John Maggs saluted his players' attitude, energy and passion despite watching them slip to a third successive defeat at promotion rivals Sutton United. For the second game in a row, they gifted their opponents the luxury of a second minute lead and, when the Us doubled their advantage after just 12 minutes, it looked as though the Hornets were set for a heavy defeat against a Sutton side defending an 8 match unbeaten run. However, a determined fightback saw a goal from Pat Harding controversially ruled out before the striker found the net legally with 10 minutes remaining but, thanks to the efforts of goalkeeping Man of the Match Kevin Scriven, Horsham were unable to find the elusive second goal as Sutton held out to avenge their 1-0 defeat at Gorings Mead back in August.

"We battered them," confessed Maggs. "We gifted them two comic book goals that really put us on the back foot early on, the first one is the sort you'd see on one of those sporting bloomers programmes on the telly, but from that point on we absolutely battered them. The goalkeeper's made several quality saves and it tells you something when he gets the Man of the Match. Pat's had a goal disallowed but it was a bit harsh. The referee's given it but the linesman's flagged for a push which I thought was a bit soft. I can't praise my players highly enough, though. They really performed against a very strong Sutton side. We were a better side than they were, I thought our fitness levels were greater, but we can't go giving silly goals away against top sides like that. In the end, that's what's cost us the game. We're a real Jekyll and Hyde side at the moment and, alright, we're still knocking on the door for the play-offs but I won't be happy until we've got the two wins that I feel will guarantee us Premier Division football next season."

Having suffered defeats by Waltham Abbey and Tooting & Mitcham in the past 6 days, Maggs was looking for his team to get their promotion push back on track against a side who held a 4 point advantage over them at the start of play but a dead leg meant that Steve Sargent was unable to take his place in the midfield so Jack Page was pushed up the field, along with the returning Alex Haddow, with Chris Riley filling Page's right-back slot. Overseen by assistant manager Alan Payne in the absence of boss Paul Doswell, who was awaiting the arrival of twin daughters, Sutton made a number of changes to the side that was surprisingly held to a goalless draw by Maidstone United at the weekend with Hawes brothers Billy and James replaced by Alan Bray and Karim El-Sahali, striker Sam Gargan came in for Steve Watts and Alan Pouton returned to the side at the expense of Steve McKimm.

Horsham got off to the worst possible start when a horrible lack of communication between Josh Pelling and Mark Knee gifted Sutton the opening goal of the game. Knee’s pass back was intercepted by Bradley Woods-Garness, after Pelling’s hesitancy let the ball free, and the striker duly rounded the Brighton youngster and slid the ball into an empty net. With Sutton on the front foot, the Hornets soon found themselves 2 goals behind when a teasing run down the left from Matt Hann fooled Chris Riley and his ball in was met by Sam Gargan, who rose high above Anthony Acheampong to head into the net, with Pelling in no man’s land.

At this point in the game, Horsham realised that they needed to stand up and be counted. Clever passing between Jack Page and Ben Andrews set the winger free and his ball across the box, laid back by Claude Seanla, was met by Haddow who stung the ball goalwards with the outside of his right foot but Scriven was equal to the shot and blocked it with his right leg. Jack Page was having quite an impact in a more familiar role of right midfield and he found himself meeting a deflected half volley from 20 yards that was met with a series of groans from the Horsham faithful as Scriven stretched to tip the ball over the bar.

Sutton showed that they were still capable of adding a third when Woods-Garness ran at Knee and was able to get a shot away as he cut inside the experienced fullback but Pelling showed that he had put those early jitters behind him as he comfortably collected the shot. It was then Horsham’s turn to attack when Jack Page’s cleverly weighted ball set Seanla racing free but, once again, he was denied by the home ‘keeper who spread himself well to deny the Ivorian. A 22 man scrap followed as Andrews took a disliking to Gargan’s lunge on his skipper, Sam Page, and the former Worthing man was one of four players cautioned by referee Adrian Gillet who did well to keep the situation under control.

Sutton were to have the last chance of the half when Gargan, who was arguably lucky to still be on the pitch, turned quickly but his low shot was pushed onto the post by Pelling and Horsham remained two goals behind at the break, but hopeful of capitalising on their decent showing at the end of the first half.

H/T Sutton 2 – 0 Horsham

As Sutton got the second half underway, it was Horsham who looked the brighter of the two teams. Steve Davies’ shot was deflected into the path of Seanla whose turning half volley looked to be looping over Scriven until the goalkeeper stretched to once again deny the Hornets a life line. Jack Page then tried his luck from range but his fearsome shot hit the crossbar as the Hornets were beginning to accept that it was just not their day.

However Sutton hadn’t emerged as a likely promotion contender by luck and skilful winger Hann took on Riley once more, cutting inside and lashing a shot towards the Horsham goal which was saved well by Pelling, down to his left. When Haddow released Andrews through the Sutton defence it looked certain he would provide the game with a nervy finish, but his shot was once again pushed wide, by the game’s outstanding player.

Horsham finally got the reward their efforts deserved on 82 minutes when Harding ran on to a pass from Haddow and calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net to provide the game with a nail biting finale. Near the final whistle it looked like Horsham were to snatch a share of the points after battering Sutton for an hour of the match when Andrews fought his way through the home defence and found himself through on goal from a tight angle but his first shot was saved and the second scuffed wide. It definitely hadn’t been the Hornets’ night

NEXT MATCH: v Chichester City (a) Thursday 11th March ko 7.30pm