Johnson pleased with Horsham's progress this season

The aim this season for the Lions was to become competitive in the league again and start to stabilise the club for the future.

Despite at the midway stage looking as though they would mount a title push, poor availability cost Horsham as they fell away in the league.

They did however, lift the Gray-Nicholls T20 Cup and Johnson said: “I am happy, very happy. If you had said to me at the start of the season, we would win the cup and finish fourth in the league, I definitely would have taken that.

“We slightly lost our way in the league and until we resolve our availability problem throughout the season, I do not see how we will start to compete with winning the league.

“It’s key, look at Roffey – they have played about 14 players in the first team all season, we have had about 25. I think that is the key and the winning formula.

“We were right in the thick of it at one point, but lost Jofra Archer (to Sussex). We are delighted for him, but that has taken 40 or 50 wickets a season out of our side.

“So I think we have done very, very well. I am certainly pleased. We are competitive in the league and the club has moved forwards, I feel, in the vast majority of ways. That was the aim of the season and to carry on momentum into the future.”

Horsham concluded their season on Saturday with a two-wicket victory over East Grinstead in a rain-reduced 30-over game.

Toby Margetts’ 103 and Tim Cummins’ 43 helped Grinstead to 196-6, before Craig Gallagher (86), Will Beer (44), Tom Clark (13) and Johnson (15) helped Horsham home with 200-8 with two balls to spare.

Johnson added: “It was a really, really good game. I have never been part of a last game of the season where there is nothing on the table for either side. It was a nice game to be part of.

“We had so many players missing and it was a big ask at the halfway stage - more than a run a ball. Craig got us off to a good start and Tom Clarke, despite still being very young, showed he is capable. I think he will play a lot next year after he finishes school.”

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make this website your homepage

2 Like our Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Sport-Sussex

3 Follow us on Twitter @SportSussex

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!