Horsham will have to settle for the first division play-offs after their last hope of automatic promotion disappeared with a 4-1 home defeat by Walton and Hersham.

The turning point came just before half-time when Hornets, already 1-0 down to a Paul Harkness goal, had goalkeeper Luke Burton sent off for bringing down Wes Goggin who was clean through.

Substitute goalkeeper Mark Fox was unable to prevent Mark Nwokeji from making it 2-0 and the visitors twice caught Horsham on the break through Harkness and Chris Morrison before Jamie Taylor's late consolation. Walton's win means they join AFC Wimbledon in the premier division.

Horsham's assistant manager Tommy Warrilow said: "We had to win the game so even when we went down to ten men we sacrificed a defender, Eddie French, and tried to keep attacking."

Burgess Hill's slim hopes of making the play-offs are over after they went down 3-0 at Molesey. It was a tired-looking performance by the visitors although Steve Harper missed two good chances to add to his 32 goals for the season.

Hillians' coach Darin Kilpartrick said: "We looked mentally and physically tired and could have been playing all day and not scored."

Hastings United lost 2-1 at play-off chasers Cray Wanderers.

The home side capitalised on United's fallibility at set pieces to take a 2-0 lead inside 22 minutes thanks to two goals from Jamie Kempster. Sean Ray got United's consolation in injury time from the penalty spot.