Rovers deliver A-grade game to put Athletic to the sword

Tring kept the visiting forwards at bay for most of the first half until a thumping Kev Price effort rattled the hosts’ upright, and the same player then made a surging run into the penalty area only to be pulled down by keeper Max Moore.

Neal Perrin dispatched the resulting spot kick to put Rovers 1-0 ahead.

Torrential rain and howling wind made playing conditions difficult for both sides, and 10 minutes into the second period a bad injury to a Tring player saw him leave the pitch.

It also brought a change of fortune for the home side as James Cotterill and Keiran Turner quickly knocked in two goals to make it 2-1 to Tring.

Hemel had the advantage of going down the slope on a heavy surface and soon drew level thanks Jamal Babb, before a header by Perrin and a strike from Price, plus another Babb goal put Rovers 5-2 ahead and knocked the stuffing out of the tiring home side.

Babb completed his hat-trick, with Scott Porter also getting on the scoresheet, before a solo effort from the energetic Connor Deadman completed the 8-2 win.

Elsewhere, the Hemel Rovers Reserves beat JC United 7-4 thanks to goals from Drew Duggan (3) Mike McQuade, Chris Wheals, Mark Crampton and Rhys Stonebank.