Concord Rangers 1-4 Bromley

From the Aspect Arena

Conference South

 

CONCORD Rangers were well beaten by a high-flying Bromley team on Boxing Day.

The Beach Boys were looking for some festive cheer after a difficult run in the league, which had seen them lose two of the last three league matches.

However, whereas those away defeats came at two sides beneath them in the division, Wealdstone and Bishop’s Stortford, Bromley were in formidable form.

The second placed-side had won all five fixtures this month and were strong favourites for this encounter.

Mitchell Pinnock was unavailable against his parent club while James White and Danny Glozier were out, but it was Concord who started the brighter and took the lead after only six minutes.

A defensive error allowed Joe Gardner, who had been a doubt before the game, to pounce and he slotted home.

Bromley were looking lively, and Danny Waldren headed straight at Josh Vickers, with Damian Scannell testing the on-loan Arsenal goalkeeper soon after.

Adam Birchall was next to try his luck, but his attempted lob was plucked out of the air by Vickers.

But Bromley did get the equaliser they deserved two minutes before the break.

A ball from the back by Billy Holland dropped for Louis Dennis and the forward fired a first-time effort past the helpless Concord keeper.

Jamie Slabber had been introduced midway through the first half but he was the man on the mark to turn the game on its head five minutes after the break.

It looked as though the chance had gone when Waldren nodded wide of the mark but the tenacious Birchall stretched to keep the ball in play and divert it back across for Slabber to tap home.

Evans Kouassi came on for his Beach Boys debut soon after but was unable to inspire a comeback.

A Matt Fry handball was penalised by the referee and Dennis scored to make it 3-1 before the result was secured with 12 minutes remaining.

Slabber challenged at the near post, with the loose ball dropping for Waldren to complete the scoring.

Concord Rangers: Vickers, King, Ogilvie, Lampe, Fry, Woodyard, Gardner (Kouassi), Miles, Taaffe (Stokes), Cawley, Collins