Concord Rangers 1–0 Whitehawk

(Cox 43’)

From the Aspect Arena

National League South

CONCORD Rangers ground out a 1-0 win against bottom club Whitehawk to continue their positive start to the season.

The Beach Boys may have fancied their chances against a south coast team propping up the table in the early stages of the season.

And they looked the more likely to break the deadlock.

Jordan Cox looked odds on to net when he raced through inside three minutes but Hawks goalkeeper Alex Tokarczyk spread himself well and blocked away.

The away goalkeeper was being kept busy.

Lewis Taaffe was next to see a shot turned away, while the forward had sent effort narrowly wide soon after.

But Whitehawk missed a golden chance to snatch the lead on 25 minutes. Jordy Mongoy found space in the area but his header fell wide of the post.

The Hawks striker then brought the best out of Billy Roast in the Concord backline, with a superb last ditch block keeping out Mongoy before Concord did take the lead.

Two minutes before half-time, Steve Cawley linked up with Taaffe and Cox, with the latter unable to miss from close range.

Concord were in charge but the Hawks were in the contest – with the dangerous Mongoy only denied an equaliser by home stopper Louis Wells.

Tom Stephen ended his injury nightmare with a welcome return to the team in the second-half, having missed the last 12 months with an Anterior cruciate ligament injury.

And he almost got onto the end of a cross from Cox to double the home side’s lead.

But one was enough in the end.

Concord Rangers: Wells, Girdlestone, Brown, Roast (Knight 70’), Topley (Stephen 75’), Peter, Taaffe, Nasha, Cox, Cawley, Farrell