13/4/02: Ryman League Division Three

Tring's proud 10-match unbeaten run came to an end as Wingate and Finchley engineered a second half fightback to take all three points in Saturday's crucial promotion clash at Pendley.

With so much riding on this match, a full-blooded encounter was expected, and that's how it turned out, with both sides having numerous chances in the first half. On 13 minutes Ben Chesters took on two defenders before hitting a cross-shot that was cut out by the keeper. A minute later Scott Walters struck a long-range drive which went just wide. Wingate's Daniel Boeteng then went on a mazy run from the halfway line which ended with a shot which was gathered by Tring keeper Simon Bartley.

On 24 minutes Chesters' superb pass over the top put Alex Kinsley in with a chance, but Kinsley's shot on the run went just over the angle. However, on 31 minutes Scott Walters knocked the ball on to put Dave Butler clear of the chasing defender, and Butler produced a superb finish to blast the ball home and put Tring into the lead.

Two minutes before the break, Butler had another chance when Chesters put over a low cross from the right touchline, but he stabbed his shot inches wide of the near post. Had that chance gone in, it would have left Tring in a great position, but 1-0 was a precarious lead with the pacy Wingate attack playing down the slope in the second half.

Tring never really got going in the second half, and came under ferocious pressure from the opening minutes. They occasionally threatened on the break, but mostly it was a case of trying to hold out, which they ultimately couldn't do. After 24 minutes of resistance, Wingate's John Butterfield crossed from the left, and the ball found its way to Dean Williams at the far post. Williams had time and space to trap the ball and fire home a shot from six yards that gave Bartley no chance.

Tring made a brief recovery, and might have gone back in front on 67 minutes when Chesters floated a superb corner to the far post, but Walters couldn't quite get the right angle on his header, and headed it back across goal. Two minutes later Chesters hit a shot just wide, but Tring were caught by a sucker punch from the resulting goal kick. The ball was flicked on to set Williams racing clear of the flat-footed Tring defence, and Williams slid the ball past Bartley to put the visitors in front.

That turned out to be the winner, as Tring could not raise their game enough to get back into it, and never looked like getting an equaliser, even in the 13 minutes of stoppage time that the referee generously allowed.

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