Campbell happy with another point in Horsham's survival battle

They could have also taken all three points, but had a late winning goal disallowed in the 2-2 draw.

Horsham, aiming for survival in the third tier of English hockey, were actually the better team throughout the match, but once again two soft goals put them at a disadvantage.

Top scorer Ellis Wooley twice redressed the balance with well-taken drag flicks at short corners.

London Edwardians scored within four minutes, following a goalmouth scramble, but just two minutes later Wooley equalised.

With a sense of déjà vu, almost exactly the same thing happened in the second half.

Goals aside, this was a cracking game of hockey.

Apart from Wooley, who again proved that he is well in his comfort zone at this level, there were some notable performances by a full-strength Horsham with Freddie Campbell back to marshal the midfield.Joey Humphreys has clearly recovered from his appendix operation and was instrumental in the first goal. He posed questions the visitors struggled to answer throughout the game.

Cirdec Atkinson played some elegant touches, while Russell Self looks more imposing in defence as the season progresses.

Results elsewhere saw Horsham drop back into the relegation zone, but manager Al Campbell is optimistic the team can stay up.

He said: “Any point we win off top teams is a bonus, and we were very happy to take this one.

“However we have three real six-pointers against teams in the bottom five and, if we can carry our form forward, to beat these sides lower down the division, we should be okay.”

In this league, one team has to be relegated but up to four teams can go down depending on results in the National Conference and Premiership.

With the higher divisions in flux, Horsham need to come eighth to guarantee safety. Guildford and Banbury already look doomed and a win in next week’s game away to London Wayfarers, one point and one place above Horsham, would settle a lot of nerves in Cricketfield Road.