2/11/99: Herts Senior Cup 2nd Round

Tring Town 3 Stevenage Borough 2

Tring have achieved some superb results in cup competitions this season, but none to compare with this. They overcame the Nationwide Conference giants Stevenage Borough, who fielded a side with few changes from that which played in their last Conference match, to claim a place in the quarter-finals of the Herts Senior Cup.

Tring have brought back striker Scott Walters to Pendley to boost their forward line, and he marked the first appearance of his second spell at Tring with two goals. The timing of Walters return could not be better since Tring's two other main strikers have both been hit by injury. Matt Rawdon had to be pulled out of the line up after injuring his ankle during the warm-up, and Marcus Davis left the game at half-time with an injury.

From the kick-off the two sides looked anything but four divisions apart. Stevenage had offered little threat to the Tring goal before they were gifted the lead on 20 minutes. Tring keeper Keith McLoughlin inexplicably dropped a straightforward corner, and the loose ball was quickly despatched into the net.

However, Tring struck back within two minutes. A long throw-in found its way to Rob McKane, who kept his cool to slot the ball under the advancing keeper for the equaliser.

Tring could have gone ahead on 25 minutes when Walters got on the end of a cross and teed it up for Eddie Gerrard, who shot just wide of the gaping goal. However, they only had to wait another two minutes. A long ball over the top set Walters clear, and the big striker ran on to hit an emphatic shot which went in off the far post.

Tring's spell of pressure left Stevenage rattled, and the only threat they offered before the break was a downward header from Gordon Barr which McLoughlin saved well.

Young forward Alex Kinsley replaced the injured Davis at half-time, and Tring continued to hold their own, until a lapse of concentration allowed Stevenage to get back on level terms on 58 minutes. Junior Samuels got in behind the Tring defence and rounded McLoughlin before netting the equaliser.

By now Stevenage had brought on two further established first-team players in Gary Wraight and Jimmy Strouts, and it looked as though their superior class and fitness would tell as they penned Tring in their own half for long periods.

But Tring held firm and astonishingly broke away to take the lead again with ten minutes left. Kinsley's cross from the right was missed by Gerrard at the near post, but Walters was behind him, and despite not making the cleanest of contacts, the ball was heading for the corner of the net to take Walters' tally to a total of nine goals from his twelve Tring appearances.

This time Tring held on for the unlikely win, although McLoughlin almost gifted Stevenage another goal when he kicked the ball straight at Richard Leadbeater with two minutes left, but Leadbeater did not get enough height on his lob and McLoughlin gratefully plucked the ball out of the air. That was the last scare as Tring went on to celebrate a famous victory.

Team: McLoughlin, Bartlett, Simpson, Bateman, Aldridge, Davis (Kinsley), Gerrard, McKane, Dale, Walters, Turner.