Boss hopes Lady Luck smiles on Horsham FC as attention turns to FA Trophy tie with Torquay

The Hornets host National League South rivals Torquay United in the FA Trophy second round this Saturday as they look to replicate last season’s run to the quarter-finals.

Horsham have already faced the Gulls this season, drawing 1-1 at Plainmoor on the opening day of the 2026-27 campaign.

Di Paola admitted the Hornets couldn’t have asked for a tougher draw – but the boss hoped a little bit of luck could help Horsham progress.

He told us: “We said when it was drawn it was a tough one but we will approach like we have with every game. We’ll approach it with the right frame of mind.

“I’m desperate to get through. You only have to look at Plymouth Parkway [in the FA Cup] and the draws they’ve had in every round. That’s what you need. I’m not one to blow my own trumpet, but when you do well you do have a bit of luck.

“I’ll always remember the Woking game that got us our first first round [FA Cup appearance in 2021]. They had two or three great chances, Sam Howes made a great save, they missed one at the back post they should have scored, and then with a few minutes to go we scored a free kick that got us into the first round.

“You do need a bit of luck and Plymouth have had a lot of it in terms of draws. They’ve been at home every round – but that’s what you get sometimes. That’s cup football.

“We want to do well in the Trophy like we did last year – it’s good for the finances – but we’re coming up against a team that should make the play-offs comfortably, given the resources they’ve got.

“It’s not an ideal draw but what draw ever is? We would have said Plymouth Parkway was a good draw because they were in the league below, but obviously they were a good side.”

Jimmy Wild is cup-tied for the Trophy tie with Torquay, but the Hornets have no fresh injury concerns.

One player who will no longer feature for Horsham is Archy Taylor, who departed the club on Friday (November 6).

The full-back joined the Hornets ahead of the current season and made a total of 10 appearances.

On Taylor’s departure, Di Paola said: “It’s just unfortunate he’s come up against Lee Harding, who’s one of our best players. He just couldn’t get a foothold in the side.

“With Coxy [George Cox] coming in we have to balance the books, which is perfectly fair. It just got to the point where he wasn’t playing a lot.

“He’s only 22 and he’s probably had two years of setbacks and he just needs to play somewhere and get some football under his belt and get his confidence back. His confidence had gone through the floor because he wasn’t playing, which is common in footballers. He just needs to go and play and enjoy his football somewhere.

“He’s a lovely lad. He saw the writing on the wall and I respect anyone who wants to go and play football. I hate players who are quite happy to sit on the bench or not play.

“Especially younger players, I think money shouldn’t be a factor in your football life when you’re a kid. You should just want to get out and play football while you can because you’re a long time. Fair play to him for wanting to do that. All the best to him.”