Horsham FC 'desperate' to cap 'really good first season at step three' with Velocity Trophy triumph

Horsham FC boss Dominic Di Paola is 'desperate' to cap a 'really good first season at step three' by lifting the Velocity Trophy for the first time.
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The Hornets travel to Aveley's Parkside Stadium this [Wednesday] evening to take on Margate in the Isthmian League's showpiece final.

Horsham secured the club's first senior cup final since 2006 after victories over Hythe Town, Corinthian-Casuals, Haywards Heath Town and Folkestone Invicta.

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The Gate, meanwhile, have beaten Herne Bay, Tooting & Mitcham United, Carshalton Athletic and Haringey Borough on their way to Aveley.

Horsham FC boss Dominic Di Paola is 'desperate' to cap a 'really good first season at step three' by lifting the Velocity Trophy for the first time. Picture by John LinesHorsham FC boss Dominic Di Paola is 'desperate' to cap a 'really good first season at step three' by lifting the Velocity Trophy for the first time. Picture by John Lines
Horsham FC boss Dominic Di Paola is 'desperate' to cap a 'really good first season at step three' by lifting the Velocity Trophy for the first time. Picture by John Lines

Horsham secured their Isthmian Premier status, in their first uninterrupted season at step three, courtesy of excellent wins over Folkestone, Potters Bar Town and Haringey in the past fortnight.

And now Di Paola is looking to add the icing on the cake by bringing silverware back to The Camping World Community Stadium.

He said: "We’re desperate to win it. We’ve done all those midweek games in the dead of winter to get here. We want to win on the night.

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"I think everybody’s going to be up for it. Hopefully there will be plenty of support. I know there’s a couple of coaches going up and hopefully the town gets up there.

"I know it’s not the easiest place to get to on a Wednesday night, such is life, but hopefully we will take some good numbers there.

"I don’t know when the club was last in a cup final. I know we had the play-off final [against Ashford United in 2019] but I don’t know about other cups.

"I can’t imagine it was very recent, so hopefully we can enjoy it and capitalise on what has been a really good first season at step three."

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With the Hornets potentially just 90 minutes away from writing their names in the club's history books, Di Paola admitted he was treating the final like any other game.

He added: "Me and Wezzo [Adam Westwood, Horsham assistant manager] were talking about this the other day, and this will be our tenth cup final as a management team so we’ve had plenty of opportunities at various different clubs.

"You’ve just got to focus on the fact that it’s a game of football, and not get too ahead of yourselves. The only difference between this and any other game is that the word final is in there.

"You have to try and maintain your performance levels and not let the occasion get the better of you. But we’ve got lots of experience in our team.

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"We’ve got loads of boys that have played in plenty of finals and play-off finals and FA Cup games and big games down the years. Our boys have been in and around things like this."

Di Paola also revealed that confidence is coursing through the veins of his Horsham players after Saturday's emphatic win over Haringey - which put 15 points between the Hornets and the Isthmian Premier's relegation play-off place.

He said: "We’ll go into that one [the Velocity Trophy final] with some confidence. I think we’ve played well for quite a long period apart, from maybe Wingate away.

"Some boys have played themselves into form. Some of the boys are probably a bit disappointed that the season is ending because they’ve kind of got their performances up.

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"As a group everyone is in quite good spirits considering the amount of time they’ve spent together.

"We go into that game, enjoy the moment and see how we get on."

READ THIS: Horsham FC looking forward to much-needed break after 'relentless' campaign.

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