Champions-elect Horsham need just a point to lift the title

Horsham all-but clinched the Premier Division title with a 3-0 win at Hailsham Town tonight which sets up the possibility of a promotion party at Gorings Mead on Saturday.
By The Newsroom
Published 12th Apr 2016, 21:30 BST
Updated 12th Apr 2016, 22:02 BST

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Eastbourne Utd V Horsham FC 9/4/16 - Horsham score their first goal (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-161004-162330008Eastbourne Utd V Horsham FC 9/4/16 - Horsham score their first goal (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-161004-162330008
Eastbourne Utd V Horsham FC 9/4/16 - Horsham score their first goal (Photo by Jon Rigby) SUS-161004-162330008

The Hornets’ 28th win of the season set them to within a point of lifting the crown and an immediate return to the Ryman League.

But their fate is already almost sealed with their superior goal difference - Eastbourne Town would need to win both their remaning games and turn round a 29-goal swing in the process with Horsham losing both of their fixtures.

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That means Saturday’s return fixture against Hailsham Town at home is set up for Dominic Di Paola’s side to clinch the title in front of their own fans.

That will take the pressure off of their final-day trip to Pagham - to face a side under Mark Bennett, who lifted the title as Littlehampton manager last season.

A ten-man Horsham clinched the win tonight thanks to goals from Ash Jones and a Terry Dodd brace.

Jones nodded home the opener in the first half as he was picked out by a header from captain Joe Shelley after a corner.

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That was how it remainded until half-time despite Dodd going close to adding a second and Hailsham’s Adebola Sotoyimbo heading over.

Dodd did add a second at the start of the start period after Shelley unselfishly squared him the ball, before adding a third from Evan Archibald’s cross.

Horsham had Kevin Keehan sent off with 20 minutes to play as he reacted angerily to a tackle, but Horsham comfortably held out

Horsham: Shaw, Duncan, Jones, Farmer, Knee, Boswell, Shelley, Keehan, Lewis, Archibald, Dodd. Subs: Storrie, Atkinson, Storrie, Pamment, Fogden.

Reaction to follow on Wednesday.

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Related topics:HornetsPremier Division