Truro City 2–1 Concord Rangers

From Treyew Road

National League South

 

CONCORD Rangers’ perfect start to the season came to an end in the south west, as they were beaten by Truro City.

The Beach Boys had taken an early lead through Tony Stokes, only for a quick-fire double at the start of the second-half to turn the scores on its head.

And when Stokes was sent off late on, it compounded a miserable afternoon for the Essex outfit.

Concord came racing out of the blocks, and had the lead inside three minutes.

Tony Stokes, expected to be a key figure this season, sent a terrific header back across the goalkeeper after a Steve Cawley cross to hand Adam Flanagan’s men an early advantage.

Truro's Matt Wright was denied by the linesman’s flag, and Ed Palmer came even closer as his free-kick crashed off the crossbar.

Conord came the width of the goal-line away from doubling their lead, as Cornhill’s effort was blocked away, but the home team ended the half strongly, as strong penalty appeals were waved away following a challenge by Arthur Lee.

The Beach Boys were leading at the break, but it was a different story in the second period.

Three minutes after the restart, Truro were awarded a penalty after a foul in the box, with Shane White crashing past Conor Gough to level the scores.

And it went from bad to worse when Matthew Wright put the hosts ahead. A fierce corner was met by Wright, with Gough well beaten.

But it was Stokes who was involved late on, as he was dismissed for an apparent stamp.

Concord Rangers: Gough, Stephen, Fox, Cornhill, King, Lee, Greenhalgh (Taaffe), White, Gardner (Bantick), Cawley, Stokes