Horsham boss: How top strikers make all the difference in Isthmian League

Horsham celebrate Shamir Fenelon's equaliser against Lewes - but the Rooks ran out 3-1 winners / Picture: John Lines for Horsham FC

He was speaking after prolific Joe Taylor, with two goals and an assist, proved the only real difference between the sides in Lewes’ 3-1 win at the Camping World Community Stadium on Monday.

Taylor scored his 17th and 18th goals of the season for the Rooks to condemn the Hornets to defeat, but Di Paola said it was a game his team probably deserved to take a point from.

The manager said it was a fact that some clubs in the division could afford top strikers and others couldn’t.

Horsham were without Charlie Harris, Tommy Kavanagh and Lee Harding after positive Covid tests – while four of their available players were only just back after Covid isolation.

Given the lack of matches and training Horsham have had in the past couple of weeks, Di Paola felt his team put in a good shift against the high-flying Rooks.

“We should have had a point and I think we’d have deserved it,” he said.

“The difference on the day was a forward called Joe Taylor. He is well paid by them and worth every penny.

“We had chances and they had chances but the difference was that we didn’t take ours and they had Joe Taylor to take theirs.

“Defensively we have generally been okay this season but our goals scored record is appalling.

“If you look at our two games against Lewes, we got a point at their place early in the season when we could have won – now at home we have lost when we could have drawn.

“The top sides in this division have the best strikers and that’s what separates them from the rest of us. It’s not easy for many clubs to afford strikers of that calibre.”

Monday’s defeat left Horsham 13th – ten points ahead of the bottom three and ten points off a play-off spot.

The result left Di Paola more frustrated than disappointed, especially as it came in front of the biggest ever league crowd seen at the CWCS of 1,284. “It was great to see such a big crowd and hopefully they saw no lack of endeavour from us,” he said.

“We have had a lot of players affected by Covid but will battle on and try to come out the other side of it.”