The Hornets made a promising start to their Bank Holiday encounter with Hastings Utd, taking the lead when Ben Andrews connected with a slick through ball from Claude Seanla to shoot powerfully past the goalkeeper after just 2 minutes. But their joy was shortlived when, from the restart, Horsham conceded a needless free kick on the edge of their own box that was smashed in by Michael Phillips. It did not get any better for the visitors after this point as a few half chances went begging and, early in the second half, a pass from Tim Olorunda found centre half Scott Ramsay who thumped the ball past Rob Tolfrey from the edge of the box. Horsham looked certain to level things on the hour but Anthony Acheampong volleyed over from four yards and Hastings then buried any chance of a Horsham comeback when poor defending from Acheampong let in Sam Adams who rounded Tolfrey and passed into an empty net. Full report..

A calf strain looks set to rule James Nicholls out of Monday's trip to Hastings as Horsham search for a quick return to winning ways against their Sussex neighbours. The right-back position seems to have become something of a poisoned chalice during the early weeks of the season with Scott Harris, Jack Page and now Nicholls beset by injury and even Adam Hutchings failed to escape the apparent curse when he conceded a penalty just minutes after replacing Nicholls in Saturday's match with Canvey Island. Match preview here

John Maggs refused to blame Adam Hutchings for Saturday's defeat to Canvey Island, revealing that it was the senior players who felt the full impact of his post-match dressing down after what the manager termed as an 'abysmal' second half showing against the Essex side. The teenager had been on the pitch less than 10 minutes when he was adjudged to have fouled Canvey's James Rowe to present the Islanders with the match-winning penalty but Maggs feels that his players got what they deserved after failing 'to come out of the dressing room at half-time'. "Canvey are a strong side and I could accept being beaten by them but not the way it happened," said Maggs. "There were players out there whose attitude was way off and that's what disappoints me. There was no effort in the second half and that's just not acceptable".

Horsham fell to their first home defeat of the season after a disappointing second half display saw Canvey take the points through a late Craig Davidson penalty. Having enjoyed the better of the first half, Horsham went behind to Canvey's first chance of the game when Rob Tolfrey was beaten by Richard Halle's deflected free-kick on 29 minutes. The woodwork prevented Claude Seanla from scoring for the 4th successive match but Ben Andrews restored parity before the break when he bundled home a Lee Carney free-kick. The Hornets failed to muster a single shot on target after the break and they were made to pay on 79 minutes when Adam Hutchings brought down James Rowe and Davidson netted from the spot to leave the Islanders' unbeaten record intact. Report..

Gary Charman misses Saturday's match against Canvey Island as the Hornets go in search of a 3rd successive home win. Steve Davies is also absent and there are doubts over the fitness of Jack Page with concerns that he has suffered a recurrence of the hip injury that kept him out of much of last season. More...

Scott Harris suffered more frustration this week after he was advised to undergo another scan on his injured knee on October 14th. It was originally hoped that the former Bognor man might be in action by the end of September but concerns over bruising to a bone has led specialists to recommend further checks. "They think its the remains of an operation he had while he was at Portsmouth," explained John Maggs. "It doesn't seem as if it's cleared up so I guess we're looking at late November before we might see him playing again."

John Maggs believes he is building 'something special' at the club, despite seeing his side held to a draw at Tonbridge last night. The Hornets were pegged back by Horsham old boy Carl Rook to come away with a 2-2 draw but Maggs feels his side has already sent out a statement of intent to the other sides in the division. "The lads were distraught after the game but I've told them they should be proud of how they played against a very strong Tonbridge side. I think we've played the 3 best sides already in Dartford, Sutton and Tonbridge and we've more than held our own. Last night was the first time we've trailed at half-time so the lads had to show me a different side to their game and they did, they ran them ragged in the second half. We really put in a performance after the break and I told them that I really think we've got something special here this season. Now I want them to go out and prove me right."

Carl Rook headed a 90th minute equaliser to deny his former side victory in an exciting clash at the Longmead Stadium tonight. The Hornets, outplayed during much of the first half, trailed to Paul Booth's 12th minute opener but the game turned on 77 minutes when Lewis Hamilton was dismissed for bringing down Claude Seanla and the striker converted from the spot. Lee Carney put the Hornets in front with a mazy run and finish, two minutes later, and although Seanla and Pat Harding had chances to increase the visitors' advantage, it was Rook who popped up to score his first of the season when he headed home at the far post. Report...

Gary Charman faces a fitness test before Tuesday's trip to Tonbridge Angels where the Hornets go in search of a 4th win in 5 seasons. Charman was led from the pitch with a back injury during Saturday's win against Harrow Borough so Jack Lyons is on standby to make his first start for the club in what is otherwise expected to be an unchanged Horsham line-up. Ex-Hornets Carl Rook and Jean-Michel Sigere are likely to be in the Tonbridge side that sits 2 places above Horsham with an equal record of a defeat and 2 wins from their opening matches. More...

Horsham secured a comfortable victory over Harrow Borough to make it two wins in five days at their temporary Gorings Mead home. Claude Seanla scored after just three minutes, following a fine run from Alex Haddow, and was only denied a second before half-time by brave goalkeeping from Andray Baptiste. Rob Tolfrey kept out an effort from Dewayne Clarke, 10 minutes after the break, but Anthony Acheampong secured the points by converting Russell Eldridge's 64th minute corner. Horsham survived some late Harrow pressure, with Tolfrey spectacularly turning Warren Whitley's injury time shot round the post, but the Hornets were good value for the win in front of a 303 crowd. Report...

John Maggs may be excused for sending his side out with gags on for Saturday's visit of Harrow Borough after watching them collect at least 7 bookings for dissent in the opening week of the new season. Pat Harding will face a fitness check after missing Tuesday's victory over Sutton but Maggs is expected to name an unchanged starting XI for the match against a side whom we traditionally struggle to overcome. More...

Horsham began life at Gorings Mead tonight with victory over Sutton United, thanks to a first half goal from Claude Seanla, but the result was overshadowed by the prospect of a heavy fine for the Hornets who picked up 7 bookings and had coach Mark Hawthorne sent to the stands by referee Mr Brook. Horsham had to withstand some heavy early pressure from the visitors, who brought a fine save from Rob Tolfrey after just 3 minutes, but took the lead when Lee Carney's free-kick was volleyed in by Seanla on 38 minutes for his first of the season. Russell Eldridge's shot was well saved after the break and Sam Gargan wasted arguably Sutton's best chance when he headed straight at Tolfrey but Horsham finished strongly and only a timely challenge on Alex Haddow prevented the hosts from increasing their lead in the closing stages. Full report...

Lee Carney will face a fitness test ahead of Tuesday night's visit of Sutton United as the Hornets look to bounce back from Saturday's narrow defeat at Dartford. More...

Individual errors were to blame as Horsham returned from a sunny Princes Park with a defeat, despite being the better side for nearly an hour. Gary Charman, Lee Carney and Russell Eldridge had all gone close to opening the scoring before Eldridge's superbly executed free-kick gave the Hornets a deserved half-time lead. Claude Seanla went close to increasing the advantage within a minute of the restart but sloppy play from Mark Knee and Eldridge enabled the Darts to hit back through Elliot Bradbrook and a penalty from Adam Flanagan before Bradbrook struck again to make it 3 goals in 11 minutes for the Darts. Substitute Pat Harding reduced the arrears in the final minute but it was too little, too late for John Maggs side who host another fancied side, Sutton United, on Tuesday night. Full report...

Scott Harris misses Saturday's trip to Dartford with a troublesome knee, leaving Jack Page and James Nicholls to contest the vacant right-back slot. Nicholls, who was set to sign for the club on Thursday evening, could be the more likely after replacing Page at half-time during last week's match with YMCA but John Maggs is keeping his cards close to his chest saying that 'there could be surprises at the back, in midfield and in attack'. Lee Carney has a calf problem but Alex Haddow will almost certainly start the match after impressing the manager by playing the full 90 minutes on Saturday, despite not having trained throughout the Summer. More...

John Maggs fully expects Saturday's opponents Dartford to be challenging for promotion come April but confesses to harbouring his own hopes of being among those sides aiming for at least a play-off place. More...

As we begin the countdown to Saturday's opening league fixture, we take a look back at last season's highs and lows; the cup ties with Stevenage and Lewes, our brief unbeaten start to the campaign and a league double over Canvey Island, not to mention the annual struggle against Harrow and the desperate results against the likes of Heybridge and Hendon. More....

They may have been held to an unconvincing draw by their near neighbours but there was good reason for manager John Maggs to smile yesterday as talented midfielder Jack Lyons put pen to paper and agreed to sign for the Hornets for the new season. The Eire Youth International has impressed alongside Lee Carney during the pre-season campaign and will make his competitive debut in next week's trip to Dartford.

Horsham have Rob Tolfrey and the woodwork to thank after completing their pre-season programme with a goalless draw against Horsham YMCA at a sunkissed Gorings Mead this afternoon. The goalkeeper was in fine form, particularly during a first half that was dominated by the Ryman League newcomers, and deserved his luck when Steve Sergeant's 35th minute strike came back off the post. Gary Charman had Horsham's best effort of a disappointing first period but they improved after the break and Jack Page, Steve Davies and Ben Andrews (twice) went close to breaking the deadlock. Full report...

Scott Harris and Mark Knee will miss tomorrow's final pre-season fixture against Horsham YMCA through injury, dashing John Maggs' hopes of fielding his favoured starting XI ahead of the season's opening fixture at Dartford next Saturday. Alex Haddow is expected to play some part in the game, despite only arriving back from an extended vacation in Canada today, and Hornets supporter Jim Greensted is sure of an afternoon to remember after winning a competition to be part of the first team squad for a day. Ex-Hornet Tom Graves is likely to line up against his former side but YM's recent acquisitions Nigel Brake and John Westcott will miss out due to personal commitments.

John Maggs claimed that he and his coaches should shoulder some of the responsibility for Tuesday night's defeat at Walton & Hersham after a performance he labelled as 'dreadful'. "The manager and coaches have to take the blame at times and we just didn't get the message across to the players as I'd liked," he revealed. "We played people in different positions and were disjointed, had no shape about us. They wanted it more than us and, although it was only a friendly, I spent 15-20 minutes letting the players know exactly what I had expected of them. We won't be trying 4-3-3 any more. It was against my beliefs and I feel that the point was made in this game. We were too congested up top." Click here for full report

Horsham head to Walton-on-Thames on Tuesday for their penultimate pre-season fixture against Walton & Hersham (kick-off 7.45pm). The Swans were held to a 2-2 draw by East Grinstead at the weekend but Stompond Lane hasn't been a lucky ground for the Hornets who have failed to collect a win there in almost seven years. Alex Haddow, yet to feature during the summer programme, remains among the absentees due to family illness and Scott Harris is struggling with a swollen knee but Russell Eldridge is expected to return after missing Saturday's win at Godalming. Gary Charman misses the match due to work commitments.

John Maggs has admitted that club finances may leave him disappointed in his efforts to sign Eire U19 International Jack Lyons. The former Crystal Palace apprentice has been in impressive form during the Hornets' pre-season campaign but the manager conceded that he was hopeful, rather than optimistic, that a deal could be done. "I've had a couple of agents on to me about the lad but I've told them that I've discussed what we can offer him with the player himself so we'll have to see what develops. I'm expecting him to play for us at Walton & Hersham tomorrow night and should know which way it's going to go by the end of the week." One player who has agreed to rejoin the club is striker Claude Seanla who hit 9 goals in 26 appearances last season.

Ben Andrews broke his Horsham duck with the winning goal in a 2-1 victory at Godalming Town this afternoon. Steve Davies' first half opener was swiftly cancelled out by an equaliser from the hosts but the former Worthing man struck after the break to make it 4 wins in a row for John Maggs' side. Full report...

How would you like to entertain your friends or work colleagues at a Hornets' first team fixture next season ? A birthday present, perhaps, a special occasion or just something a little different ? Horsham Football Club has a number of match sponsorship deals available for the coming season, starting at just £50 (excl vat). More...