Recent History

The 2021/22 season was the first fully completed campaign at Hop Oast and although a lengthy injury list soon put to any hopes of another promotion, there was plenty to celebrate in the cups as the Hornets overcame the odds to battle through to only their fourth appearance in the FA Cup first round. A 2-0 loss in Cumbria put paid to the heroics but the team would end the season with silverware after beating Margate 4-0 to earn the Isthmian League Cup (Velocity Trophy) for the first time in their history.

The 2022/23 season produced little cup success although early exits in each of the FA Cup, FA Trophy and Velocity Trophy focussed the minds on an improved league placing, which was achieved with a best-ever 7^th. In addition, the club topped the division’s attendance charts with an average of 920.

Last season will go down as one of the greatest in the Club’s history to date. League average attendances topped the 1,000 mark, as a highest-ever league finish of 5th led to a devastating play-off Semi-Final defeat, on penalties, to Chatham. But this disappointment could not take the shine of an incredible season in the cups. The Hornets enjoyed a joint furthest run to the FA Cup second round, including a memorable 3-3 draw at League 1 Barnsley and a live replay on ITV. This success was built upon with a record-breaking run to the last 32 of the FA Trophy and success in the Sussex Senior Cup, which was lifted for the first time in 48 seasons on a night to remember at the Amex Stadium in Brighton.

Form

The Hornets have continued to build on last season’s success into 2024/25, with the side currently placed 5th in the Isthmian Premier Division having played 23 games. They have games in hand over each of four teams above them, too.

They recently went away to the league leaders Dover Athletic on New Year’s Day and came away with all three points with a 2-1 victory on their travels.

That result was part of an impressive run that Dom Di Paola’s side have been on, winning their last five matches in succession, including a comprehensive 6-0 win away at Potters Bar Town.

Last Six
04/01 – Carshalton Athletic (H) – Won 4-0
01/01 – Dover Athletic (A) – Won 1-2
28/12 – Potters Bar Town (A) – Won 0-6
26/12 – Bognor Regis Town (H) – Won 2-1
21/12 – Canvey Island (A) – Won 0-1
17/12 – Dartford (H) – Lost 1-3

The Gaffer

Dominic Di Paola has been in charge at Horsham for nearly a decade.

His first managerial appointment saw him guide Clymping from the West Sussex League to County League Division Two in just three seasons. He returned to Worthing United and led them to promotion but it was at East Preston where he really made his mark, masterminding two County League titles and reaching the final of five Sussex cup competitions as well as reaching the last sixteen of the FA Vase.

Hastings United offered Dom his first stint as a manager at Step 4 but his stay in East Sussex lasted just three months, after which he was invited to revive the fortunes of a Horsham side already doomed to relegation to the County League for the first time since 1956. Rebuilding the side almost entirely from scratch, he secured the club’s first league title in twenty years by winning the 2015/16 Southern Combination League by eleven points and has since enjoyed a year-on-year improvement in the league.

In 2018/19 he took the club back to the Isthmian Premier Division via the Play-Offs after finishing second in the table and recorded a best-ever league finish of fifth in 2023/24, thus qualifying for the Play-Offs where Horsham lost out to Chatham Town on penalties in the semi-finals. Success has also come in the cups under Dom’s leadership, with the Hornets securing a first-ever Isthmian League Cup (Velocity Trophy) and ending the club’s forty-eight-year wait to lift the Sussex Senior Cup, thus completing a clean sweep of Sussex trophies for the manager. In addition, he led the Hornets to a best-ever run in the FA Trophy in 2024, an FA Cup first-round appearance in 2021 and a record-equalling second-round qualification in 2024.

The Skipper

Club captain Briv has been at the forefront of Horsham’s recent successes.

He has led the side to Play-off, League Cup, Senior Cup and FA Cup successes in the six years since joining the club from Burgess Hill Town and was voted the Hornets’ Player of the Season for 2019/20. A cultured midfielder, Jack’s creativity has been sacrificed over the last couple of seasons when asked to cover in the centre of defence, something he has done with aplomb, but should be back in his more favoured role this campaign.

Began his career at Tonbridge Angels and scored twice to help the Hornets secure their first-ever Isthmian League Cup in 2022.

Brivio picked up an injury in the Hornets’ recent win away at Canvey Island and is unlikely to feature in tonight’s match.

Familiar Faces

Tonight will see returns to Woodside for Harvey Sparks, Danny Barker, Reece Meekums and Greg Luer.

Harvey Sparks was part of the Worthing squad that won promotion to the Isthmian Premier Division in 2016. He is the longest serving player at Horsham of the current squad, beginning this season with 246 appearances to his name after joining the Hornets in 2018.

Danny Barker joined the Hornets from Worthing in 2023 after spending five years with the Rebels where he made 154 appearances. He was part of the squad that earned promotion to the National League South in 2022 and the Sussex Senior Cup triumph in 2023.

Reece Meekums is another who was part of the Isthmian Premier Division-winning and Sussex Senior Cup-winning squads at the Rebels in 2022 and 2023. Meekums made over 200 appearances for the Rebels, scoring 40 goals in all competitions. He initially joined the Hornets on dual-registration terms in September 2023 and scored the opening goal in the Sussex Senior Cup final last season, before signing permanently in the summer.

Greg Luer is the Hornets’ most recent signing, after signing in time to play in their victory over Carshalton Athletic on Saturday. Luer departed from Woodside before the start of the season after playing 35 times in 2023/24. He made the move to Whitehawk but left the Hawks two months ago, before joining the Hornets last weekend.