18/12/99: Ryman League Division Three

Tring Town 0 Hornchurch 0

Tring extended their unbeaten league run to three matches, but again this was a match they should have won, as they had much the better chances of an exciting game. Tring were hit by injuries and illness which saw Paul Aldridge, Gary Woolf and Rob McKane all missing, but on the plus side they had Marcus Davis back after injury and Tony Oliver belatedly making his debut.

Tring made a strong start, and almost went in front direct from a 5th minute Marcus Davis corner which hit the far post. On 8 minutes another corner caused problems for Hornchurch as it found Steve Bateman at the far post, but Bateman's shot was cleared off the line. Two minutes later Tring hit the woodwork again when a free kick from Davis struck the bar.

Davis was denied again on 30 minutes when his chip over the keeper was headed off the line. Three minutes later a free kick was headed back across goal by Bateman for Oliver, whose touch wasn't quite enough to divert the ball into the net. Bateman's measured pass on 37 minutes put Davis clean through, but this time his shot was saved by the keeper.

Tring continued their good form in the second half. On 57 minutes Mark Underwood went on the run and hit a shot that was inches over the bar. Two minutes later Underwood delivered an excellent cross that just missed Oliver but carried through to Eddie Gerrard, who hit his shot across the face of goal. A cross from Oliver on 68 minutes set up a great chance for Davis, but he took too long over his shot and it was blocked. Three minutes later Matt Myatt found himself clean through, but again he was denied by a great save from the keeper.

Towards the end of the game Tring began to tire and allowed Hornchurch a period of pressure, but they never forced a serious save out of Keith McLoughlin. Tring still had a chance to win the game in a desperate goalmouth scramble in the dying seconds, but both Myatt and Gerrard's shots were blocked on the line as the ball would just not go into the net.

Team: McLoughlin, Underwood, Simpson, Bateman, Bartlett, Davis (Groves), Gerrard, Boad, Myatt, Walters, Oliver.