Horsham's start was anti-climax - then personal pride sparked FA Cup win

Horsham manager Dom Di Paola said personal pride helped his players to FA Cup success – after a below-par start to their league campaign.
Eddie D'Sane scores for Horsham against Kingstonian / Picture: John LinesEddie D'Sane scores for Horsham against Kingstonian / Picture: John Lines
Eddie D'Sane scores for Horsham against Kingstonian / Picture: John Lines

The boss admitted as many as nine players were not on their game in Saturday’s first competitive match of the season, a league visit to Leatherhead thatended 1-1.

But if they had a point to prove they did it well, with a powerful performance that dumped their league rivals Kingstonian out of the FA Cup at the Camping World Community Stadium on Tuesday night.

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For Di Paola, the point taken at Leatherhead and a place in the second qualifying round made it a satisfactory week, although he felt their performance in the opening game was an anti-climax.

It’s also been a week in which the club may have unearthed a goalscoring gem in the form of Eddie D’Sane, scorer of both goals against Ks.

Horsham had to hang on to a 2-1 lead for the latter stages after Harvey Sparks was sent off for what some felt were two harsh yellow cards.

They kept Ks at bay not least because of a fine debut for new keeper Brad House, signed to give George Bentley competition.

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Di Paola said: “On Saturday, as many as eight or nine were well off their game. So was I as manager.

“Personal pride comes into it after that – we all wanted to do better and against Kingstonian we did.

“Where as Saturday had been a bit of an anti-climax after the long build-up to the first game, in the first half on Tuesday we were excellent and could have been 4-0 up instead of 2-0 up.

“The sending-off changed it but where we’d shown in the first half we can produce the good stuff, after that we produced the ugly stuff.

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“The boys were great and some of our football was brilliant.”

Di Paola has signed D’Sane after his short spell at Hampton and Richmond ended. He has also played for Whyteleafe, Maldon and Tiptree, Leatherhead and Kingstonian.

The manager said: “He’s done really well, although is now injured – he took a whack on the shin.”

Di Paola has a few on the injured list ahead of two home league games – versus Cheshunt on Saturday and Bognor next Tuesday. Rob O’Toole, Doug Tuck and Will Miles are among those struggling.

The FA Cup draw is tomorrow (Fri) and Di Paola hopes for a home tie.