Six wins in the month as Athletic stay near to the top

Athletic were well below their best although some credit must go to the opponents, who battled for everything.

It brought to a close an excellent September for undefeated Tring, who won all six of their games and they remain in second place in the SSML Premier table, just a point behind Biggleswade FC who picked up a win in midweek to go above them.

Athletic have been banging in the goals in recent weeks but they had to show another side to their game against a tough Potton team who made life difficult for them.

It was Athletic’s first-ever encounter against the Bedfordshire outfit, who transferred over into this division from the United Counties League where they finished runners-up last season in Division One.

The hosts started well enough with Tommy Twelves releasing Kieran Turner in the seventh minute with a fine defence-splitting pass, but the Potton keeper did really well to make a great save from Athletic’s leading marksman.

But Potton started to battle for every ball and pose a goal threat themselves with Tring stopper Connor Sansom robbing winger Danny Webb who later got away down the right and sent over a great cross that was just missed by his colleagues

Sansom got down quickly to tip a shot from Ryan Lewis just round the post as a very competitive first-half ended with little to choose between the teams.

The second period continued in much the same vein, with Athletic not playing their usual free-flowing football and Potton fighting for every ball.

Athletic’s Joe Fitzgerald clipped the bar with a cross and Turner tested the keeper with a couple of shots, but seven minutes from normal time came the defining moment with a bit of quality that had been missing during a generally scrappy game.

The instigator was Ashton Campbell, who sent over a sumptuous cross to the far post where Dunstan literally rose to the occasion to produce a prodigious header to finally break the deadlock.

The win puts Tring on 23 points after nine games, with 28 goals scored.

Strangely, a quirk of the league schedule means Tring were due to play at Potton last night (Tuesday) as the Gazette was going to press.

Athletic then visit third-placed Arlesy Town this Saturday in an early top-of-the-table clash.