CONCORD Rangers’ defensive frailties led to them suffering a 3-0 defeat at home to Kingstonian yesterday.

Two soft goals in the space of two minutes midway through the first half all but settled the match in favour of the visitors.

But the margin of the final scoreline was still harsh on a Concord side who enjoyed long spells of possession.

The Canvey club were territorially on top in the opening exchanges but struggled to create clear-cut goalscoring chances.

And they were undone with ease in the 29th minute when a long goalkick from Rob Tolfrey caught out the home side’s back four and enabled Andre McCollin to lob the ball past Rangers’ advancing goalkeeper Michael Jordan.

Within seconds, Kingstonian doubled their lead when Aaron Goode’s right-wing cross picked out Goma Lambu at the far post.

He sent a close-range effort against the left post but the resulting rebound fell to Matt Pattison, who volleyed the ball in to the top left-hand corner of the net from 16 yards.

After the break, Concord looked more threatening in the final third following the introduction of Harry Elmes in attack.

And the hosts came close to scoring in the 52nd minute when Tony Stokes headed Billy Coyne’s right-wing cross against the top of the bar.

However, shortly after, Kingstonian killed off any hopes of a Concord comeback when McCollin charged through and fired a fine left-footed finish into the bottom right-hand corner of the net from 12 yards.

The goal was the 11th Rangers had conceded in their first four league games, and things could have been worse late on when Jordan did well to deny Craig Mullen with an outstretched right foot.

Concord: Jordan, Coyne, King, Easterford, Glozier, Spendlove (Cleaver 86), J Elmes (White 72), Cowley, Harris, Hallett (H Elmes 44), Stokes.

Echo MOM: Reece Harris.

Elsewhere in the Ryman Premier, Canvey suffered their first defeat of the season at Bury Town where Tom Bullard’s 34th-minute strike was enough to give the hosts all three points.

And East Thurrock came from behind to earn a point at home to Cray Wanderers, with Mark Willy giving the visitors an early lead before Reiss Gilbey levelled early in the second half.