United improve to take points at Tring

The visitors improved on a tepid first half showing to grab two goals in the second period/

The early stages of this match were disjointed. Neither side could construct an attack of any substance, although Athletic forced United stopper Robbie Ponting into a sharp save down to his right.

Offensively United began to exhibit more fluency and precision and Nick Elliot fired narrowly over.

Richard Christie would have opened the scoring shortly after the interval had the defender not intervened just in time.

Ponting began to earn his MOTM award with a string of terrific saves, making himself big to frustrate the Tring forward.

Charlie Black was tantalisingly close to turning Jaiden Irish’s cross goalwards before Elliot ensured the ball hit the net minutes later. He converted his penalty that was given for handball against a Tring defender.

Ponting pulled off a massive save as the striker faced him one-on-one and he tipped a difficult header over from a corner.

It was Nickels-Benson who ultimately clinched the game for United that in sumptuous style as his driven shot from range nestled into the bottom corner.

Jay Taylor’s dismissal late on was a minor blotch on United’s copybook on an otherwise satisfactory day at the office.