Di Paola to continue to give youth a chance, but wants more desperation to win

Dominic Di Paola says his young gun Horsham side need to show more of a desperation to win football matches.
Horsham manager Dominic Di Paola. Picture by Steve Robards SR1522354Horsham manager Dominic Di Paola. Picture by Steve Robards SR1522354
Horsham manager Dominic Di Paola. Picture by Steve Robards SR1522354

The Hornets manager is also set on giving youth a chance in their remaining eight games of the Bostik League South Division season.

Horsham sit 12th in the table and are six points behind Hastings United, who occupy tenth, a position that they are hoping to better with a decent run in.

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But they dropped two points against East Grinstead in a 2-2 draw on Tuesday night, in a match where defender Lewis Hyde dislocated his shoulder.

Di Paola will continue to give his younger players a chance to stake a claim in their remaining games, but has called on his side to show more of a desire to win, starting at home to Ramsgate on Saturday and then again at Culver Road against Ashford United on Tuesday night.

He said: "The boys have got to be more desperate to win a game, I think. They have to be desperate not to conceded and so desperate to win. I watch Lewes at lot and that is what they are and it shows in the results.

"We started with a very experimental line-up against East Grinstead and changed it halfway through the first half as it wasn't working.

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"We are going to continue to try things and give the younger boys a go at this level. We can then take a view whether we want them to stay and if we see potential at this level."

And Di Paola was keen to point out that they have also been putting out players that are relatively new to this level, he added: "People talk about East Grinstead having a young side, but we had an 18 and 19 year old up front against them.

"There was a 20 year old at right-back and a 21 year old central midfielder as well as that a 17 and 18 year old off the bench.

"So we are realatively young ourselves. We'll give them games in the remaining fixtures and see how they go and if they learn from experience."