This truly was a game of two halves - had it been a boxing match it might well have been stopped at half time, with Hertford leading 3-1 after having virtually all of the play. To their credit though, Tring came out a completely different side in the second period. Hertford had no answer as Tring struck twice in the opening two minutes, and then the sizeable visiting support were completely silenced on the hour as Tring took the lead. The Blues never got going properly in the second half and needed a fine Ryan Wade solo effort to earn a Tuesday night replay.
Hertford were unchanged for this game, following the 5-0 rout of Colney Heath in midweek.
Team: 1. Mark Virgo, 2. Nicky Burt, 3. Pablo Ardiles, 4. Kevin Kilroy (Capt), 5. Glenn Draper, 6. Ryan Wade, 7. Panayiotis Panayiotou, 8. Nicky Burt, 9. Ryan Redford, 10. Kevin Cooper, 11. Lee Roberts. Sub Used: 14. Ross Collins (for Panayiotou, 33)

Ryan Wade was injured in a challenge in the opening seconds, with the referee allowing advantage which led to a corner, from which home 'keeper Craig Ringsell punched the ball off Glenn Draper's head. After only 3 minutes Ryan Redford netted from close range, but was adjudged offside. Ryan Wade returned to the pitch after a three minute absence and almost immediately produced a shot which Ringsell blocked for a corner. Completely against the run of play, and out of nothing, Tring were suddenly ahead, on 9 minutes. Nicky Marsh played a ball back to Mark Virgo, perhaps unwisely. Virgo tried to place his kicked clearance but only succeeded in firing it against a home forward. The ball fell to ALI THORNLEY, who coolly slotted home.
Hertford responded well to this setback, making chance after chance as they penned Tring back down the slope. Cooper and Redford both had shots well saved by the keeper and then Pany likewise saw his shot deflected for a corner after really good work by Cooper and Redford in the build up. It was like a game of pinball in the home goalmouth as they were unable to clear the ball, and Hertford were unable to get a shot in at goal. Finally Ryan Wade struck the ball just wide.
Then Nicky Marsh's shot hit the bar as the visitors kept up tremendous pressure on the home goal. The equaliser came for Hertford on 30 minutes. Lee Roberts did well down the left, picking out NICKY BURT right in front of goal for a simple tap-in. Tring hit back with just about their only first half strike on goal apart from their fortunate opener, when Ali Thornley's shot needed turning round the post for a corner by Mark Virgo. Panayiotis Panayiotou had to leave the field injured on 33 minutes, but not before he had been booked for taking revenge on his attacker by tripping him from a prostrate position on the ground. Ross Collins came on in his place. Tring's Darren Caseman was booked for a foul on Ryan Wade then after several misses, RYAN REDFORD finally delivered the goods with a trademark mazy run along the home back line before firing into the net to make it 2-1 on 42 minutes. Three minutes later it was 3-1 and a fairer though not adequate reflection of the first half play, when Nicky Marsh chipped the ball high into the home box, and ROSS COLLINS cleverly headed over keeper Ringsell into the net.

Half Time: Tring Athletic 1 Hertford Town 3

With many spectator still indoors at the start of the second period, Tring turned the game on it's head, with all the cliches about "game of two halves" springing to mind. First Ali Thornley converted from close range on 47 minutes, then after a shot had hit the crossbar, Darren Caseman slotted the ball home to bring the scores level on 49 minutes. Hertford were reeling now, and there was no obvious explanation of how they had let their lead slip. Kevin Kilroy was booked for a foul on 54 minutes and then right on the hour the unthinkable happened. Nicky Marsh dwelt on the ball too long instead of launching it down the field, and Tring regained possession for Ian Wilkinson to score from distance. Wilkinson had become more and more of a presence in midfield since the loss of Panayiotou in The Blues midfield, and it was fitting that it was he who put his side into the lead. Although Hertford tried their best to recapture their first half form, they were unable to do so. Several offside decisions by the Assistant referee covering the Tring defence angered the Hertford fans behind the goal, but their favourites were really struggling now. Ryan Wade can be relied on to battle to the end of any game, and today was no exception. After seeing his 30 yarder tipped over the bar for a corner, he decided to try from a little closer with his next effort and levelled the scores with a gritty run and shot on 78 minutes. Hertford pushed on for the winner and Kevin Cooper hooked a volley over the bar from a Nicky Burt cross. There was every chance that Tring would score the winner though, as they regularly attacked down the slope. Mark Virgo pulled off a golden save with 4 minutes of time added played, and in the end it was arelief when the ref blew up to end a most unusual game, which must have been a classic for the neutrals watching.

Final Score: Tring Athletic 4 Hertford Town 4
We hope you will find our website helpful and informative . There is a separate "Fans Forum", for which the Club accepts no reponsibility .