Horsham scored their first goals in 4 attempts against Tommy Warrilow’s Tonbridge Angels but had to settle for a point from an exciting encounter at Longmead Stadium after Carl Rook’s 90th minute header gave each side a share of the spoils. The Hornets trailed to a 12th minute strike from former Lewes striker Paul Booth and struggled to impose themselves on the game until the latter stages of the first half when Claude Seanla, Jack Lyons and Alex Haddow each spurned chances to equalise. But the visitors maintained their momentum after the break and drew level on 77 minutes when Claude Seanla scored from the spot, after being felled inside the penalty area, and the points looked to be heading back to Horsham when Lee Carney added a second, 2 minutes later. But it was the former Queen Street favourite who had the final say, Rook scoring his first of the season with a far post header, to leave John Maggs' side crestfallen.

I really felt for the lads," revealed Maggs. "They were distraught after the game. We were under the cosh for the first 30-35 minutes but then we started to play and we've run them ragged in the second half. Even Tommy (Warrilow) said we were the better team." The performance was a far cry from last season when the Hornets were thumped 4-0 by a rampant Angels side who would go on to reach the play-off semi-finals and Maggs was quick to give praise to his strikers, Seanla and Ben Andrews. "Claude was awesome. I'm not sure what he's done during the summer but he's come back a new man. He chased everything tonight, looked very dangerous up top and he wasn't letting anyone else take that penalty ! He's so full of confidence at the moment and Ben was an absolute giant out there. He won everything in the air and was a real handful for them. Make no mistake, he is going to be a very good signing for us."

Horsham went in to this game showing just the one change to Saturday's starting line-up, with Jack Lyons making his first start for the club in place of the injured Gary Charman, while teenagers Tony Nwachukwu and Danny Mobsby were among  the substitutes. The game started well for the visitors who displayed some slick passing moves during the opening five minutes yet without really troubling Angels ‘keeper Lee Worgan. Lyons had a shot blocked before Tonbridge's Lee Minshull reminded Hornets fans of his indiscretions while with former club Ramsgate last season with a harsh challenge on Lee Carney that lead to the game's first booking inside the opening 10 minutes.

It was end to end stuff once the opposing sides had ‘worked each other out’ and a well won corner from Tonbridge resulted in Jack Page clearing a shot off the line from the influential Rook, shortly after a fine save from Rob Tolfrey. This in turn led to a counter attack Horsham’s way, Seanla latching onto a quick pass down the right and winning a corner. The ball was cleared as far as Angels right-back Hamilton who played a long ball on to Steve Ferguson who quickly released Booth. Faced with a one-on-one situation with Tolfrey, Booth unleashed a fierce shot from 12 yards out which rocketed in off the underside of the bar.

The goal seemed to calm the game down a little, for the next 10 minutes at least! Seanla, arguably Horsham's best player on the night, was creating a few openings but his crosses were comfortably collected by the Tonbridge ‘keeper and his attempt to carve a shot from a long ball was interrupted by referee Lee Venamore adjudging the Ivorian to have backed into Scott Gooding.

A more clear cut chance was to come Seanla's way in the 26th minute., Jack Page making a defensive clearance and a long ball over the top saw the striker play the ball over two Tonbridge players just past the half way line. However, when faced with the one-on-one with Worgan, he was unable to replicate Booth from earlier and his shot was parried off the goalkeeper's legs for a corner.

This seemed to reawaken Tonbridge once again, and they hit back with another strong counter attack from the resulting corner, ultimately ending with Ferguson attempting an audacious volley from 30 yards that saw the ball drop just over the bar.

More scares were to come for the Hornets just two minutes later when they failed to deal with another corner but found themselves lucky to be on the right side of a foul on Sam Page. The Angels’ fans felt hard done by by the referee as the next touch ended up in the Horsham net. More pressure was piled on and another dangerous ball into the box, this time from a long throw, saw Booth head the ball just wide.

It was now Horsham’s fans turn to feel wronged when it appeared a two-footed challenge by Anthony Storey had taken out the influential Seanla on the edge of the box. A free kick was given but no booking, much to the disappointment of the travelling Horsham contingent. The resulting free kick came to nothing and instigated yet another impressive counter attack, this time Tolfrey collecting a Tonbridge cross comfortably.

Alex Haddow was proving invaluable once again on the Horsham left flank, intercepting a pass in the middle of the park and making a strong run down the by-line. His cross was controlled well by Seanla whose volley was blocked in the ‘D’ of the box.

Haddow had a chance of his own before the break, this time Seanla being the provider with a defence splitting through ball which Haddow could only manage to get his toe on, the shot bobbling agonisingly wide of the post. Ben Andrews had the last attempt of the half, although was unable to get his shot away after the ball was played over the top to him, and with his back to goal, opted to bring the ball down on his chest instead of choosing to turn and volley.

H/T Tonbridge Angels 1-0 Horsham

Horsham started well after the break, and if Tonbridge had had the better of the first half, the second belonged to the Hornets. Almost straight from kick off, Haddow began a move from the left flank and a series of slick one touch passes between him, Carney and Russell Eldridge saw the ball come back to Haddow on the goal line. However his pass across goal was cut out and cleared away.

Several minutes later, a Horsham throw in bounced into the middle of the park and Carney came running in like a steam train but his volley was well wide of the target. Maggs made a change midway through the second half, bringing on Pat Harding for the out of position Lyons, and Tonbridge responded by sending on Jon Heath for Jamie Cade.

The substitutes seemed to change the game and it was Tonbridge who threatened first, another dangerous ball into the box seemed destined to result in a certain goal until Mark Knee spared the visitors' blushes with a scrambled goal line clearance. Horsham composed themselves, and after a long Eldridge shot going well over the bar, the best drama was to come in the next 15 minutes…

Seanla was released and appeared to be one-on-one with ‘keeper Lee Worgan but was tripped just inside the box by Tom Bryant giving Horsham the lifeline of a penalty kick. Mr Venamore looked to have taken exception to comments made by Hamilton and dismissed the Tonbridge man but Seanla kept his cool and, after the chaos that ensued, calmly stepped up and placed his spot kick to the ‘keeper's right to level the scores.

The drama wasn’t over yet. Just two minutes later, more slick passing from Horsham saw the ball fall to the feet of Carney who made a darting run into the box. A quick look up from the midfielder and he picked his spot, slotting the ball home into the bottom right hand corner of the net. Cue mad celebrations from the Horsham faithful behind the goal!

Horsham still had chances to increase their lead and, with Worgan increasingly coming further and further out his goal, Andrews nearly capitalised with a cheeky attempted lob from 35 yards but the ball bounced just past the post. Another quick passing move could’ve seen Seanla claim his brace but his quick swivel on the spot and poke with his left foot bounced back off the post.

Tonbridge pressed for their equaliser and a free kick attempt on the edge of the penalty box just cleared the crossbar. More end to end stuff followed, this time Harding trying to get in on the action when another Haddow cross was chested down by the former Eastbourne man but his left foot volley lacked any real power and was easily collected by Worgan.

Horsham were punished in injury time when balls into the box, which the Yellows seemed to have struggled with all evening, became their undoing once again as the ball scrambled around the penalty box and Rook was in the right place at the right time to head the ball home at the far post for his first goal of the season.

An entertaining game, and one that would’ve been well received by any ‘neutral’ watching the match!

NEXT MATCH: v Canvey Island (h) Saturday 29th August ko 3pm