Horsham 3 Lewes 0, Isthmian League Premier Division, Wednesday 1st January 2019
I’m not really the sentimental type. I’ve never really bought into the whole ‘New Year-New Me’ ethos.
It’s always been my opinion that the change of a digit or two at the end of the date isn’t really going to make a significant difference to anyone’s life. Surely, if you really do want to make changes to your lifestyle, then you can do this at any time of the year. You don’t have to wait until the clock ticks past midnight on 31st December for any such changes to take place.
Likewise, the whole trend of reflecting on the past 12 months also goes over my head. Surely there are good times in any year, as well as bad ones. If anyone really has just experienced 365 continuous days of constant misery then, obviously, they have my deepest sympathies. But as some generic pop star or another once sang – ‘life is a rollercoaster, baby, you just have to ride it.’
In my opinion, the best thing about the dawn of a New Year is the fact that 1st January brings with it a bonus packed football schedule. An extra opportunity for me to get to a game and start making up some of those Saturday games that I’ve missed out on recently due to the wet weather.
The choice for my New Year’s Day game had actually been made some weeks – months, even – ago. Just as my 2019 groundhopping journey had started with a Sussex derby between Lewes and Burgess Hill in the Isthmian Premier, I’d decided 2020 would also kick off the same way, with a Sussex derby; this time between Horsham and Lewes.
I’d had my eye on visiting Horsham’s brand-new Camping World Stadium since the start of the season, and quickly earmarked the visit of Lewes as the perfect time to do so.
The Hornets are the only Sussex-based side above step five that I’d yet to visit in the 18 months since starting my groundhopping journey. Mainly because up until the start of this season they hadn’t had a ground of their own – at least, not since selling their previous ground in 2008. Since then, the club has lived a nomadic life, having spent time playing at Worthing, Horsham YMCA and Lancing in the intervening years.
The wait, though, has been well worth it. The new stadium is simply fantastic.
For those driving to a match, a free park and ride service is advertised as the best way of reaching the ground. However, wifey’s decision to take the boys swimming at the nearby Horsham swimming pool meant that I was dropped off, making the process of getting to the ground ever-so-slightly easier (especially given the bumper crowd of close to 1,000 who had turned up for the game).
Entrance to the stadium was £11 and, for the first time in what feels like forever, there was actually a proper old-fashioned paper programme on offer. This was promptly snapped up for £2 – and was well worth the money.
Even before I got to have a proper look around the ground my attention was captured by an unusual sight. At least at Non-League level, A mascot. The only other mascot I’d seen previously on my travels was at Bognor Regis when, rather bizarrely, a bear turned up on the pitch shortly before kick-off (not a real one, of course. That would be ludicrous).
The yellow and green ‘Howie the Hornet’ is a really fun addition to the match day experience. Greeting children and adults alike with a friendly high-five and pausing regularly for pictures, it’s a simple yet effective way of lending a real ‘family’ atmosphere to a club.
Having stopped to get a picture of Howie, I was off to take a look at the facilities. They’re impressive and have clearly been designed in the hope that Horsham can one day make it a little further up the Non-League pyramid. The club house is huge, and the main covered seated stand still shiny and new.
There are also another couple of smaller covered stands along the opposite side of the pitch – one terraced, one seated – and a small covered standing area behind the far goal. In addition, there are also a couple outdoor snack bars and, for one game only, a pop-up bar located outside to try and take some pressure off the packed clubhouse.
With promoted Horsham currently flying high in the league, although having suffered three defeats in their last four league games, and Lewes struggling but starting to pick up some form, I wasn’t sure which way this match would go.
After a fairly even start, during which neither side really got into much a of a rhythm, the hosts took the lead from the game's first meaningful opportunity, A 12th minute corner from the right was headed on by Will Miles at the far post straight to his centre back partner Joe Shelley, whose looping header beat Nathan Stroomberg in the Lewes goal.
The Rooks had the ball in the net shortly after, but the
goal was quickly ruled out for a clear shove on the Horsham ‘keeper, George
Bentley by Billy Medlock. A couple of Lewes players seemed to claim that the
ball had already crossed the line ahead of the infringement but, in fairness,
there were very few quarrels with the decision.
As the half wore on, Lewes started to see plenty of the ball, but despite getting into some dangerous positions, particularly down both flanks, they were unable to create much in the way of clear opportunities. In fact, I can’t remember Bentley being worked. That said, there was enough in their attacks to suggest that one-goal would probably not be enough for Horsham to win the game.
At the other end, despite having less possession, Horsham were certainly showing more of a clinical edge to their game, and looked the more threatening side. Jack Brivio almost doubled the lead with a long-distance strike that went just wide, before Kanye Diedrick-Roberts forced a good save from Stroomberg with another effort from range.
Just as it seemed that the hosts would go into the interval with a slender lead, came the moment of the match – a very early contender for goal of the year. There seemed little danger to the Lewes backline as Charlie Harris received the ball on the right, but his cross was met with a stunning, instinctive bicycle kick by Rob O’Toole to send the Horsham faithful wild. It really was some goal! It’s well worth checking out the highlights on YouTube just to see it.
Lewes came out for the start of the second half determined to get back into the game and forced a succession of early corners, all of which failed to create any problems for the well-drilled Horsham backline.
Then, from the Hornets’ very first corner of the half, the game was over. Horsham’s skipper Brivio was left totally unmarked in the area and he had the simple task of nodding home Harris’ accurate delivery.
With 40 minutes still left to play, the game was all but over. It was debatable whether Lewes had two goals in them; they certainly didn’t have three.
Horsham looked dangerous on the counter throughout the second half, and also had a few half chances to add to their lead, but it was clear to see that they were more than happy to take what they had and hold on for an ultimately comfortable three points.
Having now started two years in a row witnessing 3-0 defeats for Lewes I can wholeheartedly promise the Rooks’ faithful that I won’t herald the start of 2021 by choosing to watch one of their games!
Like the rest of us, I’m sure there will be some good times and bad times lying in wait for both these teams over the next 12 months. All we can do is hope the good times outweigh the bad.
Happy New Year everyone.
Enjoyed this blog post? Then you may be interested in reading my kindle book which recounts my 2018/19 groundhopping journey (take a look, it’s only 99p).
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