Jamie Yila’s late goal secured a 1-0 victory for Horsham in a closely contested Southern League Premier Division South match against Walton & Hersham on Saturday.

The match, held at Horsham’s home ground, saw the Hornets dominate possession but struggle to convert their advantage into clear scoring opportunities. Walton & Hersham, meanwhile, set up a resilient defensive display that limited Horsham’s offensive threats throughout the game.

Horsham made a late change to their lineup before kickoff, while an injury to midfielder Ronan Silva added to the challenges for the hosts during the match. Despite controlling much of the play, Horsham found it difficult to test Walton’s goalkeeper, Dillon Addai, who was rarely forced into serious saves. The closest attempts included a corner that led to Addai fumbling the ball briefly and a first-time volley from Charlie Hester Cook that flew narrowly over the crossbar.

Walton & Hersham remained disciplined at the back and successfully blocked multiple efforts from Horsham forwards Sam German and Charlie Wiggett. The visitors also almost capitalized early when a mistake by Horsham’s goalkeeper Sam Howes nearly allowed Walton to take the lead.

The game’s decisive moment came late when Jamie Yila managed to bundle the ball over the line at the near post, breaking the deadlock and securing Horsham’s second league victory in their last three outings.

Following the goal, Walton pushed forward and created a few chances of their own. A header by Josh Ayres briefly threatened to equalize, deceiving Howes before going wide. Additionally, a powerful long-range shot from Brown forced Horsham’s defense to remain alert. However, the Hornets’ back four remained solid, preserving the clean sheet and ultimately the win.

The final result underscored Horsham’s ability to grind out results even on days when their attacking play lacked sharpness, while Walton & Hersham demonstrated resilience but were unable to convert their defensive efforts into points.