2/9/00: FA Cup Preliminary Round

Wellingborough Town 0 Tring Town 0

Tring face a home replay on Tuesday night after being unable to break down a tough Wellingborough Town defence in Saturday's FA Cup tie. Mick Vipond went into the match with two of his usual back four missing. Neal Bartlett was still suffering from the injury sustained on Tuesday night while Clive Denniss was unavailable.

Tring started brightly, almost going in front in the second minute when Marcus Davis broke down the right and crossed for Alex Kinsley, who volleyed just over the bar. Kinsley went close again on 8 minutes when he curled in an inswinging cross from the left that just eluded three Tring players and ended up going inches wide of the far post.

Tring's defence hadn't been greatly stretched in the early stages, but they were almost caught out on 24 minutes. Over-elaborating on the edge of their own area, the ball was given away to Tony Downes, who fired a shot inches over the bar. Tring somehow survived a goalmouth scramble on 32 minutes which involved three goal-line clearances, and at the other end Steve Boad's effort from a corner on 41 minutes was also cleared off the line by a defender.

The second half was scrappier, with neither side really threatening to break the deadlock. The home side produced the best move of the game on 75 minutes when Paul James cut through the Tring defence via a neat one-two, but slotted his shot just wide. Four minutes later Tring had their best chance. Chasing a long ball forward, Kinsley got the better of his marker and laid off to Davis. He couldn't get into a shooting position but squared to leave Phil Turner with only the keeper to beat, but the keeper saved his shot, denying Turner the chance to score within a minute of coming on.

There was little significant action after that, and the tie will now have to be decided on Tuesday night. Good news for Tring is that Scott Walters will be able to play having served his suspension.

Team: Davies, Underwood, Harrhy, Beamish, Johnson, Boad, Hemingway (Hall), Sangster, Davis, Kinsley, Groves (Turner).