It's honours even as Sun Sports deny Tring the win

Although there was plenty of goalmouth action, the two goals came within a minute of each other early in the second half as Athletic took the lead in the 54th minute through Taylor Collins before Sports hit back through Clement Asanti.

Athletic had the better of the early exchanges with chances for Kieran Turner, Chris Blunsden and Taylor Collins, but then Sports came more into the game.

Despite that, Tring keeper Matt Evans didn’t really have any saves to make thanks to some good, well organised defending.

Both sides were finding it difficult to string too many passes together in the heavy conditions and it was no surprise that the first half ended as a stalemate.

The second period saw Sports have the better of the early exchanges, but it was Athletic who broke the deadlock. From a corner, the ball was cleared to the edge of the area where Blunsden lobbed the ball back in, and Dave O’Connor headed across goal for Collins to apply the finishing touch.

However, virtually from the kick-off Athletic lost the possession in midfield and the ball was quickly played forward to centre-forward Asanti who evaded two tackles to shoot into the far corner of the goal to even things up.

Back came Athletic, firstly when Lee Stobbs pulled the ball back to Blunsden whose shot was saved by keeper Ross Hampton, and then a superb cross by Collins which fell straight to Blunsden a few yards out but he was unable to make the most of it.

Stobbs then had a volley tipped on to the bar by Hampton before Athletic were incensed by the referee for not awarding them a penalty when Sam Joliffe was upended in the penalty area.

Tring’s final chance of the game was from a free-kick in the 89th minute when Kieran Turner fired just over the bar from 18 yards.

Athletic now look forward to playing Biggleswade United at home on Tuesday in the league.

Tring Athletic: Matt Evans, Lee Stobbs, Chris Mason, David O’Connor, Dan Steadman(c), Kevin McManus, Kieran Turner, Luke Dunstan, Chris Blunsden, Sam Joliffe (Jack Westlake 71), Taylor Collins (Ben Seaton 78).

Sun Sports: Ross Hampton, Liam James, Nathan Pooley, Edwin Twesigomwe, Gary Wallace, Ayodesi Ikusemori, Jack Johnson, Ashley Lewis (c), Clement Asanti, Karl Penny (Colin Wilson 75), Dominic Dickinson.