19/2/00: Ryman League Division Three

Tring Town 1 Tilbury 1

Tring gained a well-earned point against promotion-chasing Tilbury in an exciting and competitive game at Pendley on Saturday.

Tring made an excellent start to the game and had the visitors under some pressure early on. However, the first clear-cut chance fell to Tilbury on 10 minutes when Michael Hart lobbed just over the bar when a free-kick was headed down to him.

Two minutes later Tring went close when a free-kick floated in caused chaos in the Tilbury area, and Rob McKane got in a shot that was tipped over the bar by keeper Mark Hardingham. On 15 minutes Hardingham did well to keep out a cracking volley from Eddie Gerrard, and soon after Daniel Gordon shot just wide after making some space for himself on the edge of the area.

Tilbury had a chance on the break on 21 minutes when Del Francois outpaced Anthony Beamish, going on to shoot over the bar, but the pressure was almost all Tring's, and they finally took a deserved lead on 29 minutes. Tony Oliver's cross was blocked at the near post, but the ball fell nicely for Scott Walters to stab home a shot which beat the keeper and a defender on the line on its way to the corner of the net.

Tilbury could have equalised on the stroke of half time when they broke quickly after Tring had given the ball away, but Keith McLoughlin produced a great save to deny Simon Deakin, who was clean through.

However, Tring's lead lasted only 8 minutes into the second half. A cross from the right was misjudged by two Tring defenders and ran through for Steve Harrison, who struck a tremendous first-time shot from the edge of the area that gave McLoughlin little chance.

Soon after, there was another blow for Tring when Marcus Davis was the victim of a poor tackle on the edge of the penalty area, and had to leave the game with what turned out to be a broken ankle. Tring's new signing from Aylesbury United, James Armstrong, came on in his stead, and the youngster showed some good touches and had a couple of half-chances to put Tring back in front.

In fact there were fewer clear-cut chances during the second half despite the play being no less competitive. However, Tring had a golden opportunity to win the game in stoppage time. Scott Walters was put clean through by a long ball from defence, and with Hardingham having to scurry back to his goal, the game was up for grabs. At the vital moment, though, Walters shanked his shot three yards wide and Tring had to settle for the point.

Team: McLoughlin, Gordon, Simpson, Bartlett, Beamish, Nevin, Gerrard, Davis (Armstrong), Walters, Oliver, McKane.