Horsham FC hailed as 50th game of the season looms
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The Hornets overcame challenges on and off the pitch to hold the second-placed Blues to a goalless draw.
Horsham endured an onerous four-hour journey to Hertfordshire, resulting in a 15 minute delay to kick-off. The incessant rain and boggy pitch contributed to a game of few chances and the Hornets couldn’t find a breakthrough.
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Hide AdTuesday night saw Horsham advance in the Velocity Trophy with a 2-0 home win over Haywards Heath Town.
Tom Kavanagh stroked home a penalty after Lee Harding was felled in the box, just before half-time. Harding grabbed the hosts’ second three minutes into the second half.
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Hide AdThe Hornets will play Folkestone Invicta, Margate or the winners of this (Thursday) evening's quarter-final tie between Haringey Borough and Cheshunt in the semis.
Di Paola said: “I have to take my hat off to my boys. They went to Bishop’s Stortford on a horrible day when the pitch was horrible. They could’ve phoned it in but they challenged Bishop’s Stortford as if we were going head-to-head with them for the title. The attitude was brilliant.
“Tuesday night was never going to be easy. Haywards Heath are in good form and they’re in the play-off places in the league below.
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Hide Ad“I thought the boys were professional, we got a clean sheet, and Sam Howes didn’t really have a save to make. Over the course of the two games we used the whole squad and everyone was good.”
Tuesday night’s cup tie was Horsham’s 47th game of a marathon season. And the Hornets are still in the Sussex Senior Cup too.
Horsham travel to Lancing's Culver Road this Tuesday to take on Brighton & Hove Albion under-23s in the Senior Cup semi-finals.
Di Paola said: “We’ve got 12 games to go, with the two semi-finals. We’re talking about a 60-game season off the back of two years of Covid where we’ve barely played so I think the boys have been unbelievable.
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Hide Ad“I can count on one hand the number of times the boys have not done enough. Although it’s been a bit of a middling season in league terms, I think the boys have been excellent.”
Saturday brings the end of an era at the club as record appearance holder Gary Charman retires.
See a gallery of his career and a preview at sussexworld.co.uk/sport today and tomorrow.