Tring's fortunes
continued to slide as they fell to their fourth
successive league defeat at Clapton last night.
Howard Cowley made some changes, including a new
goalkeeper in Lee Turney, but once again they
were punished for some frail defending.
Tring made a bright start to the game and were
twice unlucky not to take the lead. On 15 minutes
Turney's long kick was flicked on by Kevin
Chakaodza to Steve Groves, who struck a
tremendous volley from 30 yards that went just
wide. On 22 minutes Alex Kinsley picked the ball
up at a similar distance and juggled it before
hitting a screamer that the keeper did well to
tip onto the bar. However, two minutes later
Tring were behind. Turney punched a corner away,
but only to the edge of the area where Steve
Bonner returned it first time straight into the
net.
Tring managed to get themselves back on level
terms on 38 minutes. Groves battled to win the
ball in midfield, and Chakaodza headed it on to
Dave Butler, who produced a superb dipping volley
from long range that the keeper got a hand to,
but could not keep it out of the net. Clapton
should have gone back in front with the last kick
of the first half when Lasengro Marriott had a
clear shooting chance on the edge of the area,
but he ballooned it over the bar.
Tring were starting to build up some pressure on
the Clapton goal early in the second half, but
were caught out by a breakaway goal on 59
minutes. Groves gave the ball away on the edge of
the Clapton box, and within seconds Gary Thomas
was threading the ball through for Dave Minnis to
shoot past Turney to put Clapton back in front.
Clapton then missed a succession of good chances
to make the game safe, and almost paid the price.
Two minutes into stoppage time Tring sub Ben
Smith's pass put Butler clean through on the
keeper, but his shot went across the face of goal
and wide. Instead of being 2-2, within a minute
it was 3-1 when Clapton sub Pedro Caetano breezed
past three Tring defenders to slot home a fine
solo goal and clinch the three points. |
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| Clapton:
1. Carl Prince, 2. Steve Bonner, 3. Sam
McCarthy, 4. Sean Jarvie, 5. Aaron Nicholls, 6. Dave
Minnis, 7. Adam Whiteman, 8. Lasengro Marriott, 9. Lionel
Best, 10. Gary Thomas, 11. Orlando Hollingsworth. Subs:
12. Pedro Caetano (for Best 84 mins), 14. Paul Strouts,
15. Perry Charles. Tring Town: 1.
Lee Turney, 2. Joe Gibson, 3. Jack Copson, 4. Adam Dale,
5. Brian Johnson, 6. Gary Donaldson, 7. Chris Gibson, 8.
Kevin Chakaodza, 9. Dave Butler, 10. Alex Kinsley, 11.
Steve Groves. Subs: 12. Luke Reid, 14. Dave Watson (for
Groves 73 mins), 15. Gary Lawson, 16. Ben Smith (for
Chakaodza 83 mins) GK. David Clark.
Bookings:
30 mins - Tring - Chakaodza (dangerous play)
69 mins - Clapton - Jarvie (kicking the ball away)
Referee:
Michael Kempster
Attendance:
38
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