8/12/01: Ryman League Division Three

Tring completed a superb week with their second away win in four days. Following Tuesday night's 2-1 success at Witham, Tring turned in another excellent all-round performance to win another tough game. They were without Lee Johnson, who was serving the first of a three-match suspension, and the injured Ben Chesters and Leon Hibbert.

Brian Johnson slotted into central defence in place of his namesake, and a couple of moments of defensive uncertainty allowed Ware some early chances. Greg Hoy should have done better with a close-range header from Andy Keepence's cross on 6 minutes, and Hoy shot wide on 15 minutes after getting the better of two Tring defenders. Two minutes later Simon Bartley had an attempted clearance blocked by Hoy, but fortunately the rebound went just wide.

The latter part of the first half belonged to Tring though. On 30 minutes Alex Kinsley's free kick was well saved by Ware keeper Richard Hayward, and six minutes later Kinsley brought another save out of Hayward after being set up by Sean Sangster. On 38 minutes Dave Butler got on the end of Antony Beamish's long throw with a flicked header that Hayward did well to tip over the bar.

Tring started the second half as strongly as they had finished the first, and should have gone in front on 55 minutes. A long throw was flicked on at the near post, and Scott Walters had the chance to finish but somehow put the ball wide. Four minutes later, though, Walters was instrumental in the goal that put Tring in the lead. His superb long pass put Sangster clean through, and while the Ware players appealed in vain for an offside flag, Sangster ran on to sidestep Hayward and slot the ball home in style.

An equally impressive pass from Walters on 68 minutes set Kinsley free, but his shot from a narrow angle went just wide of the far post. As the game wore on, though, the home side began to put on the pressure, but as on Tuesday night Tring held out superbly. The biggest scare came when Bartley mishit a goal kick straight to a Ware forward, but Johnson got back to put in a crucial tackle and avert the danger. The most impressive performance at the back came from Wayne Barber, who often had to cope with the attentions of two opponents, but the 19 year old dealt with each situation with calm assurance. Ware won a series of corners over the closing moments but could not break the dogged resistance of the Tring rearguard.

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