2/1/98: Ryman League Division Three
Cheshunt 3 Tring Town 0
Tring could not continue their winning form into the new year as league leaders Cheshunt proved too much for them in torrential rain at Theobald's Lane. Manager Dennis Bainborough gave a debut to two further new signings, winger Darnell St John and striker Ricky Fletcher.
There were few chances created by either side in a scrappy opening. Tring's first chance came on 20 minutes when a cross found Fletcher in a good position but he headed straight into the keeper's arms. Cheshunt should have taken the lead on 28 minutes when Jayson Sinclair-Menzies was one-on-one with Keith McLoughlin but shot over the bar. On the stroke of half-time Tring had their best chance when Ben Williams was clean through, but a defender got back in time to clear the ball for a corner. From the corner, Roger Jashek had a header cleared off the line.
There had seemed little to choose between the sides in the first half, but Tring started the second half poorly and never recovered. The home side took an overdue lead on 55 minutes following a mistake by Tring defender Matt Conlon. The ball was played through to Mike Rodeo, who calmly slotted the ball past McLoughlin.
Cheshunt's second goal on 62 minutes had an element of luck about it. A speculative shot from 30 yards stuck in the mud just inside the area, and Rodeo was first to the loose ball and had time to shoot home his second goal.
Tring's only chance in the second half came on 67 minutes when Paul Turner's shot was blocked on the line in a goalmouth scramble following a corner. Four minutes later the game was put beyond Tring when Mike Koulamanou beat McLoughlin from 20 yards with a perfectly-placed chip.
Ten minutes later there was controversy when a Cheshunt forward was allowed to run on when clearly offside. McLoughlin saved the first effort, but the rebound effort was handled by Tring defender Liam Campbell. Campbell was only booked, probably because the shot was going wide anyway, and then the resulting penalty was blazed over the bar.
Team: McLoughlin, Bainborough, Condon, Campbell, Jashek (Bray), Crofts (Turner), St.John (Porter), Dale, Fletcher, Williams, Kearney.