Batling Bedford Athletic lose again at Tring and are five points adrift

They did take an early lead and narrowed the gap in the second half, but by the end their opponents had pulled away by a comfortable margin.

Against a team they have never beaten, Athletic scored an opening try on 14 minutes through Lewis Sharp.

Sam Valpy kicked the conversion and Athletic kept their hosts scoreless until the 27th minute when Oliver Green scored a try, converted by Ben Hogan.

Bedford Athletic’s response was immediate with pacey winger Bradley McKenna scoring from the restart.

Tring responded with two tries in the final 10 minutes of the half. First hooker Alex Osmond burrowed over on 31 minutes and, following a yellow card for Lewis Sharp, scrum half Ben Hogan crossed, Hogan converting both for a 21-12 half-time lead.

Tring maintained their ascendancy with the man advantage at the start of the second half with their bonus point try scored by winger Alfie Robbins, Hogan’s kick taking the score out to 28-12.

Athletic hit back and on 55 minutes hooker Chris Elliott crossed for a score in his first match of the season and debutant winger Tomos Howells ensured the bonus point try in the 66th minute, Valpy converting one as the gap narrowed to 28-24.

However Tring had the greater staying power in the final minutes and crossed for two further converted tries.

Atheltic are at home to Letchworth on Saturday with a 3pm kick-off.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​