Haywards Heath Town 'well beaten' by 'unplayable' Horsham in Bostik South East play-off semi-final

Omar Folkes (left) in action for Haywards Heath Town against Ashford Town on Saturday. Picture by Grahame Lehkyj

Shaun Saunders admitted that Haywards Heath Town were ‘well beaten’ in their 3-0 Bostik South East play-off semi-final defeat by an ‘unplayable’ Horsham at Lancing on Monday evening.

Goals from Lee Harding, Rob O’Toole and Tyrell Richardson-Brown completed a fairly routine win for the Hornets as the Hanbury Park-outfits’ play-off journey ended at the first hurdle.

The opportunity to go up via the play-offs had already been taken away from the Blues before the game due to Heath having one of the five lowest points-per-game totals across Step 4.

But Saunders’ side can look back at a remarkable debut campaign in the Bostik League, finishing fifth having been promoted last season.

Saunders said: “I’m disappointed. No one likes losing but it is what it is.

“Horsham were unplayable for most of the game. They were on another level and they were worthy winners.

“Sometimes you lose and you think how did we lose that? But sometimes you’ve got to hold your hands up and say we were well beaten.

“I think we’re all honest enough to say that we were well beaten on the night.”

The Blues had completed the league double over Horsham this season so another well-contested game was on the cards.

It was wholesale changes for Heath, who rested a large number of their squad in their final-day 5-0 defeat to Ashford United which confined them to fifth-place. They even played Trevor McCreadie in goal on Saturday with Anthony Ender playing for division-below Chichester.

It was, however, a far more familiar Heath side at Culver Road with just Tom Graves and Alex Laing keeping their places as they made nine changes.