Staines Town 0–2 Concord Rangers

From Wheatsheaf Park

Conference South

 

CONCORD Rangers kept their play-off hopes alive with a fine win against already relegated Staines Town.

The Beach Boys headed to the basement club as favourites but Concord boss Danny Cowley acknowledged the home side were the bigger club ahead of kick-off, as he prepared his side for three vital games against the bottom three sides.

And goals from Lewis Taaffe and Taylor Miles were enough for Concord to move to within four points of the top five.

The game started quickly, with Staines aggressive in the tackle from the off. Former Premier League defender Darren Purse was booked after only six minutes following an off-the-ball incident.

But Concord pushed on and took the lead with only 12 minutes on the clock.

After some pinball in the penalty area, Taaffe took control and slammed home the loose ball.

The same man almost doubled his tally soon after when he picked up a pass from Gary Ogilvie, but Jack Turner in the home goal claimed his deflected effort.

Two more Staines men went into the referee’s notebook, with the home team making a substation with only 30 minutes on the clock.

The standout moment of the half came with six minutes remaining when Taylor Miles made it six goals in nine matches, bending a delightful free-kick from 25 yards into the near post to make it 2-0.

Concord were the team in the ascendency after the interval, although Cowley withdrew both goal scorers as the game neared its climax.

Sam Collins almost added a spectacular third with a long-range curling effort but Turner was inspired to keep it at 2-0 and that was how it stayed.

Concord play third-bottom Hayes & Yeading next weekend before a final day trip to relegated Farnborough.

 

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