Unknown but included:
1.Chris May
2.
3.
4.Jason Barton
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.Marcus Elliott
10.Tommy Brown
11.
Subs:
unknown

Goalscorers:
Elliott

1.Rob Tolfrey
2.Jack Page (Davies,45)
3.Russell Eldridge
4.Anthony Acheampong
5.Sam Page
6.Lee Carney (Nicholls,75)
7.Jack Lyons
8.Scott Harris
9.Ben Andrews
10.Pat Harding
11.Adam Hutchings (Nwachukwu,30)
Subs:
12.James Nicholls
14.George Magnus
15.Mark Hawthorne
16.Steve Davies
17.Tony Nwachukwu
18.Rob Frankland

Goalscorers:
Harding 2

Reporter: Ben Tennant
Photographs: John Lines

The Hornets made hard work of this second win in three pre-season fixtures, coming back from a goal behind to beat county leaguers Redhill 2-1 with a late brace from Pat Harding at Kiln Brow. Horsham looked to be crashing to their second defeat to lower ranked opposition in a week when Marcus Elliot was allowed to tap into an empty net but Harding and Russell Eldridge combined twice late in the game to spare their blushes.

Claude Seanla was unavailable after his midweek hat-trick so Ben Andrews took over up front. After impressing against Shoreham, Adam Hutchings was awarded a place in the starting eleven with Gary Charman also unavailable. Mark Knee had hamstring trouble which allowed Jack page to continue his comeback from injury with his first start of this calendar year at full-back.

The sun was shining down on Kiln Brow as the Hornets looked to continue their good form from Thursday night but it was Redhill who enjoyed the early chances and Jason Barton’s free kick sailed narrowly wide of Rob Tolfrey’s near post. The referee continued to award Redhill free kicks on the edge of the box and the next was rifled low towards goal which saw Tolfrey fall to his knees and smother the ball to safety. Horsham were then able to craft together a smart team move that started with Lee Carney stealing possession from the opposition and passing forward to Andrews whose perfectly timed pass found Jack Lyons (above) onside and through on goal. He chipped the ball over the advancing 'keeper but unfortunately the ball beat the crossbar as well. From the next attack, Carney was this time at the end of a fine team move but his low shot was pushed wide by goalkeeper Chris May.

The long grass did Horsham no favours when a pass back was cut short and confusion between Tolfrey and Sam Page saw an unusual mistake from Horsham's number one as he missed his kick and allowed Elliot through on goal and he was able to tap into an empty net to give the hosts the lead and they nearly extended their advantage before half time but a shot curled narrowly wide.

H/T Redhill 1 – 0 Horsham

The Hornets got the second half underway, determined to prove that their good form in the game against Shoreham was not just a “one off”. Eldridge began to cause a lot of trouble with his inswinging free kicks and his first of the half found Andrews who rose well but headed wide. Elliot looked determined to collect his brace as he fought hard against Anthony Acheampong, and he eventually won the battle to square the ball across the box but Scott Harris was on the line to collect the ball and smash it to safety.

The visitors conjured up an equaliser when Eldridge found space on the left hand side and crossed the ball low across the box where the unmarked Harding opened his body and produced a superb volley with the side of his right boot to guide the ball in the far corner. With the sides back on level terms, Lyons’ shot from the edge of the box attempted to put Horsham into the lead but it was straight at the keeper who was able to catch the ball comfortably. Tony Nwachukwu’s shot was then charged down by May after the ball found its way through a crowded box from another Eldridge free kick.

Steve Davies then ran at the retreating Redhill defence and tried his luck from 30 yards but he fired narrowly wide of the far post with the 'keeper stretching across his goal to make sure. Horsham’s next move proved successful when an Eldridge corner worked its way through a number of bodies towards an unmarked Harding (right) who thumped the ball in from close range to collect his brace.

The absence of Charman and Seanla really told on the Hornets as they struggled in the final third against their hard-working hosts and John Maggs will hope for their return in midweek as the Hornets prepare to take on Horley in their fourth preseason fixture in ten days.

NEXT MATCH: v Horley Town (a) Tuesday 28th July ko 7.45pm