Horsham boss Di Paola aims to reflect and refine after defeat to Bognor

The manager felt their performance in the 2-0 defeat at Nyewood Lane was their worst in recent weeks – and possibly their worst of the season.

Despite that, they had chances to claim a point or even three and it was only deep into stoppage time they conceded the second.

Di Paola said they’d need up their levels for a tough-looking run of three games to come: away to in-form Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday, at home to Whitehawk on New Year’s Day then away to leaders Hornchurch the following Saturday.

"I thought we were poor at Bognor – it was the worst we have played for a while,” he said.

"We’ve had a good run in derbies and Boxing Day games so maybe we were due one that wasn’t so good, but it showed that if you’re not completely up for a derby game, you won’t win it.

"We didn’t do enough to deserve anything out of the game – although had their centre-half (Craig Robson) been given a second booking fairly late on, as he should have been, it could have been different.

"We created four good chances and should have taken two but our attacking play has been poor lately and we’re not scoring enough.

"We need to be more potent, we need to be more of a threat.

"We need to reflect on where we are and why we weren’t at it at Bognor, and we need to refine what we’re doing – not by bringing any more players, I don’t want to do that, but in order to get the best out of the squad. Maybe we can start to rotate the line-up less.

"That was our first league defeat for a while in a hectic period of games but we have a tough run coming up now.

"We can’t rely on talent alone, which I think sometimes we have. We need to dig in as well. The players need to take responsibility too, as there’s only so much I can do on the sidelines ranting and raving.

"We need to create more chances and score more of those that we do create.”

Despite the loss at Bognor, the Hornets remain only three points off the play-off spots.

Meanwhile Horsham have been tipped to reach the Isthmian premier play-offs – by the manager whose team ruined their Christmas.

Bognor Regis Town boss Robbie Blake watched his side beat the Hornets 2-0 at Nyewood Lane on Boxing Day – then spoke highly about the outfit his troops had overcome.

Blake, the former Burnley, Leeds and Bradford striker, said: “It was a tough game against a very good team.

"Dom Di Paola and Jon Meeney have got them playing very well. In my opinion, irrespective of this result, they’ll be in the top five come the end of the season. It was a nice game for us to win.

"We emphasised to the players that it was a derby game at home and we wanted to get on the front foot.

"The opposition made it difficult but we managed to weather a bit of a storm at the end and then hit them on the break to score and give us that two-goal cushion. To get that cushion right at the end was massive for us.

“They’re a good team – and we can be a good team but we’ve had too many inconsistencies.

"We needed our goalkeeper to be on his game, he made three or four very good saves. The back four defended very well nd you need to play well when you’re playing Horsham. It was a good end-to-end, open game – no-one was trying to play for a draw.”

“We’re pleased to get the three points against Horsham. They’re a good team but we’re more than a match for them.”

"If you look at Horsham’s results they do it consistently. They’re difficult to beat and don’t give away a lot.”