Di Paola calls for more commitment after Horsham concede five goals again

The Hornets have been suffering from an injury crisis and had six players missing from this game but the Culver Road boss did not want to hide behind missing players as an excuse.

The result of this match meant his side has conceded five goals for the second game in a row following last week’s 5-2 reverse at home to Herne Bay in the FA Cup.

He said: “We just gave away for too many silly goals.

“If we keep doing that we’re not going to get anywhere.

“We can’t use missing players as an excuse for the mistakes because we have who are good enough on the pitch.”

Sittingbourne took the lead after only three minutes when Ben Gorham forced a goal from a corner-kick.

The visitors made it 2-0 on 21 minutes with a goal by Mobolajil Dawodu, who beat ‘keeper Josh James with a one-on-one.

In the second half Sittingbourne went 3-0 up after 57 minutes thanks to Miles Cornwell, who scored the first goal of his brace on the day, despite appeals for offside.

Rob O’Toole pulled one back for Horsham for 3-1 in the 62nd minute with a glancing header which was his eighth goal of the season.

But that was as close as it got to any fightback and Sittingbourne added two more goals in the closing stages, netted by Kane Phillip, with a brilliant finish and Cornwell with a goal which flew in off the post.

Di Paola said: “They are stupid mistakes, wrong decisions and we got punished for them.

“It wasn’t anyone in particular, we were making mistakes collectively in the game.

“It’s a collective desire for the team not to want to concede goals.”

“We had some good chances and also did against Herne Bay.”

He revealed: “Charlie Oatway, Toby House in the first half, Charlie Farmer with a header and Rob O’Toole all had chances to score.

“We’ve got to be better, to be harder to beat and stop the silly mistakes.”

Di Paola wants to see a big upturn in form in time for their next two big games at Culver Road this week.

On Wednesday night they are due to face Burgess Hill Town in the first round of the Velocity Trophy.

Then on Saturday they host eighth-placed Cray Wanderers in the Bostik League.

Di Paola added: “We want to put on a better show this week and have more commitment to the cause.”

Horsham: James, Metcalf, Thurgar, Budd, Farmer, Hyde, Axell (Mobsby 27), Oatway, O’Toole (Newhouse 87), House (Waller 76), Lawley

Unused subs: Kirkwood, Hunt

Attendance: 161