Concord Rangers 1-0 Ebbsfleet United

From the Aspect Arena

Conference South

 

CONCORD Rangers beat Ebbsfleet United for the first time to keep them in touch of the play-offs, with the only goal coming inside the opening two minutes.

Taylor Miles scored it with a fine free-kick to continue Danny Cowley’s sides good run of form, and get some points on the board against Fleet, who had won all three of the previous meetings.

Concord were looking to extend their recent unbeaten run to 14 matches in the league, having secured fine back-to-back wins against Weston-Super-Mare and Havant & Waterlooville in the last week.

Fleet had bolstered their ranks with the signing of Luke Rooney last week – who is second in the scoring charts at League Two play-off chasers Luton Town before joining Fleet.

But it was the Beach Boys that starter the brighter and they struck inside the opening two minutes. A free-kick was awarded on the right hand-corner of the penalty area and, as goalkeeper Brandon Hall was finalising his wall, Miles fizzed an effort inside his near post to the Fleet stopper’s surprise.

The goal was a bolt from the blue from a player who has been reborn since the turn of the year, this his fifth goal in six games.

Ebbsfleet settled and started moving the ball around well, albeit with much of play going through big centre-forward Adam Cunnington.

Chances were few and far between in the first-half, with the Beach Boys failing to test Hall again – suffering a blow when tenacious striker Lewis Taaffe had to be replaced having sustained a muscle injury.

Josh Vickers was the busier of the two keepers, with Kelvin Langmead’s header palmed away by the Arsenal loan man, with Matt Fry blocking the follow-up effort from Stuart Lewis.

The visitors saw an appeal for a penalty waved away by referee Alan Young but they had their best chance on the stroke of half-time.

A fine ball was met by Matt Godden but his powerful downward header was tipped away from danger by Vickers.

Into the second-half, it was Ebbsfleet who were driving the game forward although but for all their possession, it could have been 2-0.

A fine interception and ball from James White found the run of substitute Gardner but he could only scuff wide from the edge of the penalty area.

Fleet saw further appeals for a penalty waved away, when Cunnington went down under pressure in the box and it was one of few glimpses they had of the home goal in the second period.

Concord sit one point off the top five after the win.

 

Concord Rangers: Vickers, Walker, Lampe, Woodyard, King, Fry, Miles (Ogilvie), White, Taaffe (Gardner), Collins, Cawley (Stokes)

Ebbsfleet United: Hall, Fish, Jefford, Lewis, Langmead, Bonner, Shields (Osborn), Lewis (Kedwell), Godden, Cunnington, Rooney

 

Other results: Ryman Premier: East Thurrock United 2–1 Witham Town, Canvey Island 1–0 Billericay Town

Ryman One North: Great Wakering Rovers 4–0 Thamesmead Town