St Albans City 2-0 Concord Rangers

From Clarence Park

National League South

CONCORD Rangers went down 2-0 in their first match of the new season, as goals in each half condemned them to defeat at St Albans City.

Dipo Akinyemi and Junior Morias struck to hand the Hertfordshire side the win, and ensure Concord returned to Essex empty handed.

Beach Boys boss Adam Flanagan handed debuts to five first-team players, with Rob Girdlestone, Mark Onyemah, Marvin Ekpiteta, Harvey Hodd and Dean Mason all starting for the visitors.

It was a low key start to the match, as both felt their way into the match, but neither came close to striking the first blow.

The first goal came just after the half-hour mark, with Akinyemi striking the opener impressively.

It should have been 2-0 before half-time as the home side grew in confidence but their shot-stopper Ben McNamara spread himself brilliantly to keep the deficit at one.

Concord pushed on in the second-half but it looked as though they were likely to be frustrated in their attempts to draw level.

However, it looked as though they had got the equaliser in the dying embers of the match, as the ball hit the back of the net but the lineman flag brought a halt to their celebrations.

And it was to get worse, when Morias scored to make it 2-0 and ensure the result.

Concord Rangers: McNamara, Girdlestone, Onyemah (King), Dowie, Easterford, Ekpiteta, Mason (Akrofi), White, Hodd (Teniola), Cawley, Collins