Colney Heath start league season with victory against old rivals Tring Athletic
Yasin Boodhoo scored the opening goal of the season for Colney Heath. Picture: KARYN HADDON - Credit: Archant
Colney Heath have opened up the new season right where they finished off the last one – with three more points.
They were denied a likely title and promotion last year when the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division was declared null and void but goals from Yasin Boodhoo and George Devine ensured the Magpies picked up a 2-0 win over Tring Athletic.
The visitors were sitting second behind Colney last year and had been their biggest rivals for the majority of the campaign but they were behind at the Recreation Ground after just seven minutes.
It was Harry Shepherd with the perfect delivery from a free0kick, finding Boodhoo at the near post who scored from a tight angle.
And the pressure kept coming for the remainder of the first period too.
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Will McClelland met a Shepherd corner with a powerful header but the ball skimmed the top of the crossbar and when the pair combined again later, goalkeeper David Saunders make a fine save.
Tring did have chances but Scott Bonner was wide with a header and Joe Naylor was denied by a fingertip save from Matt Evans.
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But Colney always looked the more likely to score next and Devine went close just before the break, his lob though from 40 yards landed on the roof of the net.
Devine would not be denied though and only 58 minutes he finally got his goal.
Danny Fitzgerald hit a long ball down the left wing to set him away and after beating two defenders he cut in and sent Saunders the wrong way with a clever finish.
Both teams had chances as the game reached its conclusion. McClelland and Sean McMonagle both went close with headers while Harry Lewis and Dominic Knaggs both fired just the wrong side of the post.
Tring did finally beat Evans but Oliver Butler’s strike hit the far post and the rebound was cleared off the line by Jay Lovell.
Devine had another chance and substitute Bailey Stevenson also put shots in to no avail but it didn’t matter as Colney made a winning start.
Colney Heath: Evans, Knaggs, Jessop, McClelland, Lovell, Boodhoo, Griffin, Fitzgerald, McMonagle, Devine, Shepherd.
Substitutes: Stevenson, Lewis, Gleeson, Todd, Rahho.
