The marked improvement in their discipline shown in recent games disappeared and the ONs were once again guilty of conceding too many needless penalties as they suffered their tenth defeat of the season.At a very wet Tring in October 18 points from the boot of Ben Hogan had condemned the ONs to an 18-15 loss and at Billing Road on Saturday his successful penalty in the dying seconds earned the visitors the narrowest of wins.

James Greensmith moved to centre and James Brazier replaced him on the wing.In the pack Callum Burns returned at hooker,James Dela Cruz at tight head,Calum Brennan to the second row where he partnered Toby Wallace who had started the previous week at prop.The replacements were Struan Brooks,Ollie Rudling and Liam Burrows.

Tring kicked off playing down the Billing Road slope and were immediately attacking but strong defence from the ONs repelled several drives close to their line and the danger was eventually cleared.At the other end the visitors earned an early yellow card for a deliberate knock on but the ONs were then penalised at the lineout after they had kicked to the corner.A Tring penalty attempt drifted just wide but the 25 metre drop out was run back and after a steady build up a try in the corner opened their scoring.Joel Grayson leaped high to regain the restart injuring himself in the process to be replaced by Struan Brooks.A Joe Heslop break was continued by Ben Rivans winning the ONs a penalty close to the Tring line however a hastily taken tapped kick was fumbled forward and the chance had gone.Three points from the boot of James Greensmith reduced the deficit and as half time approached successive infringements,the second of which saw Lewis Barker sin binned and also gave Ben Hogan the opportunity to increase Tring’s lead at the break to 8-3.

The ONs attacked from the restart when a mazy Brooks’ run was continued by Ben Rivans but an aimless kick gave Tring a chance to clear and Hogan was again on target to increase the visitors’ lead to 11-3 half way through the third quarter.A 50/22 took Tring into the ONs’ 22 and they showed exemplary ball retention in a series of short range drives before sending the ball left for a try wide out and a 16-3 advantage.Minutes later Joe Heslop went over and Greensmith added the conversion for a 16-10 scoreline.The fightback continued with Ollie Rudling making 30 metres but his kick ahead was well dealt with by the one remaining Tring defender.A second yellow card for a high tackle reduced Tring to 14 men,the penalty was put into the corner and after driving the resulting lineout possession was moved across field and Heslop’s arching run took him through the opposition defence.Greensmith added the two points to take the ONs 17-16 ahead but then came what the TV rugby pundits call the “coach killer” when the ONs failed to deal with the restart,were penalised and Hogan put his kick unerringly through the posts to give Tring their 19-17 victory.

Next Saturday is a non league week with the ONs travelling to Hertford on February 17th.