned and now faces at least a three-match ban after collected 15 yellow cards throughout the season — for vital games won’t help the cause.

And Canvey Island, in reality the team the Rocks must catch to survive and who are in the safety zone, pulled of a shock with a 4-0 win at home to Lewes; that leaves Bognor 12 points adrift of fifth from bottom having played a game more than the Gulls.

While those statistics go some way to confirming an unwanted outcome once the curtain drops on a risible campaign, what must be highlighted is the improvement in the Rocks since the new management duo took the helm.

Yes, there have been blips. To beat the drop, a win last week over a very ordinary Folkestone Invicta side would have helped no end and the loss was a hard one to take. But a measure of the growth is to consider the reverse fixture against the Kent outfit which ended in a devastating 7-1 defeat in late November, which ultimately led to the departure of former incumbent Robbie Blake.

Birmingham said he was pleased with the performance but thought that the Rocks would go on to win the game. He told Peter Kelly-Sullivan of Rocks Radio: “We spoke about the 7-1 before the game but that was the old Bognor and this is the new Bognor so we started off scratch anyway.

“I thought the first half was quite scrappy and they were better at dominating second ball scenarios than us and I thought second half we were outstanding and there looked like there was only one team that looked like they were going to score — but we didn’t have enough in front of goal. Overall, very proud, excellent display.”

Howell was equally pleased and was happy to tell his charges that style over substance was vital if the managers’ vision is to take shape going forward.

He added: “In the first half we didn’t really play, we weren’t brave enough and we didn’t produce our style of football and we asked them to be braver in the second half and if we would have got beaten we would have taken that because we will only improve. In the second half I thought that some of the football we played was brilliant and there was only one team that were going to win it — and that was going to be us; everyone was absolutely superb.”

Rocks host Dartford on Saturday, March 22, kick-off 3pm — match kindly sponsored by Bognor Lawn Tennis Club.

1 Ryan Hall, 2 Harvey Whyte, 3 Dion Jarvis, 4 Calvin Davies (C), 5 Harvey Rew, 6 Chad Field, 7 Bailey Smith, 8 Preston Woolston, 9 Tommy-Lee Higgs, 10 Matt Burgess, 17 Jasper Mather. Substitutes: Dan Gifford – Tommy-Lee Higgs (69′), Doug Tuck, Freddie Chester Toby Kingswell.