MATCH REPORT TUESDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2025

HERTS FA CHARITY SHIELD SEMI FINAL

TRING ATH 1 LETCHWORTH GC EAGLES 1

[ 5-4 ON PENS]

A strong performance against opponents from the premier division of the Spartan South Midlands League was not enough to win this tie, which was finally lost on penalties. Eagles deserved to win but poor finishing once again led to defeat.

Tring were first to threaten a goal when after 19 minutes a shot went well over Eagles cross bar, and a minute later Eagles almost went behind after a terrible defensive mistake. Keeper Adam Seymour passed a goal kick to a defender standing near the edge of the penalty area and his awful first touch presented the ball to a waiting Tring forward. Danger was averted when Seymour raced out of goal to deflect the shot on goal with his feet for a corner.

Tring continued to dominate the early stages of the game and Eagles first shot on goal came after 25 minutes when a free kick was fired wide of goal from a distance of about 20 yards. Eagles grew into the game and Rod Agyeman-Duah turned inside a defender to create space for a shot, but it was wide of goal from outside the penalty area.

Eagles then were lucky not to go behind just before half time when a Tring forward was put clear of defenders but his shot from inside the penalty area was blocked by Seymour for a corner. A couple of minutes later Eagle went ahead when a long ball was played into the Tring half and chased by Shay Kelly. He outpaced chasing defenders and scored with a low shot into the corner of the net from inside the penalty area.

Soon after the start of the second half Tring equalised with another long punt upfield from their half. The ball was played to a forward standing near the penalty spot. It ran loose and was then miskicked by an Eagles defender. The ball ran to a Tring forward and his shot on goal was initially blocked by Seymour with his feet, but the rebound went to a Tring forward who scored despite the efforts of Eagles defenders standing on the goal line. A minute later this was almost repeated. Another long clearance upfield was chased down to the corner flag and a cross reached a Tring forward in the penalty area. Another miskick by an Eagles defender presented a chance to score but this time Seymour managed to scramble the ball clear for a corner.

Eagles finished the game far more strongly. First a poor clearance by the Tring keeper was intercepted about 20 yards from goal but the shot went over the crossbar. A minute later a low cross into the penalty area was poked wide of the Tring goal and then came a great chance for Eagles to win the game. A long ball down the centre of the field put an Eagles forward clear on goal with only the keeper to beat, but he ballooned the ball high over the crossbar into the night sky.

The game then went to penalties with each side evenly matched until Rory Gillham missed the crucial final kick and the game was lost.