Concord Rangers 5, Horsham 0 (From Echo)

Concord Rangers 5, Horsham 0

12:26pm Monday 30th January 2012

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ANOTHER Tony Stokes hat-trick helped Concord cruise to a 5-0 victory at home over the Ryman Premier League’s bottom team.

Horsham’s lack in quality up front showed as they failed to create any substantial chances, while the Beachboys goal machine took the game away from them.

Concord pressed hard early on and the pressure led to a 15th-minute opener when James Elmes put Stokes through, who rounded a defender to lash a strike into the net.

Despite some flowing passing moves, the visitors could not muster any decent final balls once they got into the final third.

At the other end, Mitch Hahn’s 38th-minute strike was adjudged offside, followed two minutes later by Stokes missing another chance.

On the stroke of half time, the lead was finally doubled when Sherwin Stanley beat the offside trap to half-volley firmly past Michael Hunter.

Horsham restarted energetically, but still struggled creatively in the final third.

Then in the 57th minute, Stokes made it 3-0 showing great strength to fight off two defenders to get the ball from a right-wing cross before firing in from close range.

Stokes completed his third hat-trick of the season with 11 minutes remaining, just beating Horsham’s offside trap, which had worked well all afternoon, to coolly slot a one-on-one opportunity past Hunter.

Concord’s fifth came three minutes later when substitute Arthur Lee’s chip was kicked back in from the back post by Stokes for Hahn to smash in.

The Beachboys have now won three games on the bounce and six in their last eight league matches.

Danny Cowley, Concord’s joint manager, called his team’s performance “professional”, adding it was not just Stokes who shone in his eyes. He said: “Tony’s massive for us. For what he gives you in goals he gives even more in his work ethic. He always puts the team first, chasing full backs, dropping back into midfield.

“We know Tony will get the plaudits, but there were a lot of good performances today and there are a lot of unsung heroes in our team.”

Concord Rangers: Young, Miller, Robinson, King, White, Beckford (Cooper, 76), J Elmes, Cowley (c) (Lee, 64), Stanley (Okojie, 70), Hahn, Stokes.

Subs not used: Ware, Dudley.