Horsham boss lauds players for hitting top gear against Lancing

After last midweek’s slip up at Loxwood, the Hornets were back to their best as they blew away the Lancers with a 3-0 win at Culver Road on Saturday.

The hosts had been a surprise package this season and are firmly in the title race, but a ruthlessly showing from Horsham propelled them back to the top of the table.

The game was effectively over after 22 minutes as a brace of headers from Joe Shelley, from Kieran Pamment set-pieces, and an Evan Archibald goal separated two sides that started the day level on points.

There were few chances in the second half, although Horsham were denied a fourth from a headed effort as the referee spotted a foul during the build up.

Lancing stopped Callum Fidler also produced a great save to deny Shelley from completing his hat-trick late on. And with Eastbourne Town’s match at Arundel postponed it was the Hornets that reclaimed top spot.

Di Paola said: “It think it showed when we are up for it with the right mentality and attitude, what a good side we are. It makes me more angry, that if we had that approach to every game, we wouldn’t be in the position we are.

“We had the bit between our teeth and wanted to win. I think they (the players) ear-marked it a little bit.

“They (Lancing) had been doing well and are a good side, but we wanted to show what we can do and I don’t really think they could argue if the score had been more as well.

“It’s the bench mark we have tried to set as a minimum level and we play well when we do hit that mark, but we have dropped below it at times.

“I do not think we allowed them to be a good side. A few people have said at times that we are a class above, but to me that shows that when we are on it, we do not allow teams anything.

“Lancing could have been the best team in the world on Saturday, but we did not allow them to do much. They are obviously a good team, the table tells you that.

“It’s credit to the boys on Saturday that they can do that against good sides in this league. They showed what they can do against the top sides, like YM as well - they are not a bad side, but we were just on it that day.

“But it’s if you can carry that on and do it against the other teams, that is the test, with 14 games to go, you thought they would have learnt that by now.

“It was pleasing, but it is just one game. If we go and lose again, we have not achieved anything. If we had won the Loxwood game and Saturday, it creates a bit of pressure and gives us a chance to maybe drop some points, but we can’t now.”

Horsham: Williams, Duncan, Jones, Farmer, Knee, Pamment, Hunt, Shelley, Lewis, Boswell, Archibald. Subs: Atkinson, Rowe-Hurst, Storrie , Smith, Burfiend.

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