1/5/01: Ryman League Division Three

Tring failed to continue their winning run when they slipped to a narrow defeat at Wingate and Finchley in Tuesday night's final away league match of the season.

The home side took the lead from their first attack of the game on 7 minutes. Tring's defence was split by a pass through to Robert Donn, and he went round the advancing Simon Bartley before slotting into the empty net. Dean Nyman missed a good chance to double their lead on 11 minutes when he sliced his shot wide of a gaping net.

Tring's first attempt on goal came on 22 minutes when Alex Kinsley's run across the face of the penalty area set up Tony Cook for a shot which went just wide. On 33 minutes Tring threatened again when Cook had the ball 30 yards out. There were several passing options open, but instead Cook struck an excellent shot which flew over the keeper into the net to put Tring back on level terms.

There were chances for both sides in the final five minutes of the half, with Scott Walters' shot from inside the six-yard box being blocked on the line, and Wingate's Dean Nyman hitting the bar with a shot from a narrow angle. In the last seconds of the half Tring broke quickly, and James Armstrong's pass left Kinsley with only the keeper to beat, but the faintest touch was enough to tip Kinsley's well-struck shot over the bar.

There was less goalmouth action in the second half as the two sides cancelled each other out, and the game could have gone either way, but in the end it was Wingate who got the decisive goal 11 minutes from time. Nyman was allowed to run across the face of the penalty area and hit a low shot which Bartley seemed to see late and could not get across to.

Tring pressed forward for a second equaliser, but the best chance they created fell on 83 minutes to Mark Burfoot, who was clean through but shot straight at the keeper. Despite a number of corners in the closing minutes, Tring could not force the ball home.

Team: Bartley, J.Gibson, Harrhy, Bartlett, Underwood (Hibbert), Boad, Cook, Walters (Burfoot), Armstrong (Swales), Kinsley, Beamish.