27/3/99: Ryman League Division Three
Aveley 3 Tring Town 3
Tring pulled off another late, late show to rescue a point at Aveley, which was an unlikely reward for a team decimated by injury and unavailability. With Keith McLoughlin injured, Dennis Bainborough had to draft in goalkeeper Lee Brown, signed on the day before the game, and also gave a debut to Leon Lewis, recently signed from Southall, although he was not fully fit. Two other players started the game with injuries and Tring had only one substitute on the bench.
Despite their problems, Tring started the game brightly and penned the home side in their own half for the first ten minutes. However, it was Aveley who took the lead against the run of play after 16 minutes. Darnell St John gave the ball away just outside his own box, and after two shots had been blocked, Micky Waite followed up to net the rebound at the third attempt.
Soon after, Tring were dealt another blow when forward Ben Williams had to come off with a hamstring injury which had been aggravated since the start of the game. However, they struck back to equalise and take the lead with St John, the villain of the Aveley goal being instrumental in both goals. On 28 minutes he threaded a perfect pass through to Gavin Hart, who ran on and slipped the ball over the keeper, and Craig Foster slid in to finish off at the near post. Four minutes later a ball over the top from Hart set St John clear, and he lifted the ball over the keeper before running on to poke the ball over the line.
Tring could not hold the lead until half-time, though, as Aveley equalised on 39 minutes when Neil Cannon rose unchallenged to head home a corner.
The second half belonged to the home side, and they have only themselves to blame for not killing off the game, squandering a string of chances. The first culprit was Glen Connolly, who shot over the bar when clean through on 54 minutes, and Steve Bilton curled a shot wide having raced through the static Tring defence to face Brown from point-blank range. Brown also pulled off a few vital saves, but was helpless when Aveley went back in front on 78 minutes. A miscued shot from Waite found CJ Emmanuel alone in front of goal and looking well offside, but the flag stayed down and Emmanuel made no mistake. The same player should have scored again as Aveley attacked straight from the kick-off, but Brown saved Tring again.
Tring had only had one chance during the half, when St John shot wide from Hart's cross on 68 minutes, and they looked down and out, particularly with defender Liam Campbell barely able to run during the last ten minutes and Tring having no available replacement. However, the chance came four minutes from time when a ball over the top put St John clear again. He rounded the keeper and was certain to score before the keeper pulled him back. The keeper only saw the yellow card rather than the red that should have been shown, but Rob McKane was accurate from the penalty spot to give Tring another precious point in their battle to avoid finishing bottom of the league.
Team: Brown, Bainborough, Turner, Campbell, Condon, Lewis, Hart, McKane, Williams (Crofts), Foster, St John.