FA Trophy: Horsham boss Di Paola blasts Bath City management's 'lack of class' and 'hypocrisy'

Horsham manager Dominic Di Paola did not hold back in a post-match blast at what he felt was a 'lack of class' by the Bath City management during their FA Trophy clash yesterday.
Horsham boss Dominic Di Paola. Picture by Derek Martin. dm18102814aHorsham boss Dominic Di Paola. Picture by Derek Martin. dm18102814a
Horsham boss Dominic Di Paola. Picture by Derek Martin. dm18102814a

The Hornets suffered a narrow 2-1 exit in the third qualifying round clash at Culver Road owing to a sublime curling winner from Sean Riggs.

That came 20 minutes from time after Charlie Harris' equally show-stopping first-half free kick hauled the home side level after Jack Batten's early opener.

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But there were words had on the pitch at full-time between some Horsham players and the Bath manager, former Cheltenham, Birmingham and Northampton player, Jerry Gill and his support staff.

There were then words between Di Paola and Gill as players and staff were ushered away by stewards.

On what happened, Di Paola said that Gill had kicked one of Horsham's balls away as he was coming off the pitch, seemingly as a result of conflict between the benches during the game.

Di Paola explained: "I was frustrated at the end with what was, in my opinion, a lack of class. They have spent the whole game telling me what I should and shouldn't be doing and how I should and shouldn't be doing it.

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"They are screaming to get people booked and time wasting, doing all the things we are doing, so there is an element of hypocrisy. The manager has kicked one of our balls at the end all the way over there (other side of the pitch) for no reason.

"I think you should have class when you win. You will never ever see me lording it over any management and I felt they were lacking an element of class.

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"The assistant was telling me how I should talk to my players, I think we have a good relationship with our players here and to be fair, I couldn't care less of what they think of how I talk to my players. Our players have respect for us and they work for each other.

"I would never tell a manager of another team what they should be doing. If we were playing a team two divisions below us I wouldn't even be talking to their bench.

"I wouldn't be focusing the opposition's team after we have scrambled a 2-1 win on a perfect pitch and great facilities when there are no excuses. I would not be wasting my time telling the opposition things.

"That was the crux of it. I wasn't shouting and screaming or getting aggressive with them. I just can't be dealing with that, I think it's a complete lack of respect and I wouldn't do it to another management team."