Lowestoft recorded their biggest league win of the season to move back up into second place in the Ryman League Premier Division.

With Lee McGlone suspended Danny Bloomfield was restored to the starting line up to form a diminutive strike force with Jamie Forshaw. Andy Reynolds returned in goal.

In a surprisingly open game there was little to choose between the two sides in the opening minutes. A fast flowing move for the Blues saw Joe Francis and Jamie Forshaw combine to release Adrian Forbes down the right and from his driven cross Francis stretched to stab the ball just wide of the upright. Horsham too threatened from a cross by Jack Page hit on the turn by Gary Charman but flashed just wide of the target.

The breakthrough came in the 20th minute. There seemed little danger as the ball dropped to Adrian Forbes some 35 yards from goal. Seeing keeper Mark Zawadski off his line Forbes hit a spectacular volley which soared over the head of the stranded keeper and dipped under the bar.

Boosted by the goal Lowestoft continued to press and doubled their lead on the half hour mark. Anthony Storey slipped on the greasy turf and lost control of the ball. Danny Bloomfield pounced to nick the ball and race clear to place the ball past Zawadski into the net.

Lowestoft were producing some excellent passing football and the ball was played smartly between Joe Francis, Adam Smith, Andrew Cave-Brown and Adrian Forbes who teed up a shooting chance for Jamie Forshaw who was denied by an excellent diving save by Zawadski.

Horsham were awarded a free kick 25 yards out but Anthony Storey's free kick took a deflection off the defensive wall over the bar.

Horsham's resistance was broken when Lowestoft added their third goal in the 35th minute. Curtis Haynes-Brown's rampaging run down the left saw him send in a low cross which Zawadski allowed to slip through his hands to a grateful Joe Francis to knock into the net.

Horsham were left to rue their luck in the final minute of the half as Steve Davies' excellent header from Jack Page's cross looped onto the roof of the net.

Any hopes of a Horsham fightback in the second half were dashed within seconds of the restart as Stuart Ainsley received the ball 30 yards out and threaded his way past three defenders before shooting past the keeper from 12 yards.

With the game won Lowestoft comfortably dealt with anything that Horsham could throw at them whilst producing some controlled football. With the game entering the closing minutes Danny Bloomfield was played through and rounded the keeper only to see his shot from a narrow angle hit the post. 17-year-old substitute Joe Clark was near to getting on the scoresheet turning his man 10 yards out but seeing his shot just clear the far post.

• LOWESTOFT TOWN: Reynolds, Cave-Brown (Sub Halliday 53), Smith, S Mitchell, Crane, Haynes-Brown, Forbes (Sub Godbold 53), Ainsley, Bloomfield, Forshaw, Francis (Sub Clark 71), Subs (not used) Gaughran, Cockrill.

• HORSHAM: Zawadski, Page, M Mitchell, Andrews, Kennett, Storey, Woodford (Sub Knowles 79), Harding, Knee, Davies, Charman, Subs (not used) Payne, King, Clack, Frankland.

• Attendance: 683