3/10/00: Ryman League Division Three

Tring's hopes of going up to second in the table were dashed on a night of defensive and goalkeeping blunders.

After a quiet start to the match, Tring went close to taking the lead on 26 minutes. Alex Kinsley intercepted a back pass and placed a superb chip over the keeper which looked to be heading into the net but came back off the post. Instead they found themselves a goal down three minutes later. Goalkeeper Graham Milner's drop kick cannoned into the back of casuals striker Micky Owen, and Owen turned and chipped the ball back over Milner into the empty net. On 36 minutes the visitors went 2-0 up when Milner flapped at a corner, and from the resulting scramble Iain Waghorn forced the ball home.

Tring got themselves back into the game two minutes before the break. Kinsley swung over an excellent cross from near the corner flag, and Antony Beamish got on the end of it to head his sixth goal of the season.

However, within two minutes of the restart Tring were again left facing a mountain to climb. John White beat Milner to a cross to head the visitors 3-1 in front.

Due to the late withdrawal of Steve Harrhy, Tring had Billy Davies on the subs bench, and Mick Vipond brought Milner's uncharacteristic nightmare game to an end by bringing Davies on soon after. Tring fought back again and pulled another goal back on the hour. Mark Underwood's long ball put Kinsley through, and Kinsley and Marcus Davis exchanged four passes with each other before Kinsley slotted the ball home.

Tring piled the pressure on the Casuals goal in the search for an equaliser, but the visitors defended resolutely and snatched the killer goal on the break with nine minutes left. Waghorn caught Davies off his line with another well-placed chip to ensure that Casuals would come away with all three points.

Team: Milner (Davies), Underwood, Gibson, Bartlett, Johnson, Boad, Hemingway, Sangster, Walters (Davis), Kinsley, Beamish (Groves).