Manor welcomed Tring to the New Wilderness for the first game of the season knowing that they were in for a tough match as Tring were the beaten playoff finalists last season after coming within minutes of winning an immediate return to the National League. Manor fielded a number of new players who joined during the summer complimenting the vast majority of last years side who had stayed together despite a torrid season in the higher league.

Manor kicked off the match and had the better of the early exchanges with play inside Tring’s half. The visitors were falling foul of the referees’ whistle and gave away a number of early penalties which allowed Manor to keep the pressure on, but they could not breakdown the visitors defence. Tring slowly came into the match and with a combination of hard running forwards and quick backs worked their way up field where Manor gave away a simple penalty which was taken, after 12 minutes Tring led 0-3.
The score seemed to give the visitors confidence and immediately from the kick off their flanker took advantage of some poor Manor tackling, running the ball 50 meters up field before eventually being brought down, but the damage had been done, the ball was quickly re-cycled and after a couple of drives, the ball was fed out to the wing for Tring to score the first try of the game. With the conversion missed Tring led 0-8.

From the restart Manors pressed Tring and with the home sides defence working more effectively they stopped Tring’s forward drive and eventually won a penalty just inside the visitors half. Manors fly half Mark Woollard, who was playing his first game after a season out with injury stepped up for a shot at goal from 40 meters out but the ball went wide.

The game settled into a period of stalemate with neither side managing to break through the others defence, until a period of pressure inside Manors 22 led to a penalty being given away. The easy attempted was taken and Tring increased their lead to 0-11 after 20 minutes of the match.

From the restart Manor pressurised Tring keeping them inside their half, eventually winning a penalty, this time from 30 meters out, unfortunately it was the same result as Manors first attempt, with the ball going wide of the posts. From the 22 drop out the ball went into the arms of Michael Eghan, the influential winger had been sorely missed by Manor having spent over a season out after suffering a double leg and ankle fracture. Eghan made good ground before eventually being brought to ground. The Manor pack then took the ball forward until it was moved through the backline again bringing Eghan into the attack. From 30 meters out, he powered through three attempted tackles then outpaced the fullback to go over the line for Manors first score. Woollard was successful with the conversion and after 28 minutes Manor were back in the game 7-11.

Manor were now in the ascendency, from the re-start Tring kicked the ball long to Woollard who returned the kick with the ball going out on Tring’s 22 for a lineout to the visitors. Although they won their own ball they choose to kick the ball out of defence. Manor set up a counter attack from inside their own half with Nick Sheppard combining well with his fellow centre Rhys Davis-Horne taking play into Tring’s half where they gave away yet another penalty. Scrum Half Elliot Brown took a quick tap and go catching Tring off guard as he moved towards the visitors 22, then with some slick handling between Brown and Davis-Horne, play moved swiftly towards the try line, then a final pass by Davis-Horne to the supporting Nick Horton saw the Manor fullback outpace the covering defenders to score Manors second try of the game. With another successful conversion Manor now led 14-11 with a little more than 8 minutes of the half remaining.
Manor continued to attack with Barney Newbury making good ground before Woollard kicked the ball deep into Tring’s half, but the visitors looked dangerous whenever they had the ball in hand and ran the ball back at every opportunity, taking play into Manors 22 and only an excellent tackle by Nick Horton prevented a likely try, Manor managed to turned the ball over and clear the danger. But it was only a temporary rest bite as Tring continued to combine forwards and backs well working a space for their No7 to break through a tackle and go over the line. With the conversion successful Tring regained the lead 14-18 and with time almost up, Manor were hoping to go into halftime just behind their visitors.

Unfortunately from the kick off Manor went to sleep and suffered another sucker punch when they allowed Tring to work their way back into Manors 22 where they worked an overlap and scored a second quick try, this time near the corner. The difficult conversion was successful and the ref immediately blew for halftime with Manor behind 14-25. Elliot Brown was injured in the score and had to be replaced by Reece Reed.

Manor kicked off the second half where John Robinson competed well turning the ball over allowing Manor to kick the ball deep. Tring responded by running the ball back at Manor and took play deep into Manors half where a well weighted grubber kick took the ball behind Manors defence and a chase for the line ensued. Tring won the race but in an attempt to pick the ball up, the player knocked the ball over the line, Manor had survived and then cleared their lines from the subsequent 5 meter scrum.

Tring now had the upper hand and after a sustained period of pressure inside Manors half, the visitors were awarded another kickable penalty which they took increasing their lead to 14-28 after 5 minutes of the second half.

The game moved into a period of stalemate with both sides cancelling each other out, although Manor had territorial advantage. From a Tring lineout just inside their own half Rory Moore stole the ball allowing substitute backrow Bobby Grace to punch a hole through Tring’s defence. The backs now took up the attack again bringing Eghan into the line. The powerful winger showed no signs of his recent injury as he again broke a number of tackles before crashing through the fullback to score his second try of the match. With the conversion successful Manor had again clawed their way back into the match at 21-28 after 20 minutes of the match. Unfortunately it would be Manors last score of the game.

Tring upped the tempo and put Manor under constant pressure. From an attack inside Manor’s 22 a clever little chip ahead saw Tring’s impressive outside centre gather the ball and go over for another try to the visitors. Again the conversion was good taking the game away from Manor 21- 35 with 25 minutes played of the second half.

Soon after the re-start Manor had an opportunity to reduce the deficit when Tring launched an attack from deep inside their own territory, as the ball moved quickly along the line Sheppard anticipated a pass and went for the interception, he managed to get his hands to the ball but couldn’t quite hang on knocking the ball forward, with a clear run to the line in his sights.
Tring had the final say in the match when they launched a final attack moving the ball out to the wing to score in the corner, and with the conversion again successful the score moved onto 21-42.

The game finished with Manor on the attack but a knock on saw the game come to a close.

Tring were the better side on the day and deserved their victory and no doubt will be in contention for promotion come the end of the season. Manor will be disappointed at the loss and the fact that they lost concentration at the end of each half allowing Tring to score on both occasions. There were a number of positives none more so that the return to action of Eghan, Woollard and captain Tryson Goodchild, all of who missed the entire season last year. As the squad begins to gel and the new players get use to their team mates, performances will improve. With a number of new players available for next weeks game, selection will again be interesting. Next weeks opponents Chingford had a great victory away at Brentwood, a place that is notoriously difficult to win at. Manor will have to step up their performance if they want to secure their first league victory in over a year next week.