Instant hero: Debut specialist does it yet again as ex-Portsmouth man makes dramatic entrance

A former Pompey player has scored on his debut for a new club - for the second time in eight weeks.

And, on this occasion, it was a stoppage-time leveller as the lucky omen made an instant impact with Whitehawk on Saturday.

Destiny Ojo returned to England this summer seeking to prove himself following his release from Northern Ireland Premiership side Cliftonville.

The 21-year-old previously spent time at Fratton Park, where he graduated from the Academy to become a third-year scholar, featuring under John Mousinho in the 2023 pre-season and scoring twice.

However, he’s now making his mark in non-league football after joining Isthmian League South East Division side Three Bridges in mid-August.

Scoring on Three Bridges full debut

Within a week, Ojo had scored on his full debut for the Crawley-based side, with a headed goal in a 3-0 victory over Marlow in the FA Trophy.

He continued to impress with the West Sussex club and, last Friday, Whitehawk swooped to capture the highly-rated young attacker and bring him into the Isthmian League Premier Division.

Within 24 hours, he appeared off the bench at Burgess Hill to claim a 96th-minute equaliser and cap a stunning comeback and a remarkable debut.

Whitehawk had been trailing 2-0 with 10 minutes remaining in front of the 717 crowd, before Nathan Cooper reduced the deficit.

That set the stage for Ojo, who had replaced Alfie Rogers in the 67th minute, to make a stunning impact and complete the visitors’ shock fightback with his late, late goal.

That point at the Medical Travel Compared Stadium leaves Whitehawk ninth in the table, one point and two places ahead of Chichester City.

And for Ojo, it represented another eye-catching entrance as he bids to maintain his climb up the non-league pyramid after loan spells at Poole, Sholing and Lancing during his time with Pompey.

Hit the headlines at Pompey after freak injury

He hit the headlines at Fratton Park in June 2022 when Danny Cowley asked the teenager to step up from the Academy and train with the first-team in pre-season to solve a striker shortage.

However, in the first session of his second week, he broke his ankle with nobody near him during a freak training incident, sidelining him for seven months.

In July 2023, now with John Mousinho as Pompey’s head coach, Ojo netted in friendlies against Gosport and the Hawks to catch the eye of supporters.

He subsequently spent the 2023-24 season on loan at Southern League Premier South Poole, scoring six goals in 22 matches, before spells with Sholing and Lancing.

Controversial Pompey Academy departures

Nonetheless, the attacker was released in the summer of 2024, along with 11 Academy graduates, including Koby Mottoh, who later joined Bournemouth following a successful trial and is presently with their under-21s.

Following Ojo’s Fratton Park departure, he embarked on trials at Burnley, Colchester, Horsham, Woking and Bognor in a bid to find a club.

Yet it was Cliftonville who snapped up the youngster in August 2024, who went on to make 17 appearances and score twice for the Reds before his return to England this summer.

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