Defeat at Worthing is Horsham's first setback

The match began in filthy weather on the coast and, to make it worse, the damage was inflicted by four goals from Horsham old boy, top drag flicker Ellis Wooley.

But Horsham remain top of the table on level points with Ashford (Kent) thanks to a far superior goal difference.

With five Horsham regulars missing, including keeper Ben Beard, still on Covid19 lockdown with Hurstpierpoint School, both teams began in very cagey fashion, playing ultra defensively, as was to be expected with both in contention.

Horsham had the much better first half, with skipper Sam MacDonald twice one-on-one with the Worthing keeper, but unable to convert.

Having moved back to his native Worthing, danger man Wooley – a major scorer for Horsham several seasons ago – converted a short corner midway through the first half .

Horsham player coach Andy Blood made a fantastic run, beating four of the opposition en route to get into the D and pass to the far post, where ex-first team star and now twos player Paddy Humphries tapped-in for an old school goal to level the score 1-1 at the break.

In fitful sunshine, Horsham dominated early in the second half, with Blood converting a short corner fiveminutes in and then a second three minutes later, putting Horsham 3-1 up. Yet, with the game seemingly at their mercy, Horsham took their foot off the gas, forgetting they needed to defend, and allowing Worthing to walk through the midfield to win another three short corners, all of which Wooley fired home in machine-like, unpickable manner.

With Horsham 4-3 down, Worthing twisted the knife with a well-composed field goal to win 5-3.

Clearly, a shortage of first teamers didn’t help Horsham, but, in a repeat of the Gore Court game, when Horsham were also well ahead, on that occasion going on to draw, this was a game to be won had they had closed it down. With regular players on board, Horsham would probably have secured all three points.

Meanwhile, at Christ’s Hospital last Saturday, eighth-placed Horsham Ladies lost 2-5 to St Albans, two places above them in the league.

England Hockey have confirmed the reinstated national lockdown will mean no club or community hockey from until a December 4 at the earliest.

However, the current hope is that, providing we come out of lockdown in early December, the league will get played out.

The usual mid-winter break may have to be used for catch-up to be played.