20/11/99: Ryman League Division Three

Flackwell Heath 3 Tring Town 0

Tring are still struggling to translate their form in cup matches into consistent league form, and they suffered again on Saturday, going down to three goals in the last fifteen minutes of a game they dominated for long periods.

Mick Vipond has added two further signings to his squad in Gary Woolf from Hemel Hempstead and Matt Myatt from Leighton Town, and both were put straight in to a new-look midfield in this match.

The changes seemed to be working as Tring dominated possession in their opponents half probably more than in any match previously this season. Towards the end of the first half Tring created a series of chances that should have seen them go into the break ahead.

On 28 minutes Matt Rawdon headed wide having risen unchallenged to meet a free kick, and although Scott Walters diverted the ball in, he was adjudged to have been offside. On 31 minutes Rawdon turned Lee Elliott on the edge of the six-yard box but shot wide. On 38 minutes Andy Simpson delivered a perfect cross from the bye-line but Walters headed over from point-blank range. In the last minute of the half Eddie Gerrard headed wide from a Neal Bartlett cross and Myatt shot over the bar as Tring ended the half well on top.

Tring still enjoyed the bulk of the possession in the second half, although they found chances harder to come by, due largely to the solid defending of the home side. Their best chance came on 65 minutes when Myatt's pass left Gerrard with only keeper Jamie Jackson to beat, but Jackson saved the shot with his legs.

Flackwell had threatened occasionally on the break, and it was from one of those breaks that they won a corner on 78 minutes. Tring could not clear the ball, and it fell for Dale Godfrey, who shrugged off the attention of several Tring defenders to hit a shot that went in off the far post.

They could have gone further in front a couple of minutes later when the veteran striker Simon Garner capped a fine solo run from the halfway line with a shot that was inches wide.

As Tring committed more men forward in an effort to save the game, they became more vulnerable to the break and they were caught out again on 83 minutes. Tring had several chances to clear the danger but eventually Lee Watson placed a well-judged lob over Keith McLoughlin to make the score 2-0. In the closing minutes Watson was set up with an easy chance for a third goal to leave a scoreline that was very flattering to the home side.

Team: McLoughlin, Bartlett, Simpson, Bateman, Aldridge, Woolf, Gerrard, Boad, Rawdon, Walters, Myatt