On Saturday we return to National League South action as we welcome Horsham to the Yeomans Community Stadium for the first time since since an Isthmian league meeting in 2010 when the Angels won 2-0 with goals from Sherwin Stanley and a Frannie Collin penalty.

Horsham will be very encouraged with their start to their first season in National League South after promotion. They currently sit 13th in the table, level on points with the Angels having played one more game.

Their form on the road has been very respectable having won at Maidstone United and taken creditable points from Chesham United, Dover Athletic and held league leaders Hornchurch to a goalless draw. At home they have beaten full-time clubs Torquay United and Eastbourne Borough.

Horsham earned their place in step two courtesy of a dramatic Isthmian league title race last season, having not been top until after the 42nd and final game of the season. They secured the title thanks to a last gasp final day victory. They started the day level on points with leaders Billericay Town, who beat Cheshunt, but with Horsham beating Hashtag United 5-1, Horsham took the title by a single goal.  

In 2008 Horsham sold their Queen Street ground, which had been their home for over 100 years, and this led a nomadic existence, sharing at Worthing, neighbours Horsham YMCA and the Sussex HQ in Lancing before eventually completing work on a community stadium off Worthing Road in 2019. The Hop Oast Stadium (Fusion Aviation Community Stadium) will be the second of two new grounds for Tonbridge Angels when we travel there in March. In 2020, the stadium was named Best New Non-League Ground by Groundtastic magazine.

Tonbridge Angels are still the subject of Horsham's record transfer fee received, when Carl Rook moved between the clubs in December 2008.

Dominic di Paola was appointed manager in 2015, after a brief spell with Hastings United, and took Horsham out of the Sussex County League at the first attempt and in 2019 won promotion from Isthmian South East following a play-off win over Ashford United. They finished seventh and fifth in the Isthmian Premier in the two seasons prior to their promotion. His coaches are Jimmy Punter, and a man we've had a fair few battles with down the years, Sami El-Abd.

On the playing side, Horsham have three former Tonbridge players, but you have to have fairly long memories as two were Tommy Warrilow signings and one was a former Tonbridge youth player who Steve McKimm gave his first team debut. The two Warrilow players are goalkeeper Lewis Carey and Shamir Fenelon (then Goodwin). The other is midfielder Jack Brivio.

Lewis Carey, is in his second season at the club having joined from Lewes. His other clubs include Bristol City, Bromley, Eastbourne Borough and Thamesmead Town. Harvey Sparks is a twice player-of-the year who joined from Bognor Regis Town in 2018. He is the longest serving player in the Horsham squad and was in Worthing's Isthmian South East promotion side of 2016 as was Danny Barker who moved to Horsham in 2023.

Reece Meekums is another player who joined from Worthing having started his career at Brighton and Hove Albion before playing for Bromley in the National League. Shamir Fenelon had a loan spell at Tonbridge from Brighton and Hove Albion in 2013. Since then he has gone on to play in the EFL for Torquay United, Rochdale, Tranmere Rovers, Dagenham and Redbridge and Crawley Town and has played for the Republic of Ireland Under-21’s. He is Horsham’s current top scorer this season with four goals.

Greg Luer joined in January from Whitehawk. He had a spell in the Premier League with Hull City before joining Maidstone United, Woking and Eastbourne Borough. Leone Gravata has also played at Eastbourne as well as Chippenham Town and is on loan from York City.

Admission prices for Saturday’s game are: Adults £18; Concessions £15; Youths £8 and Under-12’s free with accompanying adult with tickets available HERE 

Gates open at 1 pm with the Sports Bar and Marquee Bar open from the outset with the special offer of Carling at £4.50 a pint, or two pints for £8. The Tea Hut serving burgers, hot dogs, butties, hot and cold drinks and Fries Like An Angel, serving all your favourite loaded chips are also open from 1 pm. The Pie Shack opens from 1.30 pm. After the game, the Marquee will be open with Happy Hour from 5-6 pm, when all draught lager and cider will be on offer at £1 a pint off.

The staff and players will be in attendance and, at 6 o’clock, there will be the Player of the Match presentation.

Enjoy the game!