Eric Pudaloff became the third different goalkeeper to start a game in Horsham's pre-season campaign, and the first to play the full ninety minutes, and he was soon alerted to the threat of last season's second highest scorers in Ryman's division one as Tooting sent a couple of long range efforts wide. Horsham's first attack saw Taylor head Brake's enticing cross wide of the post when under pressure from the visitors' defence. Brake was looking like his old self, regularly tormenting the Terrors' defenders, but he let Alec MacLeod off the hook when he collected the defender's poor clearance and homed in on goal only to waste the opportunity by hitting his cross too close to the grateful David King who caught the ball with some ease. Frustratingly for Brake, he repeated the act just a minute later; the cross being swallowed up by King without being put under any pressure.

Andy Walker presented Taylor with a wonderful opportunity to open the scoring but King was out of his goal to cut down the angle and was equal to the striker's firmly struck shot.  At the other end, Paul Vines was looking menacing and, in a four minute spell of pressure, had three shots on goal forcing Pudaloff into making saves from two of them with the other just going wide of the far post.  The Hornets were still looking dangerous in their build up play and it came as little surprise when they took the lead in the nineteenth minute. Good play between John Westcott and Taylor released Brake who cut inside the fullback and unleashed a shot on goal that carried too much power for King.  Unfortunately, the defence fell asleep immediately after the goal and the lively Ronnie Green got in round the back of the defence and chipped the ball over the advancing Pudaloff into the bottom right corner, to hit an instant reply for the visitors.

End to end activity followed the goals, with the defences standing up to the bombardment and three or four goalbound attempts were blocked.  The referee held up proceedings for the familiar drinks break and Brake tested the keeper shortly after the restart before displaying his versatility in successfully defending a corner. His head was soon in use at the other end when a right wing build up involving Westcott, Ian Payne and Taylor found him at the back post but he directed his header wide when well placed.  A minute later and superb play out on the right saw Westcott mesmerising the fullback before sending in a left foot cross towards Brake at the far post. His knock down to Carl Rook was then laid square to the incoming Lee Carney who thundered in a shot that the 'keeper did well to get his hands to but couldn't prevent from reaching the net to put the Hornets 2-1 up in the 32nd minute.

From the kick off, Pudaloff was at full stretch to keep out a shot from Vines but  Horsham fans didn't have to wait too long for another goal and, again, it owed itself to some great build up play from Westcott. The former Eastbourne Borough winger beat his defender and whipped in a measured cross that found the unmarked Taylor who gave King no chance, crashing home a bullet header from eight yards. The Hornets' attacks were unrelenting and memories of last year's 6-1 blitz seemed to be spurring the lads on with thoughts of revenge. The inevitable fourth goal came shortly afterwards. Having won a corner on the right, Westcott's measured cross found Rook whose goalbound shot was scrambled off the line only to fall invitingly to Taylor who chipped it over King's dive and into the net to make it three goals in the space of six minutes. There was just time for a Dean Hamlin long range effort to fly narrowly past the post before referee Chris Salt blew to end a superb first half of attacking football.

The second half was delayed slightly to allow for an influx of Tooting substitutions to make their way onto the pitch and the visitors began the half the stronger with Pudaloff forced to punch clear a dangerous early cross before a misunderstanding between he and the Horsham skipper, Eddie French, saw the ball bundled hastily away for a corner. At the other end a cross-cum-shot by Brake saw King struggling to keep the ball out but this was one of only a few attacking moves the Hornets produced in the second half as they seemed content to sit on their first half lead and, but for some wayward shooting by Vines, Tooting might have got themselves back into the game.

Lee Saxby replaced Tom Graves after a hefty challenge had left the Horsham man concussed while James Cant replaced the tiring Ian Payne and Tooting took advantage of the relaxed substitution rule that accompanies such 'friendly' fixtures to reintroduce a number of players who had themselves been replaced earlier in the game with reserve 'keeper Sheikh Ceesay also given a run out for the final half hour.   A shot from Jason Pinnock went wide and Taylor's header just cleared the bar after good work by Cant but, although the Hornets created a few half chances, they were looking less likely to add to the first half scoreline. The unlucky Rook almost got a goal for his hard work but his chip cleared the crossbar as well as the 'keeper. Matt Geard and Andy Walker were replaced by Owen Botting and Kieron Johnson with thirteen minutes remaining but, within a minute, Tooting pulled a goal back when Vines at last found the net from the edge of the area. Hamlin was in the wars when attempting to clear from Rook and had to be led from the pitch, looking extremely dazed, to be replaced by Ronnie Green who was coming on for his third stint of the match. In the closing stages, a great through ball from Carney split the defence wide open for Westcott to pick up the ball before squaring it back for Rook but he couldn't apply the finishing touch on and the ball was cleared. There was just time for Craig Tanner to fire a long range effort wide before Mr Salt brought proceedings to an end of another entertaining match

Saturday sees Ryman League Division One (North) side Redbridge make their first ever visit to the Atspeed Stadium as the Hornets continue their pre-season preparations (kick-off 3pm).

Horsham: Eric Pudaloff, Ian Payne (Cant), Matt Geard (Botting), Eddie French, Tom Graves (Saxby), Andy Walker (Johnson), Lee Carney, John Westcott, Jamie Taylor, Carl Rook, Nigel Brake. Subs: Lee Saxby, James Cant, Owen Botting, Kieron Johnson, Gareth Williams

Tooting & Mitcham: David King (Ceesay), Alec McLeod (Pinnock), Craig Tanner, Dean Hamlin, Justin Bowen (Daniels), Aaron Day (Ellis), Jamie Findlay (Carroll), Vernon Francis, Ronnie Green, Paul Vines, Chris Head (Simpson). Subs: Jason Pinnock, Jake Daniel, Tommy Ellis, Sheikh Ceesay, Scott Simpson, Danny Carroll.

Goalscorers:

Horsham - Brake (19), Carney (32), Taylor (35,38)

Tooting & Mitcham - Green (20), Vines (78)

Attendance: 127