Owen Dean’s first-half double fired Farnham Town to an impressive 2-1 win at Horsham in the National League South.

James Hammond was on target for the hosts, but Dean’s double was enough to give the Town all three points in front of a crowd of 1,022 at the Fusion Aviation Community Stadium.

The hosts had the first clear-cut chance of the afternoon in the fifth minute when Reece Meekums slipped a pass through to Harvey Sparks, whose low effort hit the left-hand post.

The Hornets went close again two minutes later when Meekums let fly with a right-footed shot from just outside the D which was parried away to safety by Farnham keeper Michael Eacott.

The Town had a glorious chance to take the lead on ten minutes when Darryl Sanders slipped a perfectly-weighted pass through to Sam Evans, who didn't get enough power on his first-time effort to overly trouble Horsham keeper Sam Howes.

Horsham nearly went ahead a minute later when Hammond’s corner found Charlie Hester-Cook, who rose highest at the back post and nodded a header goalwards which Eacott did well to parry behind for a corner.

Farnham took the lead in the 15th minute after a well-worked corner routine. Sanders took the set piece short to Taylor, who played it back to Sanders, and Farnham’s number ten found Jack Spong on the edge of the box, whose powerful strike hit the underside of the crossbar twice before Dean nodded home on the goalline.

The Hornets had a huge chance to get back on level terms on 17 minutes. Ashley Nadesan flicked the ball on to Hester-Cook, who went on a surging run into the box and prodded the ball across goal to Jamie Yila, who fired his effort into the side netting from a tight angle.

Horsham went close again four minutes later when Hester-Cook was picked out at the back post and his header back across goal was well held by Eacott.

Farnham boss Paul Johnson made an enforced change in the 24th minute when midfielder Billy Clifford replaced the injured Tom Leggett, who was filling in at centre-back. Sam Hutchinson dropped back to centre-back, with Clifford playing in midfield.

The Hornets got back on level terms on 27 minutes when a corner was cleared to Hammond on the edge of the box, who fired a superb first-time right-footed volley into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

The hosts nearly went ahead four minutes later when Lee Harding cut in from the right and hit a curling left-footed shot which Eacott parried behind for a corner.

The Town produced a slick one-touch passing move in the 37th minute which ended with Dean slipping in Bobby-Joe Taylor, whose low left-footed effort was blocked by Howes at his near post.

Farnham won a free-kick in a dangerous position just outside the box two minutes later, and Taylor’s low effort went through the wall and was well held by Howes.

The Town regained the lead on 42 minutes when a swift breakaway ended with Taylor playing in Dean, who drove forward and confidently slotted his finish past Howes into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

Farnham won the ball off Ryan Bartley from the resulting kick-off and Dean drove forward and hit a reverse shot towards the near post which Howes superbly tipped behind for a corner.

The Town created the first clear-cut chance of the second half in the 54th minute when Taylor’s cross found Dean at the back post, who nodded back to Sanders, whose header hit the left-hand post.

The Hornets nearly got back on level terms four minutes later when Hester-Cook pinged a ball through to Yila, who spun sharply and fired his effort over the bar.

Johnson made a triple substitution on 61 minutes when Rakish Bingham, Trae Cook-Appiah and Erion Zabeli replacing Evans, Sanders and Hutchinson.

Horsham won a free-kick in a dangerous position just outside the box in the 68th minute, but Hammond's right-footed effort went comfortably over the bar.

Johnson made his fifth and final substitution of the afternoon on 78 minutes, with Mat Mackenzie making his return from injury and replacing Spong.

The Hornets nearly equalised in the 84th minute when Nadesan hung an inviting cross up to the back post to Yila, who headed over the bar.

Horsham went close again three minutes later when Nadesan slipped in Greg Luer to his right, whose low right-footed effort was well blocked by Eacott at his near post.

Four minutes of added time were indicated, and the Hornets nearly equalised when Howes went up for a corner and fired a right-footed volley goalwards which was blocked.

The Town held on to pick up their second win of the season and make it six points from their first five league games.

Next up for Farnham is a home game against Torquay United in the National League South on Monday, August 31 (3pm kick-off).