Leaders Horsham get ‘just rewards’ in dramatic win at Potters Bar Town

The game, played on a sodden surface, looked to be heading for a draw until the Hornets’ Lea Dawson rifled home with four minutes to go.

Lee Harding struck with a minute remaining to maintain Horsham’s one point lead over second-placed Folkestone Invicta.

The 2-0 win also saw Horsham record their seventh clean sheet in the Premier Division - the highest number in the league this season.

Di Paola said: “Hats off to the boys. It’s brilliant to win the game like that and in the way that we did.

“The boys never gave up and they kept fighting. We got our just rewards.

“Potters Bar will feel harshly done by because it was a tight game and in the second half they came into it a little bit.

“But sometimes you have to battle and fight for a result.

“There wasn’t a huge amount of quality on show but at the end a little bit of quality won us the game.

“You get out what you put in football and that’s what we got on Saturday.

“We gave absolutely everything in the game and we got a result.”

Jack Brivio’s free header, also from a corner, on the stroke of half-time went straight at Scholars keeper R’avan Constable.

The hosts had the first chance of the second half. Brad Smith’s piledriver was spilled by George Bentley but the young keeper recovered.

Harding had a header tipped over by Constable before Bentley made a string of superb saves to keep the game level.

Horsham have snatched victory at the death on numerous occasions this season and Saturday saw this remarkable trend continue.

With just four minutes to go Dawson drilled home the rebound from his own blocked shot to give the Hornets a late lead.

And three minutes later, a mazy run from Harding was completed with an ice-cold finish to send the three points back to Sussex.

Horsham: Bentley, Metcalf, Sparks, Brivio, Shelley, Mills, O’Toole, Dawson, Smith (Harris 57), O’Sullivan (Pamment 46), Harding (Kelly 90). Unused: Merchant, Miles.