Chi came into the game on the back of a 3-2 win away at Canvey Island in the league last time out against Sussex opponents who were knocked out of the FA Cup in the first round at the weekend away to Chesterfield.
There was just the one change to Miles Rutherford’s starting XI that lined up away in Essex with Lloyd Rowlatt coming back in for Curtis Da Costa.
The Hornets began brightly and Chi captain Rob Hutchings, playing his last game before a three-match suspension, was forced to clear in a composed fashion in the first minute.
Then Lee Harding crossed and Harvey Sparks’ shot got deflected for an early Horsham corner which Harding whipped over and Wild headed clear.
Next, Hutchings headed the ball calmly back to keeper Kieran Magee and Ethan Prichard won a corner at the other end that Hutchings took and Ben Pashley turned out for a goal kick.
Prichard linked up with Mo Jammeh in the following Chi attack but his effort didn’t trouble No1 Lewis Carey before Harding was flagged offside as the visitors probed.
Horsham then lost James Hammond whose penalty put Horsham 1-0 up against Chichester in the County Cup a month ago on 14 minutes and he was replaced by Charlie Hester-Cook.
The substitute bought a foul 60 seconds later before Pashley was well in on Shamir Fenelon to tidy up.
Isaac Bello was adjudged to have hand-balled and Sparks took the resulting free kick which Pashley headed away for another Horsham corner that was cleared easily enough.
Joel Daly then combined with Hester-Cook for a delivery but Magee got a touch and Joe Moore almost played Wild in but the away side intercepted.
Hester-Cook pressed and Rowlatt was forced to concede a corner.
Hutchings got done by Harding but eventually won a goal kick and Pashley cleared a Lucas Rodrigues cross.
The Chi skipper swept away as the Hornets pressed once more and the visitors won a set piece after Wild’s foul when Rowlatt tried to hook up with him.
Next, Isaac Philpot cut out a Rowlatt pass and Magee gave the ball away but Chi tidied up.
Decent one-touch stuff ended in a poor Emmett Dunn ball and Fenelon was caught offside after Wild over-played.
Ryan Davidson, starting at centre back this time, cleared a Fenelon cross for a Horsham throw and Harding earned a free-kick which Hester-Cook took.
This came to nothing before Moore lost the ball and Harding shot well-wide.
Chris Dickson, who netted Horsham’s consolation goal in the FA Cup against Chesterfield and scored the winner late on at home to Chi earlier this season in the league, came on at half time for Fenelon.
Daniel Ajakaiye did Davidson but Pashley was on hand for Chi once again and Hutchings and Bello combined for a shot which was diverted by Carey for a corner.
Hutchings delivered this and Prichard had a go.
This got cleared and another fizzed over the woodwork.
Dickson was then bundled over by Dunn and Ajakaiye pulled a save out of Magee with his feet.
Dunn and Wild combined on 52 but Philpot steered the loose ball out for a throw.
Bello launched this long unsurprisingly and then Hutchings, Wild and Prichard combined but Horsham earned a goal kick.
The momentum started to shift and a smart Wild hit pulled a good save out of Carey.
Next, Bello played an inviting cross which got headed narrowly wide and at the Archery End Magee dealt with Hester-Cook’s delivery easily enough.
Prichard and Wild pressed again but it ultimately ran out for a Horsham goal kick and super pressure from Bello forced Sparks to concede a throw.
A lovely Pashley cross was almost met by Dunn and on the hour mark Harding was exchanged for Ola Ogunwamide.
Pashley found Prichard who took a couple of neat touches and Finlay Chadwick replaced Jammeh as Chi changed things up.
Bello won another throw and Wild chested the ball on to Prichard but his piledriver flew over.
And then Prichard played a lovely pass to Wild who was also involved when Rowlatt and Hutchings linked up but he headed off target.
Bello went on a defence splitting run only to shoot wide and fired narrowly over after being set up by Prichard.
Wild broke the deadlock on 74 from the penalty spot for his fourth goal in three games after a delicious Dunn delivery saw the Chi No9 bundled over in the box.
With their tails up and Horsham flagging Prichard tackled Ajakaiye brilliantly and seconds later won a corner kick.
Nothing came of this and Joe Clarke came on for Rowlatt.
A Chadwick foul saw Horsham awarded a free-kick on 83 minutes which was played dangerously into the box and the ball was turned in from close range to make it all square.
The Hornets won another moments later which Sparks took only for it to be headed over and a second one got steered out for a goal kick
Hutchings broke away down the left but finally lost the ball and midfielder Moore had to give away a corner as the clock ticked down.
Dunn chested the ball back to Magee cleverly as we headed into four minutes of time added on.
Neither team could find a winner though and it finished 1-1 with Chi ninth spot in the league.
Rutherford’s men welcome Hashtag United to Oaklands Park next on Saturday 9th November (Kick Off 3pm).
Chichester – Magee, Davidson, Hutchings, Moore, Dunn, Pashley, Bello, Rowlatt, Wild, Jammeh, Prichard. (Munt, Da Costa, Chadwick, Clark, Clarke)
