13/10/01: Ryman League Division Three

Tring moved away from the bottom of the Division Three table with a comfortable win against still winless Abingdon Town. Remarkably, after conceding 29 goals in their first eight league matches, Tring have not conceded any in their last four matches (including the abandoned match at Witham).

Having said that, Tring had also not scored in the last three matches, but their goal drought ended as early as the third minute of this match. Dave Butler crossed from the right, and via a defender's head the ball came to Mark Underwood at the far post, and Underwood's header looped over 'keeper Mick Torres to give Tring an early lead.

Abingdon were looking less than sure at the back, and they almost gifted Tring a second goal on 12 minutes when Leighton Creer's underhit back pass was intercepted by Butler, but Torres spread himself to save Butler's shot. From the resulting corner Scott Walters had a chance but put the ball over the bar from six yards out. Abingdon had a chance to equalise on 20 minutes when Paul Sherwood's pass put Roger Charles through, but Tring's stand-in keeper Neil Hunt saved well.

Tring doubled their lead on 27 minutes. Underwood floated in a free kick from distance, and a misdirected clearing header from Abingdon's Jimmy Hamilton put his side under pressure. Butler's shot was blocked but Lee Johnson pounced on the rebound to shoot past Torres and give Tring a 2-0 half-time lead.

As in the first half, Tring also struck early in the second half, although the goal on 49 minutes would qualify for any 'sporting bloopers' compilation. Butler kept a close watch as Hamilton tried to shepherd the ball back to Torres. However, the two collided, leaving both on the floor and Butler with the ball at his feet and all day to walk it into the empty net!

Tring almost added a fourth straight from the restart as Walters hit an audacious effort from 40 yards which Torres did well to tip over the bar. However, the fourth goal did arrive on 57 minutes. Alex Kinsley's pass set Walters clear down the left, and when Walters eventually got his cross over, Kinsley had arrived at the far post to blast the ball home, completing the move he had started.

Having got their four goals, Tring took their foot of the pedal somewhat, allowing the visitors to dominate the game over the last half-hour, but they defended solidly and rarely looked like giving up their clean sheet.

Team: Hunt, C.Gibson, Barber, Bartlett, L.Johnson, B.Johnson, Cook (Groves), Walters, Butler, Kinsley, Underwood (Sangster) (Boad)