3/4/99: Ryman League Division Three
Tring Town 0 Ware 0
Four games unbeaten, two successive clean sheets - things are certainly looking up for Tring Town, although a draw for fellow strugglers Kingsbury meant that Tring still remain bottom of Division Three.
Dennis Bainborough had hoped to field a side unchanged from the 4-0 win over East Thurrock, but his plans were wrecked when Ricky Fletcher and Darnell St John arrived late after allegedly taking a wrong turning.
This meant Gary Bray being pressed into service as a makeshift forward, and he didn't disappoint with his first half display, causing the Ware defence a number of problems.
Tring's Lee Brown was the busier of the two keepers in the first half, having to twice deny the division's top scorer Lee Callcut from close range. Rob McKane was Tring's main danger, hitting a long-range shot just over the bar on 34 minutes, and bringing a save from Ware's Martyn Patching with another shot on 41 minutes, although clear-cut chances were rare for both sides.
Tring's two errant forwards made their belated appearance at the start of the second half after a tongue-lashing from the manager, but again there was little in the way of goalmouth action at either end.
Tring's best chance came on 55 minutes when Gavin Hart's pass put St John on the run, but a poor touch stopped his momentum, and when the shot eventually came it was over the bar. Three minutes later Fletcher made contact with a teasing cross from Hart, but not enough to divert it into the net. The only other noteworthy effort came seven minutes from time when Dave Kearney attempted to curl a shot into the top corner but put it just over the angle.
At the other end Tring's defence dealt comfortably with all that Ware had to offer, and the performance should stand them in good stead for the big local derby against Tring Athletic on Wednesday night.
Team: Brown, Bainborough, Turner, Campbell, Condon, Lewis (Dale), Hart, McKane, Bray (Fletcher), Morrey (St John), Kearney.