Tring Athletic completed their pre-season schedule with a 4-3 defeat in a goal-fest against Leighton Town.
It was a classic Jekyll and Hyde performance from Athletic, who were excellent in the first half but rather poor in the second.
Julian Robinson’s Tring side started the game well and raced into a three-goal lead.
The first goal came after only nine minutes when Chris Salmon won the ball and played a nice pass out to Chris Vardy who smashed a shot past the keeper.
Taylor Collins nearly doubled the lead a minute later after the keeper rushed from his goal and missed the ball and was lucky not to be punished for it.
Leighton were dangerous from set pieces and Kevin McManus had to clear a goal-bound shot off the line following a corner.
Tring were playing some nice football and defender Chris Salmon was outstanding when, time and again, he made crucial interceptions and tackles.
Athletic doubled their advantage in the 21st minute when Taylor Collins whipped over a super free-kick to the far post to pick out Sonny Bailey-Aird.
The youngster’s header hit the bar but Vinnie Iannone as on hand to finish off from close range.
Leighton produced a move of some quality on the half hour with a dangerous cross being delivered into the area where a forward wastefully shot wide.
Seven minutes later, Tring stretched their lead to three goals when a visiting player failed to get any distance with a clearing header and Ryan McMahon seized the opportunity to charge in and strike the ball superbly into the corner of the net from outside the box.
Athletic were well in control and perhaps were a bit complacent by allowing Leighton to pull a goal back.
It was a well taken goal, but from the Tring point of view it was a bad one to concede because they had opportunities to clear their lines.
Athletic ended the half with another goalscoring chance when Adam Toone’s pass picked out Vinnie Iannone who superbly laid the ball into the path of Ryan Sturges, but his shot went wide of the post.
Regardless, a highly satisfactory half for Tring ended with well earned 3-1 lead over a team playing at the next level above them in the football pyramid.
What followed was quite unexpected because Athletic were dreadful in the second half.
Changes were made to the side and Leighton upped their game, but Tring’s passing went to pieces and they conceded three goals – with the winner coming in the third minute of added time.