'Excellent' Horsham record comfortable victory to go top

Horsham's Dylan Merchant. Picture by Steve Robards

Chris Smith’s second hat-trick of the season and a Dylan Merchant goal saw the Hornets move a point clear of now second-placed Folkestone Invicta, although the Kent side have a game in hand.

Di Paola said: “I thought we played well, pretty much for the whole 90 minutes.

“I can’t think of a time they (Bowers & Pitsea) had a really good chance or created any moments that caused us too much concern.

“I thought we were excellent. We played at a high tempo and started well.

“We could’ve been four up at half-time. There were a couple of marginal offsides that may well have been offside.

“We were the dominant side and gave ourselves a good platform for the second half.

“We then came out and played very similarly. We created plenty of chances, moved the ball well, and kept them working hard.

“They made a couple of adjustments to get back in the game but we dealt with that.”

“I thought it was a really good win.”

In sodden conditions, Smith bagged his first of the afternoon, in strange fashion, on 12 minutes.

Horsham suffer heavy loss after early Belsize Park onslaught

The confusion in the stands over whether the ball went in saw the referee consult his assistant before duly awarding the goal.

Lee Harding thought he had doubled Horsham’s advantage but his follow up from a Smith header was ruled out for offside.

But the Hornets did net their second on 24 minutes. Merchant thundered home a volley from a Rob O’Toole cross to give Horsham a 2-0 lead which they held to the break.

The second half saw conditions get worse, ultimately leading to a disjointed game of football.

But the Hornets found their third on 74 minutes. A deep cross wasn’t cleared by Bowers & Pitsea and, as the ball ricocheted off a visiting defender, Smith was on hand to prod home his second of the game.

Smith had a gilt-edged chance to wrap up his hat-trick late on but he sliced his shot wide.

The forward did seal his treble in second half stoppage time.

Horsham’s number nine was sent one-on-one with Coulter and deftly lifted the ball over the keeper to complete his hat-trick and send the Hornets to the division’s summit.

Horsham: Bentley, O’Sullivan (Metcalf 79), Sparks, Brivio (Lavery 77), Mills, Merchant, O’Toole (Kelly 69), Dawson, Smith, Pamment, Harding. Unused: Shelley, Miles.