Horsham FC manager Di Paola: This season's league campaign will be so tight

The curtain will be raised on the Hornets’ season when they make the trip to new boys Canvey Island this Saturday. The Gulls are back in the Premier after a five-year absence thanks to their Isthmian North play-off final victory over Brentwood Town.

Di Paola said: “We know they [Canvey] will be good. They’ve got some really good players. They signed Danny Parrish who we know a fair bit about. We played against him when he was at Ashford. He should’ve played higher, so it’s a really good signing for them.

“Looking at the league this year, I think it’s going to be a little bit more even. There probably won’t be that gulf between the top six or seven. I think it’s going to be really, really solid all the way through.

“I can’t be certain of how we’ll do, but we’ve got some good players and we’ve got a good group and they’ve worked really hard to get themselves right.”

Horsham’s troubled pre-season came to a thrilling conclusion last Saturday. The Hornets edged past division-below Cray Valley Paper Mills, winning 4-3 at home in the first-ever meeting between the two clubs.

Lucas Rodrigues, Shamir Fenelon and Tom Day (2) netted.

Reflecting on pre-season, Di Paola added: “I think everyone was a bit fed up of pre-season. You have all the good intentions but sometimes you can’t do what you want because people are away, injured, have picked up niggles.

“We’ve not got anywhere near putting our strongest XI out in pre-season so it’s nice to get back to proper football.”

Di Paola has ruled out Hornets midfielders Jack Brivio and Charlie Hester-Cook for Saturday’s trip to Canvey.

Horsham entertain Corinthian-Casuals in their first home game of the season on Tuesday (August 16).

Meanwhile, the Hornets have announced the signing of former Brighton & Hove Albion defender Luca Cocoracchio on dual terms from division-above Worthing.

You can read Di Paola’s thoughts on Horsham’s new centre half tomorrow online at sussexworld.co.uk/sport.