Claude Seanla's 14th goal of the season wasn't enough to save the Hornets from a second defeat in 48 hours as Tooting left Horsham unbeaten for the 6th successive visit, thanks to a brace of goals from Paul Vines. The Frenchman's impressive volley, on the stroke of half-time, gave the Hornets hope of a second half recovery but they were unable to force another goal against a resolute Tooting defence in which Tom Graves impressed against the club for whom he had made more than 200 appearances.

It was an afternoon to forget for young goalkeeper Josh Pelling, against the side that provided the opposition for his Hornets debut in November, when his error gifted the Terrors a second minute lead and he almost suffered further embarrassment when his weak clearance was seized upon by Simon Parker who should have done better than to shoot wide of the target during a first half in which little went right for John Maggs' side.

Having seen his side crash to a dismal defeat at rock bottom Waltham Abbey on Thursday, Maggs shuffled his pack by abandoning his 3 pronged attack and pulling Ben Andrews in to the heart of the defence, handing Chris Riley his home debut at full-back and pushing Anthony Acheampong in to the centre of midfield. Mark Knee was pushed in to a more advanced role down the left, in the continued absence of Alex Haddow, while Sam Tucknott kept his place on the opposite flank at the expense of Tony Nwachukwu.

Tuesday's 2-1 success over Bognor Regis saw the Hornets top the division's 'home' form guide while Tooting's excellent away record suggested that the 323 supporters in attendance at a wonderfully sunny, yet cold, Goring's Mead were in for an intriguing contest and it was the hosts who were immediately on the back foot, falling behind in the game's first attack. When Jason Henry received the ball down the right, deep inside the Horsham half, he appeared to be in an offside position but he made the most of his luck by cutting inside Riley and firing in a shot that looked set to provide Pelling with a comfortable early touch. But, whether it was the much maligned pitch or just a case of the young 'keeper being 'caught cold' the Brighton & Hove Albion loanee somehow allowed the harmless strike to squirm from his grasp allowing Vines to ghost in at the far post to slot the ball home from close range. 

It was the worst possible start for the Hornets but they came close to levelling things up after nine minutes when good approach play from Seanla saw him exchange passes with Harding on the edge of the Tooting penalty box before slotting an exquisite pass behind the full-back for Tucknott  to lift the ball over goalkeeper Dave King, only to watch helplessly as Matt York raced back to clear the ball from on the goal-line. The Terrors were appealing for a penalty, four minutes later, when Andrews failed to cut out Allan McLeod's long pass and Parker drove on in to the penalty area before pulling the ball back for Henry who was bundled off the ball by Steve Sargent under the nose of referee Crouch who deemed the challenge a fair one, to the dismay of the visiting 'Bog Enders' behind the goal. 

McLeod was at the heart of most of Tooting's best moves and another fine diagonal pass picked out the overlapping Dean Hamlin but the full-back's shot was wildly inaccurate and threatened the parked cars more than Pelling's goal. The pacy Tucknott was enjoying some success down the right flank and, after hurdling one over exuberant challenge, he was felled by a second to give Knee the chance to float in a dangerous free-kick that was headed just over by Sam Page before Hamlin had his name taken for persistent dissent, much to captain Joe Vines' chagrin.

Sargent's afternoon lasted less than half an hour when he was replaced by Steve Davies, having been left struggling after an earlier challenge, but before the substitute could make his mark he could only watch on when Jack Page's ineffective clearance was seized upon by McLeod whose weak shot was deflected behind and York headed the resulting corner straight at Pelling. Davies' first contribution almost led to an equaliser when his 35th minute free-kick was nodded down by Andrews and Acheampong brought a brave save from King from point blank range. Riley returned the ball in to the box and Acheampong touched it off to Knee who couldn't keep his first time volley down, sending it in to the safety netting above the goal.

Moments later came Pelling's second aberration of the afternoon when he fielded Sam Page's backpass only to get caught out by Parker when attempting a return pass and he no doubt breathed a heavy sigh of relief when the Tooting forward could only shoot wastefully across the face of goal to give Horsham a huge let-off. To the goalkeeper's credit, he maintained his concentration and was smartly off his line to deny Parker, straight after, when he looked to make the most of Paul Vines' forward pass.

Pelling wasn't quite so fortunate in Tooting's next attack, 2 minutes from half-time, when Paul Vines outpaced Sam Page in a race for a long ball over the top and supplied a cool finish across the 'keeper and in to the bottom corner of the net to double the visitors' advantage. Game over, or so the home faithful suggested as they contemplated something stronger than a half-time cuppa, but Seanla had other ideas. With the game entering injury time, Mitchell Nelson was booked for a foul on Tucknott on the edge of the area and, when Riley returned Knee's cleared free-kick in to the danger zone, it was headed down by Andrews for Seanla to swivel and send a superb volley in to the net for his first goal since mid January to give the fans renewed belief for another second hand revival from their side.

H/T Horsham 1 Tooting & Mitcham United 2

A hamstring injury left Tucknott in the dressing room after the interval, with Nwachukwu sent on in his place, while the Terrors were unchanged for the restart and they soon mounted a dangerous attack when Paul Vines controlled another long ball out of defence, turning it in to the path of Henry but Pelling produced a decent save, turning the low shot behind for a corner.

Sloppy defending by the visitors saw Knee tee up Harding for a first time effort that was clawed away by King at full-stretch and he was able to dive on the loose ball, just ahead of Nwachukwu, as the Hornets went in search of an equalising goal. A corner almost led to Vines claiming his hat-trick but his clever back heel failed to beat Pelling, who got down smartly to prevent the ball from crossing the line, and the pressure continued on the Horsham goal when Parker easily broke away from Jack Page's mistimed tackle but was magnificently held up by Riley who was able to shepherd the ball back to Pelling.

Sam Page's stinging volley might have restored parity on 62 minutes had it not hit Acheampong squarely in the chest from close range, following a Mark Knee free-kick, but the Hornets were nearly caught out by another long ball when Paul Vines held the ball up for Henry to fire in a shot that Pelling blocked, and gathered up at the second attempt.

On a pitch that looked infinitely superior to Tuesday night, sparkling football was still in short supply from either side and the match was becoming one of huff and puff more than grace and skill. Knee's fine cross was well taken down by Harding and when his shot was blocked by Nelson, the ball was casually given away to Nwachukwu whose strike was deflected behind.

Horsham continued to apply the pressure to the Tooting goal in the final stages and they twice came close to an equaliser when, first, Jack Page's long throw caused problems for the Terrors' defence and Seanla's good control and lay off resulted in Acheampong digging out a strike on goal that was well held by King and the final scare for the visitors came, as it had in the first half, in time added on when King dropped Knee's corner but Seanla could only scoop the ball over the top.

NEXT MATCH: v Sutton United (a) Tuesday 9th March ko 7.45pm