Tring recorded
back-to-back victories for the first time this
season with an impressive result against a team
third in the Division Two table. Tring manager
Howard Cowley was very happy with the result:
"This was our best league performance of the
season, and a great team effort. Gary Donaldson
and Dave Butler have given everyone a lift since
they came into the side, and have helped give the
second half of the season a real kick-start.We
were able to take our positive showing at Edgware
into this game and everyone responded
magnificently"
The major talking point of the game, though, was
the somewhat dubious validity of Tring's opening
goal. It was 33 minutes into the game when a
flicked header put Kevin Chakaodza through on
keeper Gordon Hearmon. Chakaodza lobbed the
advancing keeper, and it is what happened next
that caused the controversy. The ball finished up
nestled at the bottom of the net, although on the
wrong side of the net. The Tring supporters in
front of the clubhouse cheered what they thought
was a goal, although the reaction of the players
was more muted, and Hearmon went to collect the
ball for a goal kick. However, after consulting
with one of his assistants, to the disbelief of
the Abingdon contingent, referee Gary Hart
awarded the goal.
The general consensus is that the ball went over
the bar and rolled down the back of the net in a
way that suggested from certain angles that it
might have gone in, although it would be
difficult to explain how the ball would have got
through the net given that it was fixed down
securely. The Abingdon players and officials were
justifiably furious, although Tring were not
undeserving of the lead given the nature of their
play over the first half hour.
Tring had passed the ball around well and created
some half-chances, while seldom looking in danger
at the other end. A key factor was the welcome
return to the side of Sean Sangster after a month
out injured.
Tring took their lead into half-time, and
prepared themselves for what was expected to be
an second-half onslaught by a team eager for
justice to be restored. Abingdon, who had former
Premiership star Garry Parker pulling the strings
in midfield, certainly put more pressure on the
Tring goal in the second half, but created
surprisingly few chances.
Parker hit a shot from the edge of the area just
wide on 53 minutes, and there were chances for
John McMahon and Chris Harper in the 56th minute,
but both ended up wide from close range.
Tring defended well, with Rob Woolfrey giving his
best performance of the season, and the whole
back four adjusted well to the enforced change
when Brian Johnson went off injured. Goalkeeper
Leigh Dale looked assured and the distance of his
kicking often helped to turn defence quickly into
attack.
On 64 minutes Tring cut through the Abingdon
defence with a superb passing move to set up a
chance for Chakaodza. His shot was blocked, and
Alex Kinsley's effort from the rebound was well
saved by Hearmon. Two minutes later a well-placed
pass from Sean Sangster put Dave Butler through,
but his shot went just over. There was another
chance on 69 minutes when Chakaodza received
Kinsley's pass and beat a defender, but his shot
was saved.
Abingdon's best chance came a minute later when
Danny Trinder slid in to convert a cross from six
yards, but didn't make proper contact and
diverted the ball wide. Tring continued to defend
comfortably, although what they needed was a
second goal to make their claim for the three
points a little more valid.
That goal arrived in stoppage time at the end of
the game. Substitute Dennis Fennemore ran on to
Kinsley's pass and rode a challenge on the edge
of the area. Fennemore could have squared to
Butler, who would have had an open goal, but
instead calmly rolled the ball under Hearmon into
the corner of the net to put the result beyond
dispute. Given the quality of their play
throughout the match, and the fact that they
created the better chances, Tring certainly
deserved the win. |
|
| Tring Town: 1.
Leigh Dale, 2. Rob Woolfrey, 3. Wayne Barber, 4. Adam
Dale, 5. Brian Johnson, 6. Gary Donaldson, 7. Sean
Sangster, 8. Steve Groves, 9. Dave Butler, 10. Alex
Kinsley, 11. Kevin Chakaodza. Subs: 12. Dennis Fennemore
(for Chakaodza 77 mins), 14. Luke Reid, 15. Dean
Hutchinson (for Groves 62 mins), 16. Joe Gibson (for
Johnson 54 mins), GK. David Clark Abingdon
Town: 1. Gordon Hearmon, 2. Gary Coyle, 3.
Anthony Burden, 4. Luke Beauchamp, 5. David Tregurtha, 6.
Garry Parker, 7. Jason Thomas, 8. Tristan Didcock, 9.
John McMahon, 10. Chris Harper, 11. Chris Potter. Subs:
12. Mark Scanes (for Beauchamp 71 mins), 14. Danny
Trinder (for Harper 61 mins), 15. Lee Bolton, 16. Stuart
Douglas.
Bookings:
None
Referee:
Gary Hart
Attendance:
53
|