Non-league Football
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Concord Rangers 2 Eton Manor 3
CONCORD Rangers' striker Danny Heale established a new Essex Senior League scoring record at Bowers & Pitsea's Len Salmon Stadium yesterday afternoon.
But Heale's 46th goal of the term, which beat the tally of former Bowers' front-runner David Hope established in 1999, was not enough to see his side to victory in the League Cup final.
Rangers had already won the championship and Gordon Brasted Trophy, beating Eton Manor 3-2 to gain the latter, and had hoped to establish a treble completed by both AFC Hornchurch and Brentwood in the two previous seasons.
On both these previous trebles brothers Danny and Nicky Cowley were with the respective teams, but they were unable to make it a triple hat-trick with Concord, where Danny is coach and Nicky plays.
Instead the FitzWimarc School, Rayleigh, teaching duo and the rest of the Concord party for once had to settle for second best after going down 3-2 to Eton Manor.
Although the island side had their own deadly finisher in the shape of Heale, Manor paraded their own scoring sensation, Anton Stephenson, and he came out on top on this occasion.
He took advantage of sloppy finishing to give his side a 19th-minute lead and, when Lee Smith made it 2-0 three minutes later, Danny Scopes's Concord looked in real disarray.
But Heale grabbed his record-breaking goal with a header from a corner on 27 minutes and, when Shane Oakley ended a fine move with the equaliser three minutes later, Rangers fans expected the Concord machine to click into gear.
But Tilbury-based Manor, one of the oldest non-league clubs in the country and making their first major cup final appearance since 1938, had other ideas.
Stephenson put them back in front five minutes before the interval - and that is the way it stayed.
Concord, and Heale in particular, worked manfully in a bid to get back on terms after the break on a warm and sunny afternoon.
But his powerful free-kick was turned over by Manor keeper Andy Hall on the hour and three shots in quick succession soon afterwards were beaten out by opposition defenders.
Manor had their own moments in front of goal as the proceedings drew to a close, but were unable to increase their advantage by beating James Hussey in the Concord goal.
So Manor, whose former managers include Sir Alf Ramsey, who went on to lead England to World Cup triumph in 1966, saw their name go on the trophy for the first time and Concord, courtesy of their title success, prepare for Ryman Division One North soccer next term.
7:22pm Monday 5th May 2008
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