More misery for Bedford as Tring win well

The result extended Athletic’s good run of form to just one defeat from their last 11 games, while Bedford dropped to the foot of the SSML Premier Division table after Harefield United leapfrogged them with a 3-2 win over Oxhey Jets.

Bedford came close to breaking the deadlock soon after kick-off when Osamu Allman hit the post, but it was the visitors who struck first in the 11th minute.

Ryan Sturges ran to the bye-line and pulled the ball back intelligently to Turner who guided an accurate shot into the far corner of the net.

Athletic came close to scoring a second midway through the half when Turner latched on to a superb pass from Stobbs and lobbed the keeper who just managed to get his fingers to the ball.

A few minutes later Ryan Sturges sent Turner through and again the keeper came to the rescue for Bedford with a fine point blank save to deny the Athletic playmaker.

Bedford raised their game after the interval and enjoyed a good spell of possession, but they failed to find the target as Tring keeper Matt Evans remained largely untroubled.

On the hour mark Evans was finally called into meaningful action, coming off his line quickly to smother the ball at the feet of Nathan Hilaire after a pass found a way through the Tring defence.

Both teams knew that the next goal was going to be crucial, and it was the visitors who made the vital breakthrough in the 72nd minute when sub Jay Caines released Stobbs with a terrific pass and the Athletic winger made no mistake.

To their credit, Bedford kept going and Hilaire fired a good opportunity into the side-netting, but generally Athletic looked comfortable and ran out deserved winners.