Medway could only score two penalties as they lost 14-6 to Tring in Regional 1 South East, but the result was a case of what might have been.

Two yellow cards, the second when the hosts were in still in the game against the division's second-placed side, left head coach Taff Gwilliam ruing his team's indiscipline.

“We have been competitive in every game this season but discipline continues to let us down," he said. "We must learn the lesson soon.

"I cannot fault the team in terms of the pride and effort put in matching the physicality of these big sides, but we need to be more astute in our decision making”.

Medway played with the breeze behind them in the first half and following the kick-off exerted pressure on their visitors.

A kick direct to touch gave them the opportunity of a catch-and-drive from the lineout and a successful execution saw the drive pulled down illegally. Jack Cohen made no mistake with the penalty for a 3-0 lead.

On 15 minutes Tring broke out of their half and were attacking when Alfie Orris went for the interception but knocked the ball on in the process. The referee judged it deliberate and Medway were down to 14 men.

Tring took immediate advantage, scoring a well-taken unconverted try out wide on Orris’ wing.

The Medway cause was further hampered when scrum-half Cullen Daly was forced to leave the field. Ben Dance moved to No.9 with Sean Marriott replacing Dance on the wing.

Despite dominating territory Medway could not break the visitors down. They had a chance to retake the lead on the half-hour, but Cohen pushed his kick wide of the post.

He did make amends with his second penalty on the stroke of half-time when Tring were caught offside, but that was as good as it got for the hosts.

The second half kicked off with Tring pinning Medway back. Medway looked to retain possession but a crossing infringement saw Tring have a simple kick in the front of the posts to lead 8-6.

Medway then lost Richard Petch to injury forcing Jack Nickalls to return to the field while on 50 minutes Tring were reduced to 14 men with their winger yellow-carded.

The rest of the half saw both sides battling hard at the breakdown and set-piece. Tring increased their lead when their fly-half scored an excellent drop goal.

Medway were still in touching distance at 11-6 but their hopes disappeared when Henry Kenny was yellow-carded for an offence he had already been warned about.

Tring kicked the penalty and with Medway reduced to 14 men for the second time their hopes of snatching a victory or getting the losing bonus point were gone.

Tenth-placed Medway travel to Harpenden, in ninth, this Saturday.