17/11/01: Ryman League Division Three

Tring gained further ground on the mid-table teams in Division Three with another hard-earned victory against a Kingsbury Town side who looked better than their league placing suggested.

After a bright start, Tring took the lead on 11 minutes via a planned free-kick routine that they had practised in training on Thursday night. Mark Underwood floated the ball in from distance to the near-edge of the penalty area, where Dave Butler ran across and flicked a header back over the advancing keeper into the net for a perfectly executed set play.

However, it became more of a struggle after that, as Tring had the possession but couldn't find the quality of final ball needed to create the chances. Kingsbury began to look more of a threat, and almost equalised a minute before half time from Joel Sapiro's header, but Simon Bartley somehow got down at his near post to turn the ball away for a corner.

In the early part of the second half it was Kingsbury who were looking likelier to score, with Paul Moran having their best chance on 54 minutes when he outpaced Sean Sangster to go clean through, only for his eventual shot to be deflected wide.

Tring manager Howard Cowley brought on Wayne Barber soon after that, and Barber played a crucial part in the move which brought Tring their second goal on the hour. His pass put Sangster through on the keeper, and Sangster opted to square the ball to the far post where Underwood was steaming in to sidefoot the ball home and give Tring a further cushion.

Kingsbury still refused to lie down, and nine minutes from time they got themselves right back into the game. Tring were caught short at the back, and Underwood was the last defender when his clearance was charged down by Nick Cooper, leaving Cooper clear to flick the ball over the helpless Bartley into the net.

That made for a nervous ending to the game, although Tring could have made if safe five minutes from time when Alex Kinsley ran onto Butler's pass and rounded the keeper, but Kinsley's shot went across the face of goal and was cleared by Rodney Simpson just before Leon Hibbert arrived. In the end, though, it wasn't needed as Tring held out to claim another crucial three points.

Team: Bartley, C.Gibson, Underwood, Bartlett, L.Johnson, Boad (Hibbert), Sangster, Walters (Barber), Butler (Chesters), Kinsley, Beamish.