Whitehawk 2-0 Concord Rangers

(Ijaha 48’, Lyons-Foster 67’)

From the TerraPura Ground

National League South

CONCORD Rangers’ survival bid suffered a blow thanks to a defeat at bottom club Whitehawk.

David Ijaha and Kodi Lyons-Foster scored the crucial second half goals, meaning the Beach Boys remain just five points clear of the National League South drop zone.

However, Adam Flanagan’s side should have been ahead within 90 seconds, only for Ben Greenhalgh to fire high and wide after good work by Lewis Taaffe and Steve Cawley.

Concord continued to dominate in the early exchanges, but they were unable to force an opener.

Beach Boys goalkeeper Louis Wells pulled off a good save when Yannis Ambroisine connected with a Nassim L’Ghoul free-kick.

And L’Ghoul then sent a strike just over the crossbar, while Jordan Brown made a vital challenge to stop Lloyd Macklin finding the back of the net after rounding Wells.

The second half was only three minutes old when the Hawks broke the deadlock.

Ijaha rode a number of challenges before finding a yard of space and slotting home from close range.

Khale Da Costa was found in behind the hosts’ backline but home goalkeeper Daniel Wilks turned the winger’s strike away.

Wells denied L’Ghoul and Jordan Gibbons as the hosts went in search of a second goal.

And Whitehawk were able to double their lead on 67 minutes as Lyons-Foster stabbed home Gibbons’ cross.

The Beach Boys were unable to get on the scoresheet as the bottom side claimed all three points.

Concord Rangers: Wells, Smith, Brown, Nasha (Akinwande 21), Roast, Knight, Da Costa, Topley, Taaffe (Ighora 87), Cawley, Greenhalgh