Palmer's coaching role was illustrated by his absence from the arena as he was already committed to commentating on another game for Channel 4 television that day, but the players defied the low-key nature of the occasion to grab the opportunity. They blasted into a 12–0 lead in the first three minutes, extended this to 21–5 midway through the first half and went in at the interval with a 42–25 advantage. After the break Treasure and Harris fouled out, and when Irwin dislocated an elbow Portsmouth were down to just six players. But they refused to let Bolton back into the game and secured their first victory at the sixth attempt, the 84–68 scoreline also proving enough to move them off the bottom. Owen scored 23 points, Shackleford 15 and Pollard 11. The euphoria did not survive the trip to Winchester, where Portsmouth lost 96–67 to Manchester United. Shackleford hit 26 for the hosts while another future Portsmouth player, Colin Irish, netted 18 for United. Portsmouth then had a third glimpse of their future in their next away game, with Alan Cunningham starring for the Worthing Bears as they beat Portsmouth 99–87 despite another 32 points from Shackleford. A crowd of 300 attended the next home game, an 82–77 defeat by Bracknell Pirates at Havant in which Shackleford added another 38 points to his tally. Danny Palmer then made his first signing in preparation for the 1985–86 season, recruiting guard Joel Moore from Brixton Topcats. Four matches remained in the last nine days of the season for this first group of Portsmouth players, three at the Mountbatten Centre sandwiching a Thursday night trip to Manchester Giants. John Deacon, who joined the team on the bench for the home game with Sunderland Maestros, acknowledged that most of them would not be around the following season due to the club's higher ambitions but was delighted with their attitude and performances in their short time wearing Portsmouth vests. They began this final burst of games on 2 March at home to Crystal Palace. Trailing 54–45 at the interval, Portsmouth tied the second half to eventually lose 103–94, with Shackleford hitting 39 and Owen 24. The following day they ran Sunderland even closer, just 43–41 behind at half-time and briefly ahead 76–73 as the match neared its climax. Shackleford surpassed all his previous efforts by scoring 44 points, but Sunderland had a six-point lead