Tring Athletic see off Leverstock in Dacorum derby clash

Taylor Collins scored Trings second goal. Picture (c) Colin Sturges

Leverstock started the game well, but it was Tring who opened the scoring in the fifth minute when a pass from Chris Salmon sliced open the Green defence, leaving Stewart King clean through to neatly lob Kieran Jimmy.

It was almost 2-0 four minutes later when a flick-on from a long throw hit the inside of the post and the rebound was beaten away by Jimmy.

Leverstock’s first effort on goal came in the 15th minute when Liam Hind set up Jimmy Talbot for a shot which went a yard wide.

Tring’s Greg Deer had been booked early on for what looked like a fair challenge, and Timi Salako was equally harshly booked during the first half for a tackle where he appeared to win the ball.

However, Deer’s booking proved crucial as he slid into a challenge on Mark Woolley after 37 minutes, prompting the referee to show him a second yellow card and reduce Tring to ten men.

Leverstock’s numerical advantage saw them dominate possession over the opening 15 minutes of the second half, but they could not break down the last line of the Tring defence.

The referee evened things up after 63 minutes when Green were reduced to ten men; Damien Cruickshank seeing red after being booked for two tackles within a 10 minute spell.

A second Tring goal arrived after 72 minutesas Sonny Aird squared for Taylor Collins to scuff the ball home from close range for a 2-0 lead.

Three minutes later Leverstock had their best chance of the game when Callum Wright curled in a superb cross. Jimmy Talbot came in to meet it but stabbed the ball wide, with Liam Hind probably better-placed behind him.

As Leverstock pushed forward to try to save the game, gaps started to open up at the back, and it required a couple of good saves from Jimmy to keep the score at 2-0.

First he saved from Chris Vardy who was clean through, and from the resulting corner he tipped a shot from Trevor Gibbs onto the bar as the game finished with Tring well on top.

It was a fine performance from an Athletic side who are stringing together a decent run of results with 12 points, 13 goals scored and only two conceded from their last four games.