Risborough put in a determined and gritty performance to come from behind and beat near neighbours Tring Athletic, the Christmas Saturday fixture pulling in a season best 254 crowd for the home side.

It was Tring who settled best to the awful playing surface and they took an early lead when, in the sixth minute, the tall Dylan Whitelock outjumped the Rangers defence to head past Ben Bridle-Card. Rangers gradually grew into the game though their normal quick passing style had to be adjusted to take into account the boggy and bumpy conditions. The home team are also a decent footballing rather than hoofballing outfit and though both sides had extended bouts of possession, neither created any noteworthy chances or troubled the opposition keeper. Until the 43rd minute that is, when an exchange of passes between Stefan Powell and EK set up Elliot Buchanan who gave Josh Ameganui no chance with his close-range effort.

The second period followed a similar pattern to the first with both teams exchanging periods of possession without creating a clear-cut goal scoring opportunity. On the hour mark, though, Tring’s lively Max Hercules saw his dipping free kick tipped over by Bridle-Card, the resulting corner bouncing around the Rangers area before eventually being kicked off the line to safety.

The winner came in the 83rd minute as Stefan Powell and Manny Williams combined to set up Buchanan whose natural strikers instinct saw him stick out a foot to poke the ball home from close range, much to the delight of the travelling Rangers fans behind the goal.

It might even have been three when young Micha Williams went on a mazy run in the 88th minute only to see his effort go wide. His dad Manny also saw a late effort saved by Ameganui as Rangers finished strongly.

The hard fought for three points moved Rangers up to fourth place in the end of year (congested) Spartan South Midlands Premier Division table, a far cry from the club’s position twelve months previously. Let’s hope 2026 continues the upward trend.