Horsham 7 Wick & Barnham 0: Hornets in seventh heaven

Braces by Joe Shelley and Darren Boswell were added to with further goals by Jordan Clark, Brad Lewis and Terry Dodd.

It proved to be a walk in paradise for the long-suffering Horsham fans who have watched two relegations in three years.

Horsham made three changes to the side which thrashed leaders Lancing 4-1 with Alex Duncan, Ryan Storrie and Samir Hadi coming in for Kieron Pamment, Adam Hunt and Mark Knee.

Hornets got off to the perfect start with a goal after just five minutes. A superb one-two involving Dodd and Clark was completed by Clark smashing the ball into the roof of the net.

Horsham kept pressure on the visitors’ defence when Boswell supplied Dodd for a short-range shot which was saved by keeper Billy Nash.

Hornets immediately increased the lead in the 25th minute when Boswell set-up Shelley for a good finish.

Hornets long-suffering fans were in dreamland as two minutes later a one-two by Hadi and Lewis led to Lewis adding a deserved thid goal.

Dodd then had a chance saved before Wick managed their first chance of the game, forcing keeper Gareth Williams into action to deny Joe Matthews.

Horsham continued to produce more of the same dominant form in the second half and went 4-0 just two minutes after the restart when Boswell took the ball around the keeper before deliciously chipping into the net.

Dom Di Paola’s side were seemingly scoring with every foray into the Wick area and on 51 minutes Dodd seized upon a mistake at the back to fire home their fifth.

The impressive Hadi had a shot blocked in the six-yard box but Wick could not keep Horsham at bay for long as Boswell scored their sixth, lifting a through-ball over the keeper.

It looked like there was only team in the game as Storrie teed-up substitute Murfin for a chance which looked destined but was stopped by keeper Nash’s outstretched foot.

Horsham raced towards an enormous scoreline with a seventh goal on 65 minutes as Hunt’s cross found Murfin whose deflected shot was put away by Shelley from point-blank range.

Horsham did not slow down and could have added futther to their tally but for Murfin’s shot from the edge of the area flying over the bar and Charlie Farmer flying an attempt wide.

HORSHAM: Williams, Duncan, Storrie, Clark (Hunt 50), Jones, Farmer, Shelley, Lewis, Dodd (Murfin 52), Hadi (Pamment 72), Boswell.

Unused subs: Gilbert, Pamment.

WICK: Nash, Eyers, Ebling (Richards 70), Dunlop, Miller, Menzies, Matthews, Noble, Hardwell (Wilson 16), Chick, Anderton

REFEREE: Nigel Baker

ATTENDANCE: 144

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